Ontario funding over 2000 Hospital & Transitional Beds to Address Waitlist & ALC issues
Ontario is making over 2,000 additional beds and spaces available this year to improve access to care for patients and families, and reduce wait times in hospitals, at home and in the community. Health Minister Eric Hoskins announced October 23rd that funding of $140 million would enable:
- more than 1,200 additional hospital beds available across Ontario
- Providing 207 affordable housing units for seniors who need additional community supports when they are discharged from hospital.
- Creating 503 transitional care spaces outside of hospital for up to 1,700 patients who don't require care in a hospital.
- Reopening 150 beds at Humber River Hospital's former Finch site and 75 beds at University Health Network's former Hillcrest site to provide care for those transitioning out of hospital.
This announcement comes at a time when wait times and delays in discharge of alternate level of care patients continue to be high. This, with an anticipated challenging flu season severely challenge the system. The investment includes $100 million for hospitals to address increased demands for care, and $40 million for post-hospital and preventative care at home.
See where these investments are increasing beds and services here.
Implications for Occupational Therapists
OTs are encouraged to familiarize themselves with where bed and service investments are to be made to determine if your facility/community will be impacted.
OSOT has questioned whether the increased bed funding includes a concomitant increase in occupational therapy services. These are critical to successful discharge from hospital to home. A 2016 study at Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland School of Medicine, published in Medical Care Research & Review, found that “occupational therapy is the only spending category where additional spending has a statistically significant association with lower readmission rates” for the three health conditions studied: heart failure, pneumonia, and acute myocardial infarction.
Investments in home care and transitional beds should also be supported by occupational therapy services.
It is expected that opening of the GTA transitional facilities affiliated with Humber Regional Hospital and University Health Network will provide new opportunities for occupational therapists.
OSOT will value hearing from members what is happening throughout the province with these newly funded beds. Contact us at osot@osot.on.ca.