OHA Recognizes Manitouwadge General Hospital Integrated Services as “Example of how small communities should proceed”

Written by Press Release on 29 November 2013

Release by OHA courtesy MGH

: Aerial view of Manitouwadge General Hospital; click to visit hospital website. Photo MGH

The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) recently released a document titled; “Enhancing Access Through Integration” (Click to read full document) It highlights 19 Small, Rural, and Northern hospitals’ actions to integrate with their communities and develop local Health Hubs for easier access to services. Manitouwadge General Hospital was listed as one of these success stories. The OHA Board Chair, Marcia Visser further highlighted Manitouwadge in her closing remarks to Health Achieve Delegates in Toronto on November 6^th. Those present heard how Manitouwadge has been planning for integration since the 1990s. When it was built in 1997, the Manitouwadge Community Health Centre was designed using the health campus philosophy.

This facility was designed as a health centre for the entire community, housing not only the hospital, but several other specialized health care services. Today, it is called a local health hub, but to the team at Manitouwadge General Hospital (MGH), it is simply the former CEO’s vision reaching its full potential. What began as a relatively unique way of offering health services is now one embraced by government, LHINs and service partners.

The former CEO and board built the infrastructure and used local fundraising to do it. Today it is held as an example of how small communities should proceed.

There are many enablers that have contributed to this process, with the initial board’s and CEO’s vision serving as the foundation. Most recently, the addition of a hospital-governed family health team model enabled even greater success at service integration. Now the family health team and primary, acute, long-term care and emergency care are all connected.

Continuity of care was further enhanced with the launch of myCare home nursing services. This Community Care Access Centre and hospital initiative allows for the same nursing staff to provide care for patients in several contexts: within the hospital, in the family health team, and also as part of a home nursing service. This means that sometimes, the same nurse can work with a patient at each phase of care.

Ms. Visser described that concept to the thousands of delegates present by saying “That’s Amazing!” The Manitouwadge Community Health Centre continues to focus on ways to improve and better meet patient needs. Its way of delivering care is so entrenched that older residents assume all communities have health hubs.

The Health Centre is encouraged by patient satisfaction survey results which confirm the community’s support for this integrated style of health service delivery.

FAST FACTS

The FHT’s collaboration with the hospital on wound care has established procedures leading to a 50% decrease in visits to the ED since 2010/2011.
The implementation of the foot care program has eliminated approximately 100 foot care visits a year from the ED
The diabetes program has reduced diabetic foot ulcer ED visits by 90%.