Ontario Investing to Improve Care in Thunder Bay Emergency Rooms
Province Funding 300,000 Dedicated Nursing Hours to Reduce Emergency Wait Times
Ontario is providing more than $226,012 to help patients receive quicker access to care in hospital emergency rooms in City of Thunder Bay. The province will provide funding to 20 municipalities across Ontario for 300,000 dedicated emergency room nursing hours at 49 hospitals this year.
MPP Michael Gravelle, Thunder Bay-Superior North
“I am proud of our commitment to reduce ambulance offload delays at hospital emergency room, by investing in more nurses. These initiatives are putting patients first, and ensure a stronger health care system.” Michael Gravelle, MPP Thunder Bay – Superior North
Dedicated nurses will work exclusively on receiving low-acuity patients from ambulances, which will allow paramedics to respond to other 9-1-1 calls in the community rather than waiting in the emergency room. Patients arriving at hospitals by ambulance with life-threatening conditions continue to be given priority by hospital staff.
“I’m pleased that we can continue to invest in this initiative at hospitals across the province. Making these comprehensive investments ensures that the most effective practices are in place so we can continue to put the needs of our patients first. Thanks to the hard work of these dedicated emergency room nurses, we have seen a reduction in ambulance offload delays at hospitals.” Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Municipalities who have received funding for these dedicated emergency room nurses have already reported seeing improvements in delays and emergency room wait times.
“The North West LHIN is excited to hear of the Ontario government’s continued support of the ambulance offload nurse program. While offload times in Northwestern Ontario are already among the best in the province, this additional funding of dedicated emergency room nursing hours will allow paramedics to better respond to calls within the community instead of waiting in emergency rooms. This funding will also help to ensure that patients receive the urgent care they need, reducing delays and hospital wait times.” Laura Kokocinski, North West LHIN CEO
Investing in this initiative is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care, better home and community care, the information they need to live healthy, and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.
“This continued funding commitment from our government for the Ambulance Offload Nurse Initiative ensures the right resources are being used at the right time, in the right place in our health care system. Paramedics will have more time available to respond to calls and emergency room wait times have already proven to be reduced. At the end of the day, patient care is greatly improved through this program.” Bill Mauro MPP, Thunder Bay- Atikokan
QUICK FACTS
- The dedicated offload nurses initiative was created in 2008-2009 to reduce ambulance offload times by providing municipalities with funding for dedicated nurses to offload patients in hospital emergency rooms.
- Ontario’s health care budget has increased from $47.6 billion in 2012-13 to a total of $51.8 billion in 2016-17.
- This year’s $51.8 billion investment in health care is a 2.1 per cent increase over last year – greater than the rate of inflation.
