Recent South West LHIN News and Events

Photos from Mitchell Board to Board Engagement Session

On October 26, 2011 the South West LHIN Board of Directors held an engagement Session with directors from other health service provider boards to discuss issues in the health care system. 

Wingham Hospital Redevelopment Annoucement

On August 19, 2011 MPP Carol Mitchell was joined by officials from the Wingham and District Hospital to announce a major redevelopment project for the facility.

Great piece on LHINs in the London Free Press

Check out the Opinion piece from Gerry Macartney from the London Chamber of Commerce: Click here  

Rural and Northern Health Care Framework - community consultation is underway.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's Rural and Northern Health Care Panel has released a report that identifies a vision for the Rural and Northern Health Care. The Framework contains 12 recommendations which are now the focus of community consultation. You can provide feedback on these recommendations by clicking here.  You can read the Panel's recommendations by clicking here.  
VIDEO:Click here to see a video of the opening presentation at the Hanover session Jan. 31 with South West LHIN Acting Board Chair Linda Stevenson and MPP Liz Sandals. 

Improving Wait Times - CJBK Newsmaker

Do you know your health care options?

LHIN CEO Michael Barrett is Interviewed on January 21 on the Steve Garrison show (AM 1290 CJBK).  Click here to listen (mp3 - 1.5MB)

Diagnostic Imaging Network on Display

Federal and Provincial health officials met with media in London October 7 at a press conference to demonstrate the Southwestern Diagnostic Imaging Network which enables hospitals in the Erie St. Clair and South West LHINs to share x-rays, CT scans and MRIs electronically. The network means better, faster care for patients and will ultimately save the health care system $1 billion a year, according to RIchard Alvarez, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. In this picture, Dr. Glenn Bauman, Head of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, demonstrates the DI-r interface to Greg Reed, President and CEO of eHealth Ontario (left) and Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (centre). For more information on the event, click here.

New Long-Term Care Home Grand Opening

The 192 bed Village of Glendale Crossing long-term care home held its grand opening on October 2 with a strong turnout by residents, families friends and local dignitaries at the event.

Two New Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics Opening

The South West LHIN will be getting not one, but two new Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (NPLCs) to help unattached patients find the health care services they need, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews announced August 23.

“Nurse practitioner-led clinics are an integral part of health care in Ontario,” said Matthews, who made the funding announcement with London-Fanshawe MPP Khalil Ramal at the Merrymount Children’s Centre on Colborne Street in London, ON. “This investment means more access to quality health care closer to home for Ontarians.”

Matthews said London’s Health Zone NPLC and the Ingersoll NPLC are just two of 14 organizations province-wide to benefit from the current wave of funding. NPLCs are locally-driven family health care delivery organizations that include an inter-professional team of nurse practitioners, family physicians, nurses and a range of other professionals committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated services tailored to the needs of the local community.

“This is a very exciting day for all of the people who have supported our goal of having a Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic in London,” said Myrna FIrsk, Nurse Practitioner with Health Zone NPLC. This will give clients the opportunity of receiving holistic, full-spectrum care, including prevention, education and mental health support in a community setting. It’s the essence of primary health care – something NPs are well able to deliver!”

Queen’s Park has committed to creating 25 NPLCs before 2012, building on and leveraging the success of Family Health Teams, Community Health centres and other family health care models.NPLCs also support the provincial government’s Emergency/Wait Times strategy through expanded access to in-office family health care – a made-in-Ontario solution that is currently being studied by Alberta and Australia.

Ontarians can be connected to NPLCs through Health Care Connect and Your Health Care Options. To see the Ministry’s Wave 3 funding announcement, click here; for more information on NPLCs click here.

eHealth Leadership Visits South West LHIN

eHealth initiatives in the South West LHIN were front-and-centre July 6 during a visit by eHealth Ontario CEO Greg Reed and Senior Vice President Alice Keung.  "Alot of innovative work is taking place in south western Ontario," Reed said during his whirlwind tour that included visits to the London Intercommunity Health Centre, St. Joseph's Health Centre and the Byron Family Medical Centre. "The more time we spend on the front line, the more intelligent we can be about what centralized eHealth projects should look like." In the photo below (from left to right): Steve Banjai, President and CEO of Consolidated Health Information Services, Michael Barrett, CEO of the South West LHIN, Reed and Keung. For full coverage of the visit, watch for our next edition of e-Exchange newsletter.

South West LHIN Rides Big Bike for Heart and Stroke

Staff at the South West LHIN put the pedal to the metal for the Heart and Stroke Foundation on June 22, raising more than $4,700 for local research initiatives at Robarts, LHSC, UWO and Lawson Research. Carrie Jeffreys (left)  the LHIN's ED Critical Care Project Coordinator, is seen here talking to Michael Barrett, (centre) the LHIN's CEO. 

Minister Matthews announces $9.6 million for ER nurses

At a May 14 event outside the emergency room at London’s University Hospital, Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care announced new funding for nursing positions dedicated to assisting patients who arrive at emergency rooms by ambulance. She was joined by Attorney General Chris Bentley, the South West LHIN's (Acting) Board Chair Ferne Woolcott and London Health Sciences Centre CEO Cliff Nordal. 

These nursing positions, known as ambulance offload nurses, assist ambulance crews by receiving non-emergent cases into the emergency room so crews are freed up to return to the community and respond to other calls. The province-wide announcement was part of a series of events during National Nursing Week. 

In the South West LHIN, the County of Middlesex will receive $525,618 for expanding shift coverage for ambulance offload nurses at University Hospital and Victoria Hospital sites of the London Health Sciences Centre, the two busiest emergency rooms in the South West LHIN and important regional trauma centres.

At pilot sites, the Minister noted, "thanks to the hard work of these nurses, we have seen a significant reduction in ambulance offload delays at hospitals. We are proud to continue this program because it allows ambulances to return more quickly to the community and be available to respond to other emergency calls."  For the complete news release, visit www.health.gov.on.ca. 

Addiction Services of Thames Valley launches new, interactive website

Addiction Services of Thames Valley (ADSTV) held a press conference on May 4 to unveil their new site that combines the interactivity of the web and social media with the information that local youth, concerned family members and students need to find. "The public continues to be hungry for relevant information about substance, alcohol, gambling and gaming addictions," says Executive Director Linda Sibley, pictured here demonstrating the website. "In this age of rapid-fire information, we have to be able to give them that." For more information, visit www.adstv.on.ca..

New Long-Term Care Home Oakcrossing London Welcomes First Resident

Oakcrossing London held a ceremony on May 3 to welcome residents to the new facility.  Below, Ruby Catherwood, the first resident, cuts the ribbon to open the facility with staff and guests gathered for the occasion.  Located in North West London, Oakcrossing is a 160 bed long-term care home operated by peopleCare Inc. that is one part of the more than 600 new beds coming to the London area over the next two years. 

Woodstock and Area Community Health Centre

The new Woodstock and Area Community Health Centre (CHC) opened at its temporary location in downtown Woodstock on April 30.  The Centre's director, board, staff and community members were on hand with local dignitaries including South West LHIN Board Chair Ferne Woolcott to officially open the doors to the new centre.

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