Mackenzie Health has launched a new program aimed at helping patients who no longer require acute care to spend less time in the hospital and more time at home. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has invested $2.1 million to help fund the launch and implementation of MackenzieHelps, which is focused on ensuring patients receive the care they need in the setting they need it in.
MackenzieHelps is a 16-week program of home and community care that will help those with complex care needs safely leave the hospital to continue their care in the comfort of their own home. This program is a collaboration between Mackenzie Health, SE Health, CHATS-Community & Home Assistance to Seniors and March of Dimes Canada.
“MackenzieHelps will help us continue to provide the safe, quality care our patients need and expect, while also ensuring care delivery is occurring in the right place for them based on their health care needs,” said Mary-Agnes Wilson, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nurse Executive, Mackenzie Health. “This will also help us care for the increasing number of patients that come into our hospital, including those that need acute care and are recovering from serious injuries or illness. By working together with our program partners, we stand to make a meaningful impact and help more patients receive the care they need most.”
Over the next decade, not only will the general population of the Western York Region communities served by Mackenzie Health increase dramatically, but the number of seniors is also projected to grow by more than 60 per cent. The added demands of a growing and aging population mean an increase in the number of emergency department visits and additional strain on hospital capacity and resources. MackenzieHelps will aim to alleviate some of these pressures.
Patients will benefit from integrated care services provided by MackenzieHelps that promote self-care and independence. Transitions from hospital to home will be seamless and patients will be provided collaborative bundled home care and community support services. Families and caregivers will also be supported with services, care planning, education and counselling.
The program will create additional capacity in the system by adding ten longer-term transitional spots in the community for patients with higher-care needs or whose families and caregivers are experiencing more significant caregiver burnout.
MackenzieHelps will continue to build on the strong partnerships that already exist among the different health care and social service providers in York Region. Earlier this year, the partnership of eleven community organizations that make up the Western York Region Ontario Health Team was invited to participate in the last phase of the approval process by the provincial government. We submitted our full application to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on October 9. MackenzieHelps aligns with the collaborative goals of the Western York Region Ontario Health Team to deliver care that reflects the local needs of the communities it serves.
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About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider which includes the existing Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive network of community-based services. In March 2017, the organization received its second consecutive award of Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. With over 500,000 residents in Southwest York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. For more information, please visit mackenziehealth.ca
Media contact
Christina Cindric
Senior Communications Consultant, Mackenzie Health
905-883-1212 x7490 | christina.cindric@mackenziehealth.ca