Press Release
MEDIA RELEASE
Ontario Announces New Maamwesying Ontario Health Team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – On October 14th, 2022, Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, announced that the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team (OHT) is one of three newly approved Ontario Health Teams located in Northern Ontario.
Ontario Health Teams are groups of providers and organizations that are clinically and fiscally accountable for collaboratively delivering a full and coordinated continuum of care to a defined geographic population. Working together, they ensure that clients experience seamless access to care with one patient story, one patient record, and one care plan that is shared between the health care providers.
Provincial funding is being provided to help the Maamwesying OHT to seamlessly integrate health care services for clients in the communities of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Sagamok Anishnawbek, Serpent River First Nation, Mississauga First Nation, Thessalon First Nation, Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, Michipicoten First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation, as well as the Urban Indigenous population in Sault Ste. Marie.
“We are elated with the approval of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team to ensure that Indigenous Health remains in Indigenous Hands” says Carol Eshkakogan, Executive Director of Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services Inc., one of the partner agencies within the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team. “The members of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team have been working collaboratively for the past 30 years to ensure equitable access to quality heath care services within our communities. The approval of our Ontario Health Team reinforces this work and will allow us to continue to make improvements, ensuring that Indigenous Health remains a priority”.
In its first year, the Maamwesying OHT will focus on on patients/clients who are transitioning from acute care settings back to home.
Maamwesying OHT has identified improving care coordination and patient navigation as critical year one priorities. Key activities include:
- Completing a “Digital Health Current State Assessment” to identify the current state and gaps in digital health capacity within the OHT;
- Developing and implementing an “OHT Digital Health Action Plan” with a focus on spreading online appointment booking and advancing integrated virtual care;
- Developing service pathways for the initial target population, including identifying the current state of Indigenous system navigator service pathways across acute care sites and identifying areas of improvement; and
- Implementing Indigenous system navigation service pathway improvements. Initial opportunities include: the implementation of the self-identification process; developing utilization reporting; determining capacity to meet all system navigation needs; and developing system navigation evaluation process. The Ministry of Health has also endorsed a regional support structure that will work with Northern Ontario Health Teams to ensure that these teams develop locally and work together to address common issues including rurality, remoteness and health human resources. This regional support structure will help achieve an integrated, coordinated continuum of care for families in communities throughout the region.
For more information, contact:
Jennifer McKenzie, Director of Comprehensive Primary Heath Care / Maamwesying OHT Co-Lead
jennifer.mckenzie@nmninoeyaa.ca
Edith Mercieca, Director of Home & Community Care / Maamwesying OHT Co-Lead
edith.mercieca@nmnineoyaa.ca
Press Release
MEDIA RELEASE
Ontario Announces New Maamwesying Ontario Health Team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – On October 14th, 2022, Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, announced that the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team (OHT) is one of three newly approved Ontario Health Teams located in Northern Ontario.
Ontario Health Teams are groups of providers and organizations that are clinically and fiscally accountable for collaboratively delivering a full and coordinated continuum of care to a defined geographic population. Working together, they ensure that clients experience seamless access to care with one patient story, one patient record, and one care plan that is shared between the health care providers.
Provincial funding is being provided to help the Maamwesying OHT to seamlessly integrate health care services for clients in the communities of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Sagamok Anishnawbek, Serpent River First Nation, Mississauga First Nation, Thessalon First Nation, Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, Michipicoten First Nation, Chapleau Cree First Nation, Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation, as well as the Urban Indigenous population in Sault Ste. Marie.
“We are elated with the approval of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team to ensure that Indigenous Health remains in Indigenous Hands” says Carol Eshkakogan, Executive Director of Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services Inc., one of the partner agencies within the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team. “The members of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team have been working collaboratively for the past 30 years to ensure equitable access to quality heath care services within our communities. The approval of our Ontario Health Team reinforces this work and will allow us to continue to make improvements, ensuring that Indigenous Health remains a priority”.
In its first year, the Maamwesying OHT will focus on on patients/clients who are transitioning from acute care settings back to home.
Maamwesying OHT has identified improving care coordination and patient navigation as critical year one priorities. Key activities include:
- Completing a “Digital Health Current State Assessment” to identify the current state and gaps in digital health capacity within the OHT;
- Developing and implementing an “OHT Digital Health Action Plan” with a focus on spreading online appointment booking and advancing integrated virtual care;
- Developing service pathways for the initial target population, including identifying the current state of Indigenous system navigator service pathways across acute care sites and identifying areas of improvement; and
- Implementing Indigenous system navigation service pathway improvements. Initial opportunities include: the implementation of the self-identification process; developing utilization reporting; determining capacity to meet all system navigation needs; and developing system navigation evaluation process. The Ministry of Health has also endorsed a regional support structure that will work with Northern Ontario Health Teams to ensure that these teams develop locally and work together to address common issues including rurality, remoteness and health human resources. This regional support structure will help achieve an integrated, coordinated continuum of care for families in communities throughout the region.
For more information, contact:
Jennifer McKenzie, Director of Comprehensive Primary Heath Care / Maamwesying OHT Co-Lead
jennifer.mckenzie@nmninoeyaa.ca
Edith Mercieca, Director of Home & Community Care / Maamwesying OHT Co-Lead
edith.mercieca@nmnineoyaa.ca
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