Ontario’s Health Minister believes there’s enough money going towards eliminating hallway medicine in the province.
Christine Elliott points to an increase of beds for transitional care facilities, where patients go to recover who don’t need to be in a hospital.
“We’re putting $27-billion over 10 years into hospital infrastructure programs, $384-million more this year into hospital operational facilities, and we’re putting more money into long-term care and home care.”
The provincial health minister adds 15% of Ontario patients needlessly wait to move from hospital to home, or some other care facility.
She adds there’s a number of events or factors that could get in the way of ending hallway medicine within a year, such as flu season.
“There’s no simple solution to ending hallway healthcare. It’s building capacity, it’s making sure we can put a substantial mental health and addictions plan in place, that’ll reduce the number of people with chronic mental health problems from circling in and out of emergency departments.”
The province’s health minister adds she can’t say exactly when hallway medicine will be stopped.
However, Elliott points to plans in place.
“When people are discharged from hospital, and need home care, for example, that they are connected to that home care provider before they leave hospital, and they know who’s coming, what services are going to be provided and when. To make sure people don’t end up back in hospital.”
