A new deal could see better health care for Bradford residents as early as the new year.
On behalf of the town, Mayor James Leduc and members of council were joined by representatives from Southlake Health and Northern York South Simcoe Ontario Health Team (NYSSOHT) for the official signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the three parties at the town’s community and social services hub at 177 Church St., on Dec. 13.
The mayor said council was “immensely proud” of the agreement which “marks a significant step forward,” for the town’s health-care development.
“Access to quality health care plays a critical role in the everyday lives of our residents,” he said.
While non-binding, the MOU is intended to formalize a commitment to improving health facilities and resources within town, as part of Southlake’s distributed model of care, which aims to offer additional health-care services closer to home across the communities the hospital serves through expanded programs and new facilities.
In order to bring more medical services closer to residents, the agreement focuses on five key areas of collaboration:
- Expanding and increasing health facilities serving Bradford residents
- Improving access to more health and wellness programs
- Advocating for support and investment from all levels of government
- Better data sharing between providers to reduce administrative challenges
- Exploring joint partnerships with academic institutions
Paul Woods, doctor, president and chief executive officer at Southlake said that for years, people have “admired the complexity” of the challenges facing the health-care system while waiting for a solution.
“We no longer have the luxury of waiting for solutions,” he said. “We must think beyond the scope of traditional health-care and hospital services.”
When asked after the ceremony when Bradford residents can first expect to see the results of the agreement, Woods said the hospital is already working toward expanding clinical services for residents early in the new year, offering access to X-rays, ultrasound, intravenous medication or daily care — the sort of “very intense intervention” that falls between seeing your family doctor and being sent to hospital.
“That’s where we think we can start keeping people at home, keeping them healthier, getting better outcomes and taking pressure off the hospital,” Woods said, explaining they’re trying to end “hallway health care.”
However, the specific details, including the exact location of the clinic, have yet to be determined.
Christina Bisanz, co-chair of the NYSSOHT, called the event a “dream come true,” and emphasized the importance of collaborating to share limited resources.
“It’s important that we’re all working together,” she said. “We’re not islands, we’re not silos in health care and social care.”
David Makary, doctor, vice-president of medical affairs at the hospital and co-chair of the NYSSOHT, noted that Bradford residents visited Southlake’s emergency department more than 14,000 times last year, which suggests people are waiting until they are so sick they need to go to hospital, just to get care.
“People will have access to the care they need in the right place and at the right time,” he said of the MOU.
York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney was also in attendance to expressed her support for the agreement, especially as she “regularly” hears from constituents about their frustration navigating the healthcare system.
“I am thrilled about today’s announcement,” she said.
On the subject of funding, Mulroney couldn’t make any specific commitments just yet.
“The province will support Southlake and Bradford as they build on the MOU, and I will 100 per cent be advocating for the results of that collaboration,” she said.
The mayor confirmed the exact amount of funding needed to support the agreement hasn’t been determined yet, but said the three parties plan to work together to find out.
“We’re prepared to participate in any funding that’s required to make this a reality,” he said.
Woods explained the hospital is already building a “sophisticated analytics platform” to identify who’s using the hospital, in what ways, from which areas and what services are most needed in which communities.
Friday’s ceremony followed council’s approval of the MOU during its Oct. 15 regular meeting.
According to a report from town CAO Geoff McKnight included in that meeting, the MOU is based on a similar agreement with Georgina, but tailored to Bradford based on a public meeting on May 14.
Mulroney noted Georgina’s agreement has already resulted in a new children’s clinic opening.
