McMaster joins in development of Hamilton Health Team
Discussing the formation of Hamilton Health are, from left: David Price, chair, McMaster University Department of Family Medicine; Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president, Faculty of Heath Sciences; Christine Elliott, deputy premier and minister of health and Sam Oosterhoff, MPP, Niagara West.
The Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University is helping provide leadership for the Hamilton Ontario Health Team that was announced by Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott this week.
The department is an executive sponsor and provides one of the five executive leads for the new organization, which will implement a new model of organizing and delivering health care for the region.
“Our health care system needs to evolve if we’re going to meet the future needs of our citizens,” said David Price, chair of the department.
“While patients won’t see big changes early on, over the long term we will need to be disruptive if we are going to meet both the changing health care needs and demographics of our population.”
The Hamilton Ontario Health Team, the second of 24 to be announced by the provincial government, is a collaboration of city health and social service partners and includes representation from more than 20 organizations, reflecting primary care, home care, hospitals, community agencies, long-term care, mental health, Indigenous health, post-secondary education, and the City of Hamilton, among others.
Price noted that approximately 120 family physicians have agreed to be part of the early adopters and help in the co-design of the models of care in the first year.
The announcement was made at McMaster’s David Braley Health Sciences Centre with patient advisors and others involved in the Hamilton Ontario Health Team, known as the Hamilton Health Team (HHT).
“This is an exciting time for health care in Ontario as we finally break down the long-standing barriers that have prevented care providers from working directly with each other to support patients throughout their health care journey,” said Elliott.
She thanked everyone involved in planning for the HHT, which was co-chaired by two patient representatives.
“I would like to thank all the health care providers and organizations that helped plan the Hamilton Health Team; there is lots of work to be done, but with their dedication and hard work, we will continue to improve health care in our communities and ensure Ontarians get the care they deserve.”
Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice president of the Faculty of Health Sciences, said McMaster is pleased to be involved as a leader in the development of the HHT.
“We are committed to the changing needs of our communities, and to innovation and excellence in health care.”
The HHT has a vision to provide an equitable and seamless continuum of care that actively improves population health and meets the individual needs of their community.
The announcement allows the HHT to move forward with its early initiatives which will focus on three priority populations in Hamilton and the need to better integrate care for adults with mental health and addiction concerns; children and youth with mental health and addiction concerns, and older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
Learn more about the Hamilton Health Team at the City of Hamilton’s website.
