IN THIS ISSUE
ISSUE 11
October 26, 2021
Our Vision
With the communities of Halton
Hills, Milton and Oakville, we
are committed to delivering an
innovative, coordinated and
connected health system that
enables better health and wellbeing
of the population that we serve.
Our Values
Respect & Dignity
Empathy & Compassion
Accountability, Transparency,
Access & Diversity
About Connected Care Halton
The CCHOHT is guided by a
Collaborative Committee with
equal leadership representation
from Acclaim Health, Home and
Community Care Support Services:
Mississauga Halton,
Halton Healthcare, Halton Region
and Primary Care.
The CCHOHT has received
expressions of interest from more
than 140 primary care physicians
and service provider organizations
representing a wide range of health
care services in the communities of
Milton, Halton Hills and Oakville.
Our approach to health care
transformation is founded on a
philosophy of patient-centered care
and a population health approach.
CCHOHT Update ............................................................... Pg. 1
Work Stream, Committee & Working Group Updates ....... Pg. 2
Primary Care Corner ......................................................... Pg. 3
CCHOHT UPDATE
STRATEGIC PLANNING
The Collaborative Committee discussed the updated strategic plan prepared by
Optimus SBR, a business management consultant company, at the October 21st
meeting.
After reviewing the latest version, committee members provided constructive
feedback to ensure the plan reflects the work being done by the CCHOHT and
all it strives to achieve. Optimus will take this feedback and provide an updated
version this fall.
The process of drafting this plan has involved many hours of meetings and
consultations where the collaborative partners discuss and identify a vision for
CCHOHT’s future, as well as its goals and objectives.
More consultation and engagement is always desired and the CCHOHT will be
sure to continue this even after the current process has been finalized.
*NEW* NEWSLETTER PROFILES
The CCHOHT is committed to delivering a health system that improves wellbeing
through innovation, collaboration, and reducing barriers for the populations of
Oakville, Halton Hills, and Milton.
So many individuals work tirelessly to provide the best quality healthcare and the
CCHOHT believes they deserve to be publicly credited. This newsletter will profile
individuals within the CCHOHT model who have made a difference, improved
services, or innovated the system. If you know anyone who you would like to see
highlighted in this new profile section, please send us an email at:
info@connectedcarehalton.ca.
As well, if you have any feedback on how to improve CCHOHT initiatives, the
team is eager to hear that as well. Those emails can be also be sent to:
info@connectedcarehalton.ca.
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WORK STREAMS, WORKING GROUPS &
ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES
MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS
The Mental Health and Addictions work stream is working towards standardizing
processes and expectations for communication between primary care and
mental health and addictions service providers. This includes developing and
implementing communication templates that are sent to primary care providers
at regular intervals using fax (requiring no patient consent) and email (patient
consent for email communication needed). The goal is to have a digital tool to
share documents remotely across service providers.

The work stream also continues to hold feedback sessions on the Unified Care
Plan pilot. This is the second held to go over lessons learned, with a third to be
scheduled. A survey to physicians, clients, and providers of the pilot project will be
sent out later this fall as well.

PALLIATIVE CARE
The Palliative Care work stream created a 24/7 Hospice Palliative HELPline to
provide a single point of access for palliative patients, families and health care
providers.

The HELPline assists callers with confidential counselling and emotional support
by phone or video conference; they will listen, answer questions, and provide/
share resources; facilitate conversations about the goals and plan of care for end
of life; address challenges and support emotional wellbeing; support, information
and education about grief, and spiritual distress.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from talking to someone please reach
out: 905-667-1865.

HOME AND COMMUNITY CARE

The Home and Community Care work stream submitted an application for Virtual
Home and Community Care funding. This project aims to provide equitable,
accessible care to all residents within the region of Connected Care Halton by
leveraging the best practices, lessons learned, and strides made in the delivery of
virtual care during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Access to virtual care will ensure the healthcare system is prepared and limits the
effects of self-isolation while meeting infection prevention and control practices
and standards, ensuring social distancing guidelines while minimizing disruption
to care.

Rural, underserviced areas, homelessness, and transportation barriers will

be addressed by providing a blended, accessible model supported by secure
technology.
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 PATIENT, FAMILY & CAREGIVER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Patient, Family and Caregiver Advisory Committee (PFAC) continues to
engage with the Mental Health and Addictions, Palliative Care, and Home and
Community Care work streams on their associated projects and initiatives. This is
to ensure that the voice of those who use these services is considered.

Members of the PFAC have attended the monthly Community of Practice meeting
with Ontario Health to learn and share best practices. They also attended the
2021 North American Conference on Integrated Care to gain greater insight
from presenters across the globe on integrated care initiatives. The PFAC will be
presenting at the Halton Physicians Association at the end of the month.

If you are interested in joining the PFAC and helping to build a better health
system, please send an email to: info@connectedcarehalton.ca.

DIGITAL HEALTH
The Digital Health working group submitted their Harmonized Information
Management Plan (HIMP) to the Ontario Ministry of Health. The HIMP plan seeks
to outline the CCHOHT strategy and governance around the management, storage
and sharing of information across our members and communities in a fashion to
ensure enhanced availability and continuity of care, across the continuum.

Ultimately, this plan intends to minimize the repetition of tests and delays in care,
through digital information sharing. It aims to establish a secure means to share
business and healthcare-related information amongst the CCHOHT partners.
This model will be developed keeping in mind the plan to further extend it to other
community providers and facilitate further information sharing.

PRIMARY CARE CORNER

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
Georgetown Hospital is looking
for surgical assistants to join the
growing and highly collegial OR team.
Opportunities exist for both daytime
elective surgical assisting, as well as
after-hours on-call shifts.
Interested physicians should send
their CV to: Dr Michael Zettler, Chief
of Family Medicine c/o Michelle Hewit
MHEWITT@haltonhealthcare.com.
New graduates are welcome.
Ontario Health is seeking expressions
of interest from Primary Care
Providers for the position of Primary
Care Expert Panel – Guidelines for
Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual
Care.
Complete this form and email your
resume/CV to
PCP.CA.Guidelines@ontariohealth.ca
no later than midnight on October 28,
2021 to apply.
SCOPE LAUNCH
On November 23 at 8 AM, a launch
event will be held for the new SCOPE
program in Halton. Special guests will
explain how the program works and
its benefits for Primary Care Providers
and patients. PCPs can sign up right
at the event.
Registration is now live on the
SCOPE website. Please RSVP for the
launch event here.

CONTACT US
info@connectedcarehalton.ca connectedcarehalton.ca @CCHOHT @CCHOHT