Niagara Health is a leader in the shift to community-based care - focusing on supporting patients with chronic diseases by helping them safely manage their conditions from the comfort of their home. Niagara Health's research and academic mandate is strong and growing, and is impacting health and well-being inside the hospital and beyond its walls.
Ontario Health Teams
Ontario Health Teams are being introduced by the Ontario Government to provide a new way of organizing and delivering care that is more connected to patients in their local communities. Under Ontario Health Teams, health care providers will work as one coordinated team for a more integrated and seamless delivery of care.
The Niagara Ontario Health Team - Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara is comprised of 45 partners from a broad range of healthcare, community support sector and social services – which includes 80 Primary Care Physicians, as well as patients/clients, families and caregivers.
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Niagara and Niagara Health consulted with hundreds of clients, their families and community partners to help guide their planning for the new shared location at 264 Welland Ave. in St. Catharines. CMHA and Niagara Health team members were also key to the planning, and both organizations applaud their teams for their input and preparation to help make the move a success.
Programs provided in St. Catharines by CMHA Niagara and Niagara Health’s Adams Street Addiction Services opened to the community on Tuesday, April 16 at 264 Welland Ave.
Partnering under one roof will improve care and better connect clients to mental health and addictions programs. It will also help them more easily navigate the system. The purposely renovated space is brighter and larger and will provide a safer environment and fully accessible programs and services. Niagara Health services moving to the new location are Men’s and Women’s Withdrawal Management (Detox), ABC (A Better Choice), the Out and About Methadone Clinic and Hepatitis C Satellite Clinic.
All Canadian Mental Health Association St Catharines programs and services, including the Safe Beds Program and Urgent Support Services, are also provided at the new location.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
When reconfiguring the healthcare model in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL), Niagara Health worked with a local steering committee to find partnerships with existing health care providers and long-term care facilities in the area to help meet the needs of the residents in NOTL. Healthcare services improved as a collaborative model of care was introduced.
Niagara Health also built a partnership with Pleasant Manor, a private, not-for-profit facility in Virgil, owned and operated by Radiant Care, in which Niagara Health provides funds annually out of our operating budget for 12 convalescent care beds. This solution of collaboration ensures that NOTL residents have access to transitional beds close-to-home.
Niagara Health continues to work with community providers in NOTL to ensure access to healthcare for residents.
Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS)
Niagara Health has a strong partnership with NEMS and has developed a program for destination determination – meaning that based on presenting complaints of the patient, Niagara EMS can assess which Niagara Health site the patient should be taken.
Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) has begun a new program to field 911 calls to assess patients to determine if they need an ambulance or some other level of care. This new program will help non-emergency patients over the phone, and in most cases avoid the need for an ambulance entirely, ultimately lessening the demand on hospital emergency departments.
Other Community-based Care
Niagara Health is a leader in the shift to community-based care – focusing on supporting patients with chronic diseases by helping them safely manage their conditions from the comfort of their home. Niagara Health has developed an Integrated Comprehensive Care program for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Congestive Heart Failure. This program has reduced both Emergency Department visits and readmissions.
Niagara Health was one of the first hospitals in Ontario to introduce the Amia System – a peritoneal dialysis cycler (an at-home dialysis system) that is improving care and increasing independence for individuals receiving dialysis at home. The system reduces hospital visits for our patients and allows our providers to monitor treatments remotely.
Focusing on the needs of Niagara residents, a Niagara Health mental health nurse works with Niagara paramedics to treat people in the community and coordinate follow-up care as needed.
Niagara Health uses Ontario Telemedicine Network technology to connect people through video with their healthcare providers, therapeutic groups and other programs – providing additional prompt care and reducing the need for patients to travel.
Indigenous Committee
The South Niagara Site project team has partnered with members of the Indigenous community to create an Indigenous Committee to support the planning and design of the South Niagara Site and provide guidance and recommendations into the Indigenous Healing Space and Indigenous Healing Garden.
The Committee is comprised of:
- Niagara Native Centre
- Six Nations of the Grand River
- Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
- Niagara Chapter Native Women
- Indigenous Health Network
- Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle (formerly SOADI)
- Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre
- De dwa da dehs nyes Aboriginal Health Centre
Extraordinary Caring. Every Person. Every Time.
