HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-09-23, Page 3Photo by Dave Sykes
Autumnal
splendor
Ty Gibson, 3, spent an
afternoon fishing with his
dad at the Main Beach
recently. The pair were
among many who took full
advantage of the beautiful
end -of -summer weather
by spending time out-
doors.
Goal to move information, not people
From page 1
offices have different criteria. While
some health centres, such as Clinton,
will consider patients for registry if
their doctor is more than 80 kilome-
tres away, others have to turn away
patients who already have doctors.
Part of the night's presentation,
Gillis said, was collecting those types
of concerns for consideration in the
next three-year plan.
However, since 2003 more than
800,000 people in Ontario who did
not have a family doctor now have
one. For those who travel, she said
digital patient files and even real-time
waiting list expectations can provide
great assistance and even save costly,
out-of-town trips.
"We need to be moving informa-
tion, not people," Dwyer said.
Providing care outside the doctor's
office allows the LHIN to decongest
hospitals and allow patients to go
straight to the agency that can help
them most.
Community Care Access Centres
(CCAC) are a great tool in address-
ing this concern, said planning, inte-
gration and community engagement
specialist Christina Jansen, as are re-
sources such as thehealthline.ca.
The future of LHIN care, she said,
will rely heavily on partnerships with
agencies to make sure any gaps left in
the provision of health care are filled.
As patients take the lead in edu-
cating themselves on their condi-
tions, their reliance on health care is
reduced. Many questions that would
typically be answered at the doctor's
office can be answered through tele -
health or through research.
Still, she said, alleviating reliance
on doctors does not substitute readi-
ly -available medical care. While in-
creases in medical school admissions
and expediting the qualification pro-
cess for foreign doctors will help get
more professionals into practices, the
majority of doctors within the LHIN
are above 45 years -of -age, and many
are nearing retirement.
And regardless of those waiting for
a doctor, Goderich is fully staffed ac-
cording to the provincial guidelines.
"Goderich, as we stand, is not
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declared underserviced," said Alex-
andra and Marine General Hospital
CEO Bill Thibert. "We have to drop
below 11 (physicians) to get financial
assistance."
Thibert said family health teams
are a very positive move for rural
communitites, as the team aspect
helps attract new doctors.
Goderich, he said, has attracted
five doctors in four years, however
the town also lost four in the same
span.
While major centres like Windsor
and Kitchener are qualifying for fund-
ing, Goderich still does not. Some
rural patients are being turned away
from city specialists, and referred to
hospitals in Kitchener - which is out-
side the southwest LHIN.
"Many of us have links with doc-
tors in London," one concerned resi-
dent said. "Since the LHINs came in,
that door has been closing."
Following the presentations, par-
ticipants filled out a passport with
their concerns and questions which
the LHINs will use to plot the course
of health care in southwestern On-
tario for the next three
years.
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Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Page 3
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