News Release_NW LHIN Feb 1 2016
News Release
New Plan Focuses on Improving Health Outcomes for Residents of Northwestern Ontario
Health System Transformation Remains at the Heart of the Plan
February 1, 2016, Thunder Bay – Today, the North West LHIN released its Integrated Health Service Plan 2016-2019, which intends to continue advancing health system transformation in Northwestern Ontario. This Integrated Health Service Plan, also known as the IHSP IV, is the fourth to be developed since the LHIN’s inception and will be in effect from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019.
The Integrated Health Service Plan IV has been developed following extensive qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis completed during 2013-2016 with 30,643 individuals, groups, and organizations to assess the successes achieved through implementation of the strategic priorities outlined in the IHSP III and to validate future directions for health system improvement, integration, and transformation in the IHSP IV.
To further inform the development of the IHSP IV, the North West LHIN also conducted an innovative community engagement campaign entitled Guide Your Health: Your Story, Your Future, to gather additional feedback from residents in Northwestern Ontario between April and June 2015. The North West LHIN collected over 1,500 comments from more than 700 residents who identified areas of the health system that work well and opportunities for improvement.
The IHSP IV aligns with the strategic goals and vision for Ontario’s health system outlined in the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care. In addition, the IHSP IV reaffirms the North West LHIN’s commitment to continue advancing the North West LHIN Health Service Blueprint, introduced in 2012, that focuses on greater integration of service, better health outcomes, and quality improvement to enhance the care experiences of patients, residents, caregivers, and families.
Over the next three years, the North West LHIN’s IHSP IV will continue to build an integrated health care system through four priorities:
- Improving the Patient Care Experience
- Improving Access to Care and Reducing Inequities
- Building an Integrated eHealth Framework, and
- Ensuring Health System Accountability and Sustainability