For Immediate Release
January 31, 2006
McGuinty government unveils critical care strategy
Ninety-Six Million Dollar Investment Designed To Reduce Wait Times And Improve Access
KINGSTON – As part of the McGuinty government’s $96 million comprehensive plan to reduce wait times at hospital emergency departments, Kingston General Hospital is receiving $2 million for the creation of Step-down beds and $1.4 million in funding to establish a Critical Care Response Team, announced MPP John Gerretsen on behalf of Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman.
“Better access to critical care services means a reduction in wait times for essential medical services and procedures,” said Gerretsen. “Today’s investment at Kingston General Hospital goes to the heart of creating a better health care system in our community and Ontario by improving patient safety, reducing wait times and ensuring the proper use of highly specialized resources.”
The Critical Care Strategy will be implemented over the next three years. It has four elements:
* Critical Care Response Teams (CCRTs) – $ 29.4 million to create CCRTs across Ontario. CCRTs consist of intensive care physicians, intensive care nurses and Respiratory Therapists who are available 24/7 to take the skills and expertise of a critical care unit beyond its four walls. This year, the government is establishing 26 CCRTs.* Increased Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity – A total of $38.3 million to open more adult ICU beds and Chronic Assisted Ventilatory Care beds across Ontario.
* Health Human Resources – A total of $10 million to provide critical care training to 450 nurses per year, increase the number of training spots for intensive care doctors by 10 (from eight per year to 18 per year), support CCRTs, train community hospital physicians in advanced resuscitation techniques and fund staff retention programs.
*Other system initiatives – An additional $12.2 million will support related initiatives. Key areas that will receive support include the establishment of a Performance Measurement System; the development of a policy to address ethical issues related to critical care access and a series of quality improvement initiatives.
“Investing in CCRT’s, along with the other initiatives announced today, demonstrates the government’s willingness and commitment to ensuring that not only Ontarians receive the critical care they deserve, but that they receive it in the most timely manner possible,” said Bob Bell, Co-chair of the Critical Care Steering Committee.
“Our hospitals and health care facilities have to be more than bricks and mortar – they need the right doctors, the nurses and other health care professionals to have all the tools necessary to help keep Ontarians strong and healthy,” said Smitherman. “This announcement reaffirms our commitment to making those tools available in order to increase patient safety and reduce wait times.”
This initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to build a health care system that reflects the needs of patients and communities, and will keep Ontarians healthy for generations to come.
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