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Transitional care unit opens at Parkwood Hospital
The London area's first transitional care unit was officially opened at Parkwood Hospital, Friday (Nov. 28). The new unit, for which funding was announced in July, was opened in a partnership between St Joseph's Health Care and the South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). The transitional care unit (TCU) is a 20-bed unit for alternate level of care (ALC) patients in London who no longer require acute care hospitalization and who will receive a more appropriate level of care in the TCU. In the TCU patients are provided with restorative care to promote independence and maximize their potential to be cared for in retirement homes, long-term care homes, supportive housing or in their own homes with Community Care Access Centre supports -- local organizations that can help patients access government-funded home care services and long-term care homes. The average length of stay for patients in the TCU is from eight to twelve weeks. The TCU is one strategy to begin to reduce the pressure on the acute care and rehab beds in London. Timely transfer of ALC patients out of these acute beds will make more of these beds available for programs such as cardiac, trauma, cancer and rehabilitation that serve the region. "Today, we have reason to celebrate," said Cliff Nordal, St. Joseph's President and CEO. "To best care for the patients and families we serve, we are always looking for innovative, progressive ways to deliver that care. Ways that are not only the most appropriate clinically, but the most appropriate financially. The new unit promotes independence by providing an environment where patients' functional ability is improved with occupational therapy, physiotherapy and therapeutic recreation activities." In July, the South West LHIN announced funding for the 20 interim transitional care beds. In London, there is a shortage of accommodation for patients waiting to be transferred from acute care to another level of care. "The South West LHIN is making a number of investments to ensure patients are cared for in the appropriate location," said Michael Barrett, acting CEO of the South West LHIN. "The creation of this unit at Parkwood Hospital is an important component in helping to tackle this issue, by improving patient flow through the entire health care system." The St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation contributed close to $450,000 for the renovation and equipment for the new unit. The South West CCAC is playing an integral role in coordinating both the selection of patients for admission to the TCU and also their discharge from the TCU to retirement homes, long-term care homes, supportive housing or home with clinical support. There are an average of 75 patients at St. Joseph's and London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) each day who are awaiting transfer to a facility where they can receive a more appropriate level of care. Hospital officials said the opening the 20 interim beds in the TCU is just one part of the solution in solving the patient access and flow issues in the South West LHIN. |
| The opening of this 20 interim bed transitional care unit at the Parkwood (while a VERY temporary relief) for London represents a complete failure of the health care system in Ontario to care for its most vulnerable residents...the frail elderly. The solution can only be found in the community, through innovative in-home programs, supportive housing and aggressive day programs. For some reason, Ontario does not have the gumption to go down this road and prefers to spend upwards of at least $500 and sometimes as much as $1000 a day to warehouse seniors in acute care hospital beds. Imagine if half that amount could be invested in community services (rather than bricks and mortar) to keep people at home. |
| By: Executive Lead Blogger on 11/29/2008 |
| I agree with executive blogger that more has to be done. Strathroy's hospital is in desperate straits due to its deficit, yet we learn there are many people in there that should not be in a hospital setting. Why not some sort of transitional care out here? |
| By: Stephen Cooper on 12/01/2008 |
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