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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() November 8, 2006 CAMBRIDGE – The McGuinty government is improving access to hospital emergency services by investing $400,000 in a pilot project at Cambridge Memorial Hospital where a physician assistant and two nurse practitioners will be added to the emergency department staff, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today. “Our government believes that building the capacity of hospitals will help them to respond better to the needs of their emergency department patients,” Smitherman said. “Introducing physician assistants and adding more nurse practitioners to emergency departments will reduce wait times, improve access to services and improve patient care.” Cambridge Memorial Hospital is one of six emergency department pilot projects to be launched in community hospitals across Ontario, including: Brockville General Hospital, Guelph General Hospital, Quinte Health Care – Trenton site, Sault Area Hospital and Timmins General Hospital. This funding is part of the government’s $142.4-million Emergency Department Action Plan announced on October 27. Nurse practitioners work with the emergency department team to provide a range of care – from primary health care to acute care. Nurse practitioners have worked in Ontario’s health system for several years and are a part of the province’s new HealthForceOntario health human resources strategy to increase the number of health professionals working in the province to provide high quality and effective health care services for Ontarians. Physician assistants already play a vital role in the Canadian military and in health care systems around the world. They are an innovative new health care provider role in Ontario and are also part of the HealthForceOntario strategy. They will be introduced to emergency departments through the pilot projects where they will assist their on-site supervising physicians in delivering clinical care. “The pilot will mean more timely and responsive hospital emergency services for Ontarians,” said John Milloy, the MPP for Kitchener Centre. “We expect that Cambridge-area residents will greatly benefit from the addition of a physician assistant and two nurse practitioners to the hospital emergency department.” “This is an innovative and exciting new approach to the delivery of health care in our region,” offered Julia Dumanian, President & CEO of Cambridge Memorial Hospital. “This creative strategy addresses the safe and expedient delivery of emergency services and we are thrilled to be a leader in this important initiative.” The government’s three-point Emergency Department Action Plan builds on recommendations contained in the “Improving Access to Emergency Care: Addressing System Issues” report, prepared by a joint committee of the Ontario Hospital Association, the Ontario Medical Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care which was released on October 2. Responding to the Improving Access to Emergency Care report, the McGuinty government has already :
Today’s initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan for innovation in public health care, building a system that delivers on three priorities – keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses. For further information : Members of the media :
Members of the general public :
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