Eighteen months after applying to get a new Ontario Health Team in Windsor-Essex, the province has announced its approval.
The Ontario government also announced $1.1-million to help the Windsor-Essex Ontario Health Team integrate health care services for residents.
"An Ontario Health Team serving Windsor-Essex is another big step forward in ensuring patients can seamlessly access the health care services they need," said Health Minister Christine Elliott.
With the team in place, patients will have one record and one plan shared amongst all health providers. It will make the transition from one care provider to another seamless.
In addition, it will ensure members of underserviced communities, like temporary foreign workers, have equitable, culturally-appropriate, and safe care.
"It will be serving our temporary foreign worker community, those living in high-risk vulnerable communities such as shelters or those struggling with mental health, substance use challenges, and other advancing chronic conditions," said Claudia den Boer, a co-chair of the Windsor-Essex OHT Steering Committee.
The new team will bring more than 45 local health care programs and service providers, including hospitals, primary care and community support services, mental health and addiction agencies, long-term care and other social services together.
They replace the former Local Health Integrated Network model.
With the addition of the team in Windsor-Essex, the province has 51 Ontario Health Teams.
The Ontario government announced the initiative in February 2019. Chatham-Kent was awarded a team in December 2019 and London-Middlesex in July 2020.
