Waterloo Wellington LHIN Equity Initiatives in 2010-2013 IHSP

Working Together for a Healthier Future

• Go to Waterloo Wellington LHIN website
• See the Waterloo Wellington LHIN 2010-2013 IHSP
• See a snapshot from Waterloo Wellington LHIN’s previous IHSP

The WWLHIN will implement the provincial mental health and addictions strategy, helping to create a system that provides everyone who needs care with equitable access to safe, respectful and effective services. WWLHIN’s goal for the residents of Waterloo Wellington is to provide necessary health care services that are accessible, effective, sustainable and delivered within available resources.

Eight Priorities

1. Improve wait times for MRI exams
2. Improve access to emergency department care
3. Improve access to primary care
4. Improve access to and coordination of mental health and addictions services
5. Improve chronic disease management and prevention – including diabetes
6. Improve outcomes for stroke patients through integrated programs
7. Decrease ALC days
8. Improve patient safety and enhance quality of care

Strategic Dimensions

1. Improve access to health services
2. Improve the health of the population
3. Enhance system effectiveness
4. Build community capacity to achieve a sustainable health system

Improving Access to Care

• Only 68-80% of recent immigrants in WWLHIN have access to a primary care provider (compared to 95% of the total population)
• Access for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless is a major problem
• Also, members of the LGBTQ community report having to go out of their local area to find a provider who has knowledge of their special health needs and issues
• There are also not enough primary care providers in rural areas

Access Goals

• All residents of WWLHIN should have access to primary care
• Improve utilization of primary care by vulnerable populations