Optimizing Respiratory Therapy Services: A Continuum of Care from Hospital to Home.
The College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario (CRTO) was initially provided with a one-year funding grant through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s (MOHLTC) HealthForceOntario Optimizing Use of Health Providers’ Competencies initiative. The aim of our project is to develop a model of care for those patients who require long-term ventilation (LTV) and require skilled support in order to successfully transition from a hospital to a community setting. The project deadline has been extended and will end March 31, 2010.
The project has both a hospital and a community arm to address the current gaps in care that often delay or prevent patients on LTV from moving into the most appropriate permanent residence. Ultimately we would like to ensure that Respiratory Therapists (RT) in both sectors have the tools necessary facilitate and support this transition, in collaboration with the patient and their family as well as numerous other healthcare professionals. To this end, some of the deliverables of the projects are as follows:
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To develop identification and needs-assessments tools in order to determine those at risk of becoming ventilator-dependant and for those who already require LTV and could successfully transition into the community.
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Process flow mapping will enable health care professionals within both sectors to navigate the system and avoid potential obstacles that may be encountered during transition.
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To develop the educational tools necessary to provide the appropriate information to the healthcare providers in both the hospital setting and the community. Tools will also be required to meet the unique needs of the patient and their family members.
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Institute the communication capacity between the acute care facility, as well as other external organizations, and the community placement in order to facilitate the flow of information necessary to meet the patient's needs.
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To develop risk management guidelines to be utilized in the community in order to prevent and alleviate those issues that arise that otherwise would have necessitated readmission to an acute care facility.
For the purpose of this project, the primary community catchment area is the central and south-central Ontario. However, our ultimate goal is to develop a model of care that can be replicated throughout the province. If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact:
Dianne Johnson RRT (Project Co-ordinator) – dnajohnson@rogers.com or;
Carole Hamp RRT (CRTO Professional Practice Advisor) – hamp@crto.on.ca (416) 591-7800 x 33 or 1 (800) 261-0528