LHIN Moving Forward in Oxford County

Monday, 15 June 2015 06:12

In a presentation to County Council, the LHIN says they see a bright future in Oxford.

OXFORD COUNTY - The Southwest LHIN hopes to improve long term health care for the aging population in Oxford County.

Locally, nineteen hospitals and thirty-four sites will be included in the program. The three key areas seeing advancements will include vision care, endoscopies, and stroke care.

CEO with Southwest LHIN Michael Barrett provided an update to County Council of how the program is doing. "LHIN is the Local Health Integration Network. We cover a geography from Long Point in the south to Tobermory in the north. We are responsible for planning, funding, and integrating health care services across that area."

Barrett explains what areas the organization will be improving upon. "I was here at Oxford County Council talking about our clinical services planning, looking at vision care, endoscopies, and strokes. So there are a number of changes that we are moving forward with. Our board made a recommendation in March around stroke - that we consolidate acute stroke services from the twenty-seven sites that perform it now to the six sites across the Southwest LHIN. So that would be both acute and rehab."

CEO of the Southwest LHIN Michael Barrett says the Woodstock Hospital would be a great hosts one of those sites. "The changes that we are proposing are intended to ensure that we are meeting the industry best practice. This means on the acute side for stroke that 165 cases are provided at a site. And on the rehab site you have a tremendous opportunity here with the Woodstock Hospital providing rehab care for stroke patients within the southern part of the Southwest LHIN."

Barrett also added the intention of the Southwest LHIN is to maintain all local hospitals and prevent any of them from closing in the foreseeable future. Part of this effort includes Alexandra Hospital in Ingersoll receiving a new boiler system.