Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

53Chapter 2 – Excellence in Health Profession Regulation: Raising the Bar in OntarioHPRAC acknowledges that HealthForceOntario, through its Blueprint forInterprofessional Care, is addressing some of the key structural barriers tointerprofessional care, such as implementing changes to supportinterprofessional education. Another important lever to promoteinterprofessional collaboration is the implementation of an electronichealth record system. HPRAC understands the government is working tocreate an electronic health record for all Ontarians by 2015.As HPRAC learned, numerous barriers to interprofessional care andinterprofessional collaboration at the regulatory level require changes tofunding and compensation models. In its consultations, HPRAC heard manyexamples from health professionals who were limited in referrals tophysicians since referral fees were not paid unless the referral was made byanother physician. HPRAC considers this to be a key structural barriercreating a disincentive to interprofessional collaboration. HPRAC hascommented on this issue in the context of the review of the scopes ofpractice of midwifery and nurse practitioners. It has also been identified inthe discussion of relations between optometrists and ophthalmologists inChapter thirteen of this report. Throughout both Phase I and II of its workon interprofessional collaboration, HPRAC has repeatedly heard thatcompensation models and restrictive referral policies under the HealthInsurance Act need to be addressed to better reflect current health caredelivery practices. These changes are critical if Ontario is to fully embraceinterprofessional care and to provide the right care, at the right time, by theright professional.In ConclusionIn this third report on interprofessional collaboration, HPRAC has describedsome of the vast changes that have taken place in the provision of healthcare services since the RHPA came into force in 1993. This analysis hasconsidered population growth and Ontario’s changing demographic makeup,as well as clinical advances, the focus on chronic disease management,the impact of new and emerging technologies and the implications of allthese trends for health human resources.In particular, HPRAC’s recommendations take into account the significantchanges in professional practice that have occurred over the last twodecades. These include progress in interprofessional education andcontinuing education as well as the emergence of new and varied models ofteam-based care such as community health centres, family health teamsand nurse practitioner-led clinics. All of these heighten the need to increasethe momentum behind interprofessional collaboration.HPRAC’s role is to provide advice to the Minister to ensure that Ontario’shealth professions are regulated in the most effective way possible toadvance the public interest, protect the public from harm and ensurepatient safety.HPRAC’s recommendations will not only better position Ontario’s healthcolleges to carry out their regulatory responsibilities, but will alsostrengthen the overall system of regulation through creation of a newHPRAC Critical Links January 2009