Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Chapter 5: Health
� An “assess and restore” philosophy and function must be central to health care delivery.
There should be an enhancement of programs aimed at restoring and reactivating elderly
patients’ level of functioning, and creating opportunities for them to be transferred home
with appropriate ongoing supports; and
� Improved communication between institutions, and between primary care and CCACs,
through the use of electronic medical records is essential. Furthermore, advances made in
the use of telehomecare should be disseminated and adopted broadly for the right
ALC populations.
Recommendation 5-77: In addition to recommendations contained in “Caring for Our Aging
Population and Addressing Alternate Level of Care,” a report prepared by Dr. David Walker
and released in August 2011, 67 there is a need for more and varied palliative care; at home
and in residential hospices.
Health Promotion and Prevention
Recommendation 5-78: Integrate the public health system into the other parts of the health
system (i.e., Local Health Integration Networks).
Much public health work is done outside the primary health care sector, for example,
in matters of settlement and housing. The potential impacts of budget integration should
be taken into consideration as the funding sources for public health are strongly linked to
municipal budgets.
Recommendation 5-79: Review the current funding model that requires a 25 per cent match
from municipalities for public health spending.
Many municipalities are now considering reducing their funding, which puts public health units
at risk of losing provincial support as a result of the municipal cuts.
Recommendation 5-80: Consider fully uploading public health to the provincial level to
ensure better integration with the health care system and avoid existing funding pressures.
Recommendation 5-81: Improve co-ordination across the public health system, not only
among public health units, but also among hospitals, community care providers and primary
care physicians.
67 Walker, op. cit.
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