A4 Act As One Service: Integrating Addictions and Mental Health into Primary Care in Guelph

Theme 4. Strengthening partnerships

Presentation Details

  • Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017
  • Concurrent Session A
  • Time: 2:30pm-3:15pm
  • Room:
  • Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
  • Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
  • Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers

Learning Objectives

  • Participants will learn:
    1. Why Guelph determined the need to integrate A/MH services into Primary Care
    2. How to scope the integration strategy
    3. What the “patient medical home” focus offered this integration effort
    4. How Guelph engaged patients, clinicians, leaders and governors
    5. Why medical/clinical leadership was critical to the success
    6. How human-centred design practices (e.g. empathy mapping) facilitated innovation and patient/caregiver engagement

Summary/Abstract

  • Partners: Guelph FHT, Guelph CHC, CMHA Waterloo-Wellington, Stonehenge Therapeutic Community, Student Health – University of Guelph    The Act as One Service strategy: despite years of tweaking systems, there is a significant gap between primary care and A/MH providers in Guelph.  In addition, access to psychiatry and other specialized A/MH remains difficult, unclear and has long wait times.  The Sub-Region focus under Patients First presents an opportunity to fully integrate services around the population of Guelph and area.    The Process: With strong clinical leadership, partner organizations committed to comprehensive service integration based on the “Patient Medical Home” model.  A shared psychiatry lead was hired and four “prototype practices” volunteered to iteratively test changes, so that a new comprehensive model can be expanded to the whole community.

Presenters

  • Ross Kirkconnell, Executive Director, Guelph Family Health Team
  • Fred Wagner, Executive Director, CMHA Waterloo Wellington
  • Raechelle Devereaux, Executive Director, Guelph Community Health Centre

Authors & Contributors

  • Ross Kirkconnell, Executive Director, Guelph Family Health Team
  • Fred Wagner, Executive Director, CMHA Waterloo Wellington
  • Raechelle Devereaux, Executive Director, Guelph Community Health Centre
  • Heather Kerr, ED, Stonehenge  Therapeutic  Community
  • Alison DeMuy, CMHA WWD
  • (MDs) Dr. Douglas Friars; Dr. Risa Adams; Dr. Dorothy Bakker; Dr. Joan Chan
  • Julie Bruin, Systems Coordinator, Waterloo-Wellington Addictions and Mental Health Network
Tags
Concurrent Sessions