Halton Healthcare launched Seamless Care Optimizing the Patient Experience (SCOPE) which connects registered family physicians and nurse practitioners to a team of specialists and services at the hospital and in the community with just one phone call. More than 45 family physicians have already registered for the Program, which went live on Nov. 30, 2021.
"We originally started SCOPE in 2012 to support family physicians in Toronto who were unaffiliated with teams. The Program has since grown by leaps and bounds and this team approach has made a world of difference in enhancing the patient care that SCOPE-associated family physicians and nurse practitioners are able to provide," explains Dr. Pariser.
"It has been effective in averting both emergency visits and hospitalizations," she continues. "We are delighted to have Halton Healthcare and the Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team join us under the SCOPE umbrella."
In Halton, the SCOPE team will include an experienced Nurse Navigator and specialists in:
- General Internal Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Mental Health and Addictions
- Palliative Care
- Home and Community Care
Family physicians and nurse practitioners registered with SCOPE will connect with the Nurse Navigator, who will then direct them to the most appropriate provider(s) or service(s) based on their patient’s health concerns.
"As family physicians, we are seeing more patients than ever before who are struggling with multiple complex diseases as well as social and mental health issues in our offices. We don’t always have resources to turn to such as specialist advice and social supports – especially for our high-risk patients who have urgent concerns. Now, one phone call to SCOPE will get the ball rolling," explained Dr. Nadia Alam, SCOPE Primary Care Lead in Halton.
"This leading-edge Program will extend our reach so we can provide our patients with the highest quality of care possible. It will ensure that patients get the right care, in the right place, and at the right time so they don’t have to go to the Emergency Department."
More information about SCOPE is available on the Halton Healthcare website - www.haltonhealthcare.on.ca/scope.
About SCOPE
SCOPE was originally established as a joint project between Women’s College Hospital, University Health Network, and the Toronto Central LHIN Home and Community in 2012 to support family physicians who were unaffiliated with teams. Based on its success, SCOPE has since been implemented at eight hospitals within and outside the GTA.
About Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT)
The Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) represents a partnership of health care providers in the Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville communities committed to better ‘population health’, better patient experiences, reduced costs and a better care team experience.
