Partnership yields efficiency, better patient outcomes
HIROC subscribers benefit through collaboration
Tuesday April 1, 2008 -- Jason Thompson
By combining their talents and resources, a pair of Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC) subscribers are providing a more efficient, higher quality of care for rehab patients.

About 18 months ago, representatives from St. John’s Rehab Hospital and North York General Hospital sat down to determine if there was a way to expedite the transfer of rehab patients from North York General to St. John’s Rehab.

After much discussion, the decision was made to close the 15 bed in-patient rehab unit at North York General and have all of the appropriate rehab patients sent directly to St. John’s. The partnership was made official March 1.

Malcolm Moffat, president and CEO of St. John’s Rehab, says the collaboration presents several benefits and describes the partnership as a win-win-win situation.

Local residents win because access to acute care and emergency care is easier at North York General, rehab patients win because they’ll received more focused rehab treatments and both organizations win through more efficient use of tight resources.

The partnership adds approximately 5,000 patient days a year, the equivalent of about 14 beds, to St. John’s Rehab. The average length of stay at St. John’s is about 30 days.

Because of the partnership, North York General has also been able to free up space and money to transform their antiquated rehab unit into a 15 bed unit for general medical patients, which would help remove pressure from the emergency department.

Moffat says one of the major lessons learned was that organizations don’t always need to work in isolation to find solutions to common problems.

“I think there is far too much isolation in healthcare,” he said. “Organizations are always looking internally to solve problems rather than looking for partners so they can together solve those problems.”

Bonnie Adamson, CEO of North York General Hospital, also has high hopes for the partnership.

“This initiative is another example of how we work within a continuum of care to ensure our patients get the right care, at the right place and at the right time,” Adamson said in a statement.

Moffat says other hospitals in the area with rehab units have contacted St. John’s about arranging a similar partnership. Although he isn’t sure what, if anything may arise from those discussions, Moffat isn’t discounting the possibilities.

How have working relationships between two healthcare organizations improved the quality of patient care? To share your story, e-mail jason(at)axiomnews.ca.

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