Table of Contents

1. Content
2. Quick Facts
3. Quotes
4. Additional Resources
5. Related Topics

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is expanding access to diagnostic services in long-term care homes in Ottawa to help improve residents’ quality of life and reduce avoidable emergency room visits and hospital stays.

The new Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care Plus (CPLTC+) program will allow paramedics to begin delivering diagnostic services like bloodwork and ultrasounds to residents. The government is also providing funding to allow more long-term care homes to receive the equipment and training they need to provide diagnostic services to residents in the comfort of their home.

“We are fixing long-term care, so residents get the right care in the right place,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Providing more diagnostic services to long-term care residents in their own homes will help reduce avoidable hospital visits and 911 calls.”

CPLTC+ builds off the existing Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program and will be rolled out across six paramedic services, including Ottawa Paramedic Service.

The government is also investing an additional $6 million provincewide to continue the Equipment and Training Fund in 2024-25. Launched last October as part of the Your Health Plan, the fund helps homes buy diagnostic equipment and train staff so they can better manage and treat residents’ conditions that most often lead to preventable hospital visits, such as urinary tract infections, falls, pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

The fund has supported more than 700 projects at close to 220 homes across Ontario. In Ottawa, over $53,000 investments include:

• St. Patrick’s Home and Extendicare Medex each purchased a bladder scanner.
• Residence Saint-Louis Bruyère and New Orchard Lodge each purchased an electrocardiogram machine.

The government is fixing long-term care to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve. The plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.

Quick Facts

Quotes

"As part of our government’s Your Health plan, we are taking bold and innovative action to connect Ontarians, at every stage of life, to faster, more convenient care. The investments our government is making to enhance diagnostic services for long-term care residents in Ottawa is one of the many steps we are taking to close service gaps and increase timeliness of care, providing more people with the right care, in the right place."

- Sylvia Jones
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

"Visits to emergency rooms for residents in long-term care facilities can be very stressful. These new programs will allow them to receive much needed diagnostic care at their residence. By investing in these essential services, the provincial government is helping to provide long term care residents here in Ottawa a more personalized and comfortable healthcare process. This initiative not only enhances their overall well-being but also reduces the strain on emergency rooms."

- Mark Sutcliffe
Mayor of Ottawa

"Through the CPLTC+ program, community paramedics will support the care already provided by long-term care staff to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of residents. By responding to medical issues quickly, diagnosing conditions in real time, and providing immediate treatments, we are helping prevent complication and promoting recovery right where the patient lives with minimal disruptions in their routine. This will also reduce paramedic transports to hospital, keeping our resources available in the community."

- Manon Lavergne
Deputy Chief, Ottawa Paramedic Service

"The Ontario Long Term Care Clinicians advocated strongly for more diagnostics in long-term care, knowing the importance of eliminating as many disruptive and avoidable trips to hospital for frail residents. These measures result in better health outcomes and quality of life."

- Dr. Rhonda Collins
President, Ontario Long Term Care Clinicians

Additional Resources

Related Topics