By Mike Anderson
Southlake Health held a community open house for Georgina residents at the Link on June 29 to provide an update on its plans to develop its Distributed Health Network (DHN), including the opening of an Advanced Care Centre (ACC) in Georgina.
The event attracted nearly 60 residents, who had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with Southlake Health representatives and ask questions during a Q&A session following a presentation by Derek Rowland, Southlake Health’s Director of Public Affairs, and John Marshman, VP Capital, Facilities and Business Development
Unfortunately, few details were provided regarding the timeline for constructing the ACC, as Southlake Health has not yet announced a private-sector partner to help build it. Also, Rowland said at this stage no new funding has been announced by the Ministry of Health for the facility.
Southlake Health issued a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) on May 1, which closed on May 22. Rowland confirmed that round two of the RFEI process will be completed by the fall. However, he said that once a partner is selected, the facility could be built within two to three years.
In April, the province announced $10 million in preliminary funding for Southlake Health’s new acute care hospital in East Gwillimbury. The new hospital will serve as an anchor for two new Advanced Care Centres in Georgina and Bradford. However, the new hospital is not expected to come on stream for ten years or more.
Rowland said the Advanced Care Centre will bring primary care and health care services closer to residents, relieving pressure on the hospital’s current Davis Drive ER. However, the exact mix of services will depend on the partnerships it develops with family physicians and private-sector diagnostic services.
However, he did say that through Southlake Health’s relationship with York University’s new medical faculty, there may be joint programs and opportunities for student doctors to complete their clinical rotations at the facility.
Rowland also referenced the recent release of Georgina’s Population Health Assessment, developed in partnership with the Town and Northern York Simcoe Ontario Health Team (NYSOHT), which identified Georgina’s health care challenges, including limited access to primary care and diagnostic services, as well as highlighting the transportation barriers facing many residents, an ageing population, and limited access to mental health services.
“I can tell you that Georgina is disproportionately underserved for mental health services. I can also tell you that you’re disproportionately underserved for diagnostic services, including ultrasound and X-rays. You’re also disproportionately underserved for primary care,” he said.
“But more importantly, through that assessment, we also identified that many of your current family doctors are probably reaching the end of their career and maybe are looking to transition their practices out to new providers in the community. It’s those insights that we’ve gleaned to determine what services we should be putting in that Advanced Care Center in order to meet your needs.”
For more information on Southlake Health’s Distributed Health Network, visit southlakeDHN.ca.
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