County council endorses regional health team

Essex County Civic Centre.

Essex County health providers are part of an integrated network and last week at the regular session of County Council, a presentation was made by the Windsor-Essex Ontario Health Team (WEOHT).

According to Dr. Ken Blanchette, the CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, it was an opportunity for county councillors to learn more about the WEOHT.

“There are a lot of questions and unknowns about the WEOHT and we would like to demonstrate what we do as an organization,” said Blanchette.

Blanchette is the co-chair of the group along with Erie Shores Health Care (Leamington Hospital) CEO Kristin Kennedy.

Blanchette explained that there are over 40 different health care service providers that are now part of WEOHT including the Essex-Windsor EMS and the Amherstburg Family Health Team.

“It’s been several years since we formulated this group and our goal surrounds patient navigation, assisted care, effectiveness within the system and no duplication of services,” said Blanchette.

Another reason for the presentation to county council was the introduction of the WEOHT Executive Director, former Windsor City Councillor Joyce Zuk.

“We have begun to embark on a bit of an Essex County tour where we are meeting with them to update what the mandate of the WEOHT is,” said Zuk.

There are 58 Ontario Health Teams now in the province and basically what they do is replace the old Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) which was responsible for the regional health care administration.

Zuk referred to health care in the area as “fragmented.”

Blanchette went on to say that Essex County Council will be joining the health care partners and that county CAO Sandra Zwiers will be on the WEOHT steering committee.

A presentation by Blanchette and Zuk noted that the Ontario Health Teams are meant as a new way to organize and deliver health services by bringing multiple health care providers into one collaborative team.

“We have looked at areas where we really need help,” said Blanchette.

Priorities include respect and dignity of patients, empathy and compassion, accountability, transparency and equity engagement.

County council endorses regional health team

By Fred Groves