KITCHENER -- Guelph will be home to one of the province's first Ontario Health Teams, health minister Christine Elliott announced on Friday.
The initiative will be replicated another two dozen times as the province aims to shake up healthcare.
"This is an exciting time for health care in Ontario as we finally break down the long-standing barriers that have prevented care providers from working directly with each other to support patients throughout their health care journey," Elliott says in a news release.
"Together with our health care partners, the Guelph and Area Ontario Health Team will play an essential role in delivering on our commitment to end hallway health care and building a connected and sustainable public health care system centred around the needs of patients."
Guelph's health team will include healthcare providers from Guelph, Puslinch, Rockwood and Erin.
Services will be delivered by a team that includes family doctors, specialists and administrators, who can help patients navigate the system between hospitals, home care and physicians.
The province says it will put in place 24/7 navigation and care coordination services while it integrates.
The team will begin implementing its proposed programs next year.
