MPP calls for better way to move patients between hospitals

It's not uncommon for patients in hospital to be moved to another hospital for tests, but a northeastern Ontario MPP says the way patients are moved can be problematic.

Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof says he's been getting calls from patients who have had problems with non-emergency medical transport. That's when a patient is moved from one hospital to another for tests and then back again.

"Some of these patients have had to wait for hours and in some cases, brought home, late at night in the middle of winter in a taxi," he said.

"[Another] elderly patient didn't get the test that he needed because there was no way to get him back to the hospital."

Vanthof brought up the issue in the legislature before it adjourned for the summer.

"In other parts of the province, they have a permanent non-emergency transfer system," he said.

"We had a pilot project here. There are companies willing to provide the service, but there's just been no coordination to actually get this service working."

Working to fix the system

According to the North East Local Health Integration Network, patients are currently moved between hospitals by ambulances.

"That's a problem on a number of fronts," Philip Kilbertus, senior officer of policy and health with the NE LHIN said.

"Right now, relying on ambulances which are charged with emergency calls, the person could wait a long time before an ambulance becomes available."

Kilbertus said the NE LHIN is working to change the system.

"So what we want to move towards is dedicated vehicles that are available, typically from Monday to Friday [during] daytime hours which is when most non-urgent calls occur," he said.

Kilbertus said over the past year and a half, it's been challenging to find the resources in place to get the transportation system up and running.

"We've identified a couple of priority areas to target with the implementation including the Sudbury-hub area, Cochrane and Timmins,"

"We're hoping to move forward on those in the next few months. We're hoping to have some good news announced very soon."

Kilbertus estimates once implemented, the new system will cost between $2 million and $2.5 million each year.

He said the goal is to eventually roll out the new system across the entire region.