Questions regarding this webinar can be sent to Ryan Janssen at ryan.janssen@hamiltonfht.ca
1. Using a population-based approach to provide care to the community
- Release date:
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This webinar will be available for a limited time after the conference- don’t miss it on Wednesday October 25th during the conference!
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- Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
- Focus: Research/Policy (e.g. Presentation of research findings, analysis of policy issues and options)
- Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.) Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations
Learning Objectives
Using a geographic information system to map referrals to allied health workers showed important geographic disparities in rates of referrals that were consistent across multiple sites. More importantly, though, as a function of allocating resources based on roster size, rather than based on ‘need,’ these regional disparities in rates of referral result in the inequitable provision of allied healthcare. We hope that this will lead participants to reflect on their own resource allocation models and/or undertake a similar geographic analysis.
Summary/Abstract
Hamilton Family Health Team has historically allocated resources to practices as a function of roster size (equally) without consideration of differential need for services across communities (equitably). This study investigated differential rates of mental health referrals by postal code forward sortation areas in Hamilton. Results indicated that patients living in economically-deprived areas of Hamilton were referred to mental health services at twofold rate relative to patients living in more economically privileged areas. We discuss the implications of these referral patterns for practices located in economically marginalized areas, as well as the challenges and considerations involved in developing a model for equitable resource allocation.
Presenters
- Ryan Janssen Program Coordinator Hamilton Family Health Team
- Ursula Crouch, Project Manager, Hamilton Family Health Team
Authors
- Ryan Janssen, Program Coordinator, Hamilton Family Health Team
- Ursula Crouch, Project Manager, Hamilton Family Health Team
- Rachel Kott, Quality Improvement Design Specialist, Hamilton Family Health Team
- Brian McKenna, Deputy Lead Physician, Hamilton Family Health Team