THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is receiving close to $1.3 million from the provincial government.
In an announcement today from MPP Kevin Holland, the regional hospital will be getting this funding from the Alternative Levels of Care and Patient Flow initiatives laid out by the Ford government.
Hospital president and CEO Rhonda Crocker Ellacot said this will help patients who are transitioning out of the hospital and going home.
"We're able to ensure that patients, when they're transitioning [to go home], get better oversight in terms of medication management, follow-up calls when they get home, making sure that we really [have] all eyes and hands on deck to make sure that the transition is smooth and it goes well, and patients don't end up back in emergency departments."
Crocker Ellacott said she wants the transitional care unit to be successful.
"It also means that where there's equipment or other supplies or other services that wouldn't otherwise be available, we have the resources now to be able to do those extra things."
"We have the resources to be able to do those things because this time, that transition, is one of the most high-risk periods for many individuals. Being able to ensure that we're supporting the care needs and ensuring that transition in care is very successful is really important." she continued.
Of the $1,284,600 handed out, close to $250,000 will be for a planner and kinesiologist, and another $347,320 will be for patient-oriented discharge and post-discharge follow-up. The biggest amount of $700,000 has been designated for flexible funding for patients with barriers to discharge.
Crocker Ellacott said the funding will allow for some job creation and help fund more working hours for current staff.
