As part of the next steps in implementing the province’s “Your Health Plan”, for connected and convenient care, the Ontario government is proposing regulatory changes that, would name Accreditation Canada as the inspection body responsible for ensuring the highest quality standards and strong oversight of the 900+ current and all future community surgical and diagnostic centres, effective April 1, 2024.
“When it comes to reducing wait times for surgeries, we aren’t accepting a status quo that leaves too many people waiting too long for care,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Instead, our government is expanding community surgical and diagnostic centres so we can reduce wait times by doing more surgeries in state-of-the-art, convenient and safe facilities, always paid for by your OHIP card never your credit card.”
For over 65 years, Accreditation Canada has assisted in the development of an enhanced oversight and quality assurance program for current and future community surgical and diagnostic centres that will have the same strong requirements as public hospitals to improve quality standards at facilities and ensure consistent patient safety and quality health care.
Over the coming weeks, the province will consult extensively with healthcare sector partners, regulatory colleges representing providers, and patients and families on the development of the new oversight and quality assurance program.
It was also announced that beginning in the spring, the provincial government will be taking the next step in expanding the number of community surgical and diagnostic centres licensed in the province to deliver additional OHIP-insured services to people closer to home, including more MRI/CT scans, GI endoscopies, and orthopedic surgeries.
