Virtual Care Organizations | Ontario Health Teams: Content
For updated information on virtual care services available to support the current pandemic, please see our dedicated COVID-19 page and consider our Virtual Visit Solution Guidance.
Virtual Care in Ontario
It’s an exciting time in Ontario health care, with system transformation efforts well underway. We’re witnessing changes that truly stand to modernize health care and increase access and convenience for both patients and providers. In its Digital First Strategy the Ministry of Health highlights virtual care and the expectation that 2-5% of patients receiving care from an Ontario Health Team (OHT) will have a virtual encounter in Year 1.
OTN is committed to helping OHTs build capacity to help leverage virtual care to meet goals. We offer planning support, change management expertise, data and analytics, practical virtual care resources, and solution sourcing. We continue to provide videoconferencing, remote monitoring/health coaching, online mental health solutions, and online provider consultation. We’re also innovating with an expanding model that connects patients with their family physicians through integrated video, audio, and messaging solutions; secure provider-to-provider messaging; and an initiative that enables organizations to use and bill for an approved video service of their choice.
Did you know?
Eligible Ontario physicians can now use and bill for Direct-to-Patient Video Visits conducted through OTN, an indication that virtual care is now a mainstream feature of care delivery.
Virtual care is critical to the success of integrated care delivery.
OTN is here to help get you started and show you what’s possible.
Patient Care Pathways by Priority Population
Virtual solutions can connect patients, information, resources and providers while removing barriers such as distance, time and cost, for enhanced – and simpler – access to care. See how virtual models can help deliver seamless care across sectors, at every step of the process, for Ontario’s priority populations.
Select a patient population to see how virtual care can make a difference:
Virtual Care Models and Solutions
Many health care organizations, in Ontario and beyond, have successfully developed new models of care supported by virtual care solutions and technologies. Explore profiles that highlight the model, program objectives, evidence generated, change management, and technology, all the considerations that pave the way for successful implementation.
Model of Care Profiles
Virtual Care Solutions
The Ministry of Health’s Digital Health Playbook provides an overview of virtual solutions, requirements, and policy directions to guide the efforts of Ontario Health Teams. Find out more below about the OTN options included in the playbook.
Measuring your Virtual Care Utilization and Potential
Assessing readiness for virtual care and determining current state utilization of virtual care solutions and programs will help facilitate planning for Year 1 activities. As per the example below, OTN can help you generate the data necessary to establish a baseline in order to target growth.
Sample OHT Virtual Care Utilization – Q1 and Q2 2019
Video visits by specialty
470
Total video visits by OHT partners (including OTN & partner video services)
118%
OHT video visit year-over-year growth
237
Total OHT provider-to-provider eConsults
Learn more about eConsult →334
Patients screened with diabetic retinopathy
Learn more about Teleophthalmology →109
Total remote care management enrolments (by LHIN)
Learn more about Remote Patient Monitoring →115%
Year-over-year growth in Togetherall enrolments (by LHIN)
Practical Tools to Help you Plan for Implementation
A wealth of resources are available to support you along your virtual care adoption journey. Below you will find our insight series — with helpful tips to guide you along the virtual care journey – as well as resources to help with planning and setting the stage for successful implementation.
Insight Series
How can we help your Health Care Organization?
We are committed to working with Ontario Health Teams to find and implement virtual models of care that meet unique care delivery challenges. Please contact us with questions or support in the following areas:
- ✓ Data & Reporting
- ✓ Co-designing new models of care
- ✓ Sourcing and acquiring solutions
- ✓ Implementing best practices