Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS A REGIONALIZED MODEL OF CARE?
Developing a regionalized model of care focuses largely on the concept of designing health services around the needs of a region’s population. An underlying premise of developing a regionalized model of care is the creation of a system that is able to ensure that people receive both the level of care appropriate to their needs as close to their homes as possible and the highest quality of care, supported by a critical mass of expertise and services.

ARE THERE OTHER CHILD HEALTH NETWORKS IN ONTARIO OR ACROSS CANADA?
Yes. The Ontario Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) endorsed the idea of child health networks and recommended establishing child health networks in four of Ontario’s largest urban centres. Other provinces have also established child health networks. The Networks have been established to improve child health care through improving inter-regional planning and coordination of hospital-based and community based services. The Networks are at different phases in their development and are focused on meeting the unique needs of the population in their region.

Child health networks are available in the following cities and regions of Canada:

  • Maritime Network for Child and Youth Health
  • Network for Children and Youth – Eastern Nova Scotia
  • Montreal Children’s Hospital/Quebec
  • Central West-Central South Child Health Partnership (Hamilton)
  • Western Ontario Regional Paediatric Network (London)
  • Child Health Youth Network for Eastern Ontario (Ottawa)
  • Child Health Network for the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto)
  • Winnipeg/Manitoba Child Health Network
  • Southern Alberta Child Health Network
  • Child Health Network of the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley of B.C.
  • Child Health Network of B.C.
  • Child Health Research Network of B.C.
  • Western Canadian Network Planning Initiatives

Representatives of the Networks meet regularly to exchange ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration.

HOW IS THE CHN LINKED TO LHINs?
Given the significant number of organizations/projects involved in strengthening coordination/ integration of perinatal and paediatric care in the GTA, the CHN is seeking to work with the LHINs to address issues arising from duplication and overlap of activities and, in particular, to enhance coordination of planning efforts within and across LHINS to facilitate better sharing of data, information and expertise and to develop strong collaboration and linkages among key stakeholders within LHINs.

The role of the CHN is to work with LHINs to ensure that future efforts to plan, coordinate and integrate health care services for the maternal/newborn and paediatric populations should build on key findings/conclusions arising from a significant body of work that has been undertaken over the past decade. In particular, the CHN believes there are opportunities to utilize solid evidence and information arising from:

  • Current databases and data management initiatives (e.g., the Niday perinatal database system; Paediatric Indicator Project).
  • Previous planning efforts (e.g., IRC- review undertaken by the CHN in response to a request by the MOHLTC).
  • Existing policy guidelines/documents (e.g., MOHLTC endorsed scope of service definitions for levels of maternal/newborn and paediatric care).
  • Human resource initiatives (e.g., human resource planning, recruitment, collaborative models of care emerging across the GTA).

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A LHIN/ CHN PARTNERSHIP?
The five GTA LHINs and the CHN can work together as advocates for positive change in health care delivery based on their common commitment to ensuring the provision of safe, accessible, high quality and family-centered, consistent care. By working together LHINs and the CHN can realize opportunities to improve care for mothers, newborns and children with a focus on providing less fragmentation in care, better access to specialists, stronger linkages among hospitals, better linkages between hospitals and community care providers, and improved health outcomes for patients.

Leveraging a strong partnership between the five GTA LHINs and the CHN will:

  • Take advantage of CHN’s clout and credibility as a vastly experienced, unique network of newborn/child health experts, to gain support for the consolidation initiative.
  • Facilitate involvement of key stakeholder organizations in planning.
  • Raise awareness of the 'unique' needs of the maternal/child population.
  • Provide access to important data and key planning documents.
  • Ensure informed decision making and access to the 'best' possible evidence and advice to enhance coordination and integration of care for mothers, newborns and kids.