The application is in and now it's a waiting game for local health care providers as they look to secure provincial approval as the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team (CKOHT).
The group of 15 local health care providers who teamed up for the application submitted it to the province ahead of Wednesday's deadline (October 9, 2019).
An official release from the team sent out Thursday said "the CKHOT's submission was roughly 100 pages and received support from the boards of each of the partner organizations, as well as Chatham-Kent Council."
Now, representatives with the Ministry of Health are set to review all 31 of the applications that were received and they are also expected to make site visits with each of the groups before announcing the successful candidates in early 2020.
"That does not mean our work stops in the meantime," said Lori Marshall, CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and one of three co-chairs of the CKOHT Steering Committee. "It is important we continue to engage our communities so people understand what the CKOHT is and the role we play in the health care system, and to make sure we are co-designing a local health care system we can all be proud of."
The Ontario Health Team (OHT) model, which the CKOHT is applying to be part of, was initiated by the provincial government under the Progressive Conservatives and Premier Doug Ford -- it is meant to include primary care, hospital care, rehabilitative care, home and community care, long-term care, and mental health and addictions services.
