A local health system has made it easier for its patients to find a primary care physician.
Erie Shores Healthcare (ESHC) in Leamington announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with the Essex County Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic (ECNPLC) and the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre to create a pathway for patients without a primary care provider.
Starting from the time a patient is admitted to hospital, care teams will work to refer eligible patients to a primary doctor, with an appointment booked for post-hospital care.
ESHC CEO Kristin Kennedy said the partnership will relieve pressure on hospital resources and reduce wait times in the emergency department for non-urgent cases.
"Attaching patients to primary care at the point of discharge is one of the most effective ways to improve transitions in care, reduce avoidable hospital use, and support people closer to home," said Kennedy. "By partnering with ECNPLC and weCHC, our teams can coordinate referrals while patients are still in hospital, so they leave with a clear plan for ongoing care, including newborns and adults who don’t have a regular primary care provider."
Another objective of the partnership is to provide patients with consistent follow-up care for their medications and treatment of chronic conditions, without requiring them to use the emergency room.
The partnership was announced on the same day the Ontario Ministry of Health provided an update on its Primary Care Action Plan. There were 235,000 Ontarians on the Health Care Connect waitlist as of January 1. As of Wednesday, half of them have been paired with a primary care provider.
"This direct-from-discharge pathway is exactly the kind of collaboration we want to see, hospitals partnering with community providers, so patients get timely, connected care," said Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones. "By helping unattached patients secure a primary care provider, Erie Shores is enhancing outcomes for patients and supporting a more efficient, resilient health system."
The province said it is on track to have all patients still on the Health Care Connect waitlist paired with a provider by spring 2026.
