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National Post

Campbellford Memorial Hospital's New Homecare Program Frees up 14.5 Hospital Bed-Days Per Patient Through a Partnership With Gotcare and OBIO®

Article content CAMPBELLFORD, Ontario — Rural hospitals across Ontario face exponential challenges: patients arriving in Emergency Departments when alternative care options would be more suitable, and patients remaining hospitalized longer than medically necessary due to limited home care and long-term care support in rural areas. Article content Campbellford Memorial Hospital (CMH) is taking proactive steps to address these issues by implementing the Rural Stop Gap (RSG) Program. This innovative initiative, led by health tech company Gotcare, was adopted with the support of OBIO's Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence after a successful evaluation was completed through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO ® received Government of Canada support, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to help expand EAHN™ and provide southern Ontario SMEs with greater access to the initiative. Article content Through the RSG program, CMH aims to streamline patient flow and facilitate timely discharge by leveraging technology solutions including smart devices such as personalized tablets that deliver daily prompts for appointments, nutrition, exercise and medications, and a wearable pendant that can detect falls, monitor mobility, and features a help button that connects to a virtual response team on a 24/7 basis. Article content The RSG Program combines high-tech digital monitoring with high-touch in-person support to enable older adults with complex chronic conditions to return home safely within 12–24 hours of referral or discharge from the hospital. In the first month following the program's introduction at CMH, it has already freed up an average of 14.5 acute-care bed-days per patient, dramatically easing local bed-blocking and allowing more timely treatment for others. Article content Every eligible patient leaving CMH is matched with a local Health Ambassador trained in community care who performs wellness checks, resolves safety concerns, installs simple smart devices, and improves digital health literacy and adoption. The Health Ambassador works with virtual nurses and occupational therapists based in urban centres. Article content Even patients who do not have access to a phone or the internet benefit from regular wellness check-ins and personalized technology training, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks. Gotcare's platform flags any change (for example, missed medication or a fall), prompting a virtual or in-person visit and alerting the patient's circle of care. This hybrid model of home visits plus virtual monitoring enables patients with complex needs to leave the hospital sooner and stay healthier at home. Article content 'Our goal is simple: make the return home safe, fast, and with confidence—even in the most rural settings,' Article content . Article content 'When you combine simple tech with an interprofessional health team working in a hybrid format, we see fewer 911 calls, Emergency Room visits, and patients and families who are coping better at home.' Article content Early results support these objectives: patients can transition home quicker, which reduces emergency department congestion and helps preserve hospital capacity for patients requiring acute care. Article content 'For a 38-bed rural hospital, every unnecessary day in a bed matters,' Article content noted Heather Campbell, VP, Patient Care & Chief Nursing Executive at CMH. Article content 'The Rural Stop Gap Program allows us to discharge patients sooner without compromising safety, and early results show the impact is immediate.' Article content Overall, participants report feeling safer and more engaged in their care. In a recent evaluation of Gotcare's home-care program, 87% of users indicated that their quality of life had improved, while 93% experienced a significant reduction in feelings of isolation at home. These results underscore the positive impact of the program on both safety and social connectedness. Article content 'OBIO's mission is to support the adoption of made-in-Ontario solutions that can service all patients in our healthcare systems, including those in less populated areas,' Article content . Article content 'The important work conducted by Gotcare and Campbellford Memorial Hospital will help reshape how care is delivered in rural communities and ensure that more patients can recover at home rather than in hospital.' Article content 'The Government of Canada is proud to back OBIO's Early Adopter Health Network, a powerful platform driving innovative programs like the Rural Stop Gap,' Article content said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Article content 'This initiative shows how smart, community-driven technology can transform healthcare—delivering better patient outcomes, boosting hospital efficiency, and most importantly, making a real difference for people in rural communities.' Article content 'Gotcare's technology is exactly the kind of bold solution Ontario's innovators are bringing forward, and the Rural Stop Gap Program at Campbellford Memorial Hospital is quickly proving its value,' Article content said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Article content 'By leveraging homegrown solutions like this, we can help ensure our seniors and families in every corner of the province get the care they need, while building a stronger health tech sector here in Ontario. We're proud to support this program, congratulate them on a successful seed round, and look forward to seeing further success as it scales across rural communities.' Article content About Gotcare Article content The healthcare worker shortage has left many older adults and people living with chronic conditions without access to the care they need. By attracting and upskilling community health workers who have previously left the sector, Gotcare is rehumanizing the patient care journey. They provide personalized in-home care, AI-driven health monitoring, and virtual care support to address low-acuity care needs right at home. Gotcare is a social enterprise and a certified living wage employer. For more information, visit Article content About Campbellford Memorial Hospital Article content Hospital Campbellford Memorial Hospital (CMH), a 38-bed healthcare facility located in Trent Hills, serves approximately 40,000 residents across Northumberland, Peterborough, and Hastings Counties. It also caters to a significant seasonal influx of cottagers and tourists who flock to the picturesque Kawartha Lakes Region and Trent River System. Article content Strategically positioned between Belleville and Peterborough, Ontario, CMH offers a robust range of acute care services. Our facilities include a Special Care Unit, Endoscopy Surgical Suite, Diagnostic Imaging Department, Laboratory, a variety of Out-Patient Clinics, and a 24/7 Emergency Department. In addition, we support our community with vital programs such as Mental Health services, our Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Network (GAIN), and Supportive Housing initiatives. Article content Committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated, patient- and family-centred care, CMH collaborates closely with key partners to help deliver optimal care. Locally, these include the Trent Hills Family Health Team, Campbellford Memorial Health Centre, and Campbellford Memorial Multicare Lodge, among others. Through these partnerships we ensure that our patients receive timely and appropriate care tailored to their unique needs. Our goal at CMH is to deliver high-quality healthcare services that meet the evolving needs of our community, ensuring that you receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Article content About OBIO ® Article content OBIO ®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, evaluates new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and implements successful solutions using critical technologies through its Life Sciences Critical Technologies and Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, supported by the Government of Ontario. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit and follow OBIO ® on LinkedIn and X. Article content About FedDev Ontario Article content For over 15 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada's most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our investment profiles, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario's X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contacts: Article content