Latest news with #OntarioHospitalAssociation
Cision Canada
15-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Ontario's Hospitals to Adapt and Change in the Face of Uncertainty
TORONTO , May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - "The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), alongside Ontario's hospitals, welcomes the investments announced for hospitals and the broader health care system in the 2025/2026 Ontario Budget. However, given that the funding requirements of our sector will not be fully met, Ontario's hospitals will be seeking to work closely with the Government of Ontario to adapt during this period of elevated risk and uncertainty. Ontario is balancing a wide range of complex priorities as it grapples with the most serious threat to the province's economy in recent history. As the provincial and federal governments navigate this challenging time, Ontario's hospitals will step up and do their part by working to minimize impact on front-line care. A longer term, multi-year planning and funding approach will be needed so hospitals can plan effectively through the challenging period that lies ahead. Ontario's hospitals are here to care for their communities and will work collaboratively with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in prioritizing decision-making. The OHA supports the Government of Ontario plan to strengthen primary care by rostering an additional two million people with a primary care provider by 2029. By 2040, approximately 3.1 million people will be living with a major illness – up from 1.8 million in 2020. A robust system of primary care will give more people access to a health care provider whose job is to focus on disease prevention and the management of chronic conditions. If the strategy is effective, in time, primary care will become the backstop of Ontario's health care system – rather than hospitals - ensuring more people receive care in a more appropriate and cost-effective setting. Over the long term, Ontario's hospitals will continue to adapt and innovate as they always have. Hospitals will look beyond traditional models of care, promote proven scientific, technological, and clinical innovation, and find new ways to ensure its spread and scale. Ontario's hospitals are grateful for the support of the people of Ontario and ask for their ongoing support and understanding in the challenging years that lie ahead." - Anthony Dale, President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital Association Established in 1924, the OHA serves as the voice of the province's public hospitals, supporting them through advocacy, knowledge translation and member engagement, labour relations, and data and analytics with the goal of helping hospitals build a better health system. The OHA is also attuned to the broader strategic questions facing the future of the province's health care system and we work to ensure Ontario's hospitals have a voice in shaping this longer-term vision.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ontario's Hospitals to Adapt and Change in the Face of Uncertainty
Already Facing a Growing Wave of Chronic Disease, U.S. Attack on Ontario Threatens Prosperity, Provincial Revenues TORONTO , May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - "The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), alongside Ontario's hospitals, welcomes the investments announced for hospitals and the broader health care system in the 2025/2026 Ontario Budget. However, given that the funding requirements of our sector will not be fully met, Ontario's hospitals will be seeking to work closely with the Government of Ontario to adapt during this period of elevated risk and uncertainty. Ontario is balancing a wide range of complex priorities as it grapples with the most serious threat to the province's economy in recent history. As the provincial and federal governments navigate this challenging time, Ontario's hospitals will step up and do their part by working to minimize impact on front-line care. A longer term, multi-year planning and funding approach will be needed so hospitals can plan effectively through the challenging period that lies ahead. Ontario's hospitals are here to care for their communities and will work collaboratively with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in prioritizing decision-making. The OHA supports the Government of Ontario plan to strengthen primary care by rostering an additional two million people with a primary care provider by 2029. By 2040, approximately 3.1 million people will be living with a major illness – up from 1.8 million in 2020. A robust system of primary care will give more people access to a health care provider whose job is to focus on disease prevention and the management of chronic conditions. If the strategy is effective, in time, primary care will become the backstop of Ontario's health care system – rather than hospitals - ensuring more people receive care in a more appropriate and cost-effective setting. Over the long term, Ontario's hospitals will continue to adapt and innovate as they always have. Hospitals will look beyond traditional models of care, promote proven scientific, technological, and clinical innovation, and find new ways to ensure its spread and scale. Ontario's hospitals are grateful for the support of the people of Ontario and ask for their ongoing support and understanding in the challenging years that lie ahead." - Anthony Dale, President and CEO, Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital AssociationEstablished in 1924, the OHA serves as the voice of the province's public hospitals, supporting them through advocacy, knowledge translation and member engagement, labour relations, and data and analytics with the goal of helping hospitals build a better health system. The OHA is also attuned to the broader strategic questions facing the future of the province's health care system and we work to ensure Ontario's hospitals have a voice in shaping this longer-term vision. SOURCE Ontario Hospital Association View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
OHA Debunks Report on Purported Use of Private Agency Staff
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - "The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) has carefully reviewed the report on the purported use of private agency staff at Ontario hospitals, released on May 12th by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ("Report"). The OHA's analysis found that the Report includes misleading claims on private agency usage that are significant. The OHA is calling on the author to withdraw this Report. The Report states that Ontario hospitals paid private staffing agencies $9.2 billion over 10 years. However, the Report combines agency staffing with all purchased services, such as housekeeping, food services, security, logistics and others. This means that the amount reportedly paid to private staffing agencies actually includes a large number of purchased services that have been misrepresented as agency staffing costs. Even with this misrepresentation, OHA data shows that total expenditures for all purchased services, inclusive of agency costs, was $3 billion from 2013-14 to 2022-23. The data referenced in the Report aligns with this figure; however, the amount has been erroneously tripled by adjusting for inflation. It is not accurate to adjust previously purchased services expenditures to current dollars – and the Report does not do the same for hospital compensation expenditures. During this time period (2013-14 to 2022-23), Ontario hospitals were responding to the COVID-19 pandemic for multiple years. This required many unique one-time purchased service expenditures that were necessary to the provincial response – including those related to assessment centres and vaccination clinics. In describing what Ontario hospitals spent on employed staff, the Report only includes the hourly wage costs for employed hospital staff and ignores other costs, such as pension and benefits. As a result, the Report failed to account for approximately 20% of additional hospital compensation costs. The total spending on employee hospital staff compensation over 10 years was $109 billion, which was an increase of 45%. Finally, the Report compares the hours worked by only agency nursing staff to costs for the broader category of all purchased services and makes the claim that hospitals are paying a higher amount for less work. When all purchased service hours are factored in, the overall hours worked, and costs of these arrangements are essentially balanced. Strengthening Ontario's health care workforce has been an important priority for hospitals and significant progress has been made in recent years. The overall hospital workforce has grown by more than 40,000 health care workers since 2019/20, to a total size of over 280,000. This includes 7,500 more Registered Nurses (RNs) and 5,600 more registered practical nurses working in hospitals. Hospital vacancy and turnover rates have also decreased significantly since the pandemic. Hospitals vacancy rates have decreased from 10.74% in October 2022 to 4.97% in March 2025. Hospital turnover rates have decreased from 14.66% in October 2022 to 8.93% in March 2025. Agency usage at the provincial level is still only a small portion of total nursing hours worked and the distribution of those hours across regions and hospital types is varied. While there has been overall growth in agency nurse usage, the total number of hours worked by all RNs Ontario hospitals has also substantially increased due to growing demands on the health care system. Agency nurses are primarily used as a last resort to alleviate staffing challenges and to maintain continued access to the highest quality of care. The decision to do so is made very judiciously given the cost, continuity of care, and impact on staff morale. Hospitals in smaller, rural and northern communities continue to face unique and multifaceted staffing challenges due to their size and have a greater need for staffing agency solutions. Ontario hospitals are continuing to reduce their reliance on staffing agencies and will continue to work closely with the Government of Ontario to strengthen its workforce by providing stable, in-house staffing solutions to meet patient care needs." - Kirk LeMessurier, Chief of Communications and Public Affairs, Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital Association Established in 1924, the OHA serves as the voice of the province's public hospitals, supporting them through advocacy, knowledge translation and member engagement, labour relations, and data and analytics with the goal of helping hospitals build a better health system. The OHA is also attuned to the broader strategic questions facing the future of the province's health care system and we work to ensure Ontario's hospitals have a voice in shaping this longer-term vision. SOURCE Ontario Hospital Association View original content: Sign in to access your portfolio
Cision Canada
15-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
OHA Debunks Report on Purported Use of Private Agency Staff
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - "The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) has carefully reviewed the report on the purported use of private agency staff at Ontario hospitals, released on May 12 th by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ("Report"). The OHA's analysis found that the Report includes misleading claims on private agency usage that are significant. The OHA is calling on the author to withdraw this Report. The Report states that Ontario hospitals paid private staffing agencies $9.2 billion over 10 years. However, the Report combines agency staffing with all purchased services, such as housekeeping, food services, security, logistics and others. This means that the amount reportedly paid to private staffing agencies actually includes a large number of purchased services that have been misrepresented as agency staffing costs. Even with this misrepresentation, OHA data shows that total expenditures for all purchased services, inclusive of agency costs, was $3 billion from 2013-14 to 2022-23. The data referenced in the Report aligns with this figure; however, the amount has been erroneously tripled by adjusting for inflation. It is not accurate to adjust previously purchased services expenditures to current dollars – and the Report does not do the same for hospital compensation expenditures. During this time period (2013-14 to 2022-23), Ontario hospitals were responding to the COVID-19 pandemic for multiple years. This required many unique one-time purchased service expenditures that were necessary to the provincial response – including those related to assessment centres and vaccination clinics. In describing what Ontario hospitals spent on employed staff, the Report only includes the hourly wage costs for employed hospital staff and ignores other costs, such as pension and benefits. As a result, the Report failed to account for approximately 20% of additional hospital compensation costs. The total spending on employee hospital staff compensation over 10 years was $109 billion, which was an increase of 45%. Finally, the Report compares the hours worked by only agency nursing staff to costs for the broader category of all purchased services and makes the claim that hospitals are paying a higher amount for less work. When all purchased service hours are factored in, the overall hours worked, and costs of these arrangements are essentially balanced. Strengthening Ontario's health care workforce has been an important priority for hospitals and significant progress has been made in recent years. The overall hospital workforce has grown by more than 40,000 health care workers since 2019/20, to a total size of over 280,000. This includes 7,500 more Registered Nurses (RNs) and 5,600 more registered practical nurses working in hospitals. Hospital vacancy and turnover rates have also decreased significantly since the pandemic. Hospitals vacancy rates have decreased from 10.74% in October 2022 to 4.97% in March 2025. Hospital turnover rates have decreased from 14.66% in October 2022 to 8.93% in March 2025. Agency usage at the provincial level is still only a small portion of total nursing hours worked and the distribution of those hours across regions and hospital types is varied. While there has been overall growth in agency nurse usage, the total number of hours worked by all RNs Ontario hospitals has also substantially increased due to growing demands on the health care system. Agency nurses are primarily used as a last resort to alleviate staffing challenges and to maintain continued access to the highest quality of care. The decision to do so is made very judiciously given the cost, continuity of care, and impact on staff morale. Hospitals in smaller, rural and northern communities continue to face unique and multifaceted staffing challenges due to their size and have a greater need for staffing agency solutions. Ontario hospitals are continuing to reduce their reliance on staffing agencies and will continue to work closely with the Government of Ontario to strengthen its workforce by providing stable, in-house staffing solutions to meet patient care needs." - Kirk LeMessurier, Chief of Communications and Public Affairs, Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital Association Ontario Hospital Association Established in 1924, the OHA serves as the voice of the province's public hospitals, supporting them through advocacy, knowledge translation and member engagement, labour relations, and data and analytics with the goal of helping hospitals build a better health system. The OHA is also attuned to the broader strategic questions facing the future of the province's health care system and we work to ensure Ontario's hospitals have a voice in shaping this longer-term vision.
Hamilton Spectator
26-04-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario expands pension plan to self-employed doctors previously excluded
It's a shot in the arm for doctors at a time when Ontario is scrambling to ease a shortage that has left 2.5 million people without a family physician. Since January, doctors with their own practices have been able to join the same pension plan enjoyed by colleagues who work in hospitals — and bring their receptionists, nurses and any other staff along for the ride to retirement. Hundreds of self-employed physicians have expressed interest and more than 75 have taken steps to become part of the $123 billion Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, also known by its acronym pronounced 'hoop.' While the opening wasn't created with the troublesome doctor shortage in mind, it can't hurt, says a senior executive. 'If the ability to access the defined-benefit pension like HOOPP is the reason for a physician to set up shop in or stay in Ontario, that's fantastic,' says Rachel Arbour, a lawyer and head of plan benefits, design and policy. 'But we're here to provide really good pensions and retirement for health-care workers, and this is one of the reasons why we looked at growing our plan to physicians,' she adds. 'We believe we play an important role in recruitment and retention. Health-care employers in our province can say to their staff 'we can offer you a great pension.'' The plan boasted a solid 9.7 per cent gain on global investments last year on behalf of 475,000 members and retirees in health care across the province. Opening the pension plan to self-employed physicians who have established their own medicine professional corporations and agree to pay a membership fee to the Ontario Hospital Association is the result of years of work and urging from within the health-care sector, including the Ontario Medical Association. The change to include self-employed doctors involved getting approval from Ontario's pension regulator and the Canada Revenue Agency. The OMA offers a group retirement savings plan to its members — who include 31,500 practicing physicians — but recognizes that many would also like to have a traditional pension plan with defined benefits. 'It has a good track record,' says Kimberly Moran, a chartered accountant and the OMA's chief executive officer, of the HOOPP pension. While the shortage of an estimated 3,500 family doctors has many root causes, such as heavy workloads, long days and administrative paperwork , Moran notes the new pension offering provides 'a little bit of help.' Recognizing it was politically vulnerable because of the doctor shortage , Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives pledged $1.4 billion in new spending on the eve of Ontario's Feb. 27 election campaign for expanded primary health-care teams, with Health Minister Sylvia Jones acknowledging 'there's no doubt people have been waiting a long time, too long, frankly, to get connected to a family-care practitioner in their community.' Ford has also added more spaces in medical schools and a new medical school is opening at Toronto Metropolitan University in Brampton next fall, but will take years to produce fully trained doctors. The OMA said 8,600 physicians have retired or left their practices since 2018, meaning two doctors are lost for every three new ones added to the health-care system. As many jurisdictions around the world compete with each other for med school graduates, more than 750 doctors have reached out to a HOOPP hotline about the pension plan after reading full details posted on the organization's website. They are encouraged to discuss the prospect of joining with their own financial advisors. 'Every doctor is going to have a slightly different set of circumstances they're going to have to work through and make sure that it makes sense for them,' says Moran. Aside from paying a membership fee to the Ontario Hospital Association, which would not reveal the dollar value but said the cost is 'modest' for doctors, physicians joining the plan make contributions both as the employer and the employee, based on income. Those contributions are tax-deductible. 'It's about half-and-half in terms of doctors who are sole practitioners and those who have staff with them,' Arbour says. 'We would love the family physicians, their nurses, the receptionist, the whole bucket of people supporting that practice to come into our plan. The longer you're in our plan, the bigger your pension income will be upon retirement.'
