Patients referred to orthopedic and spine surgeons for hip, knee and lower back pain will wait four weeks on average to see a health provider thanks to new system of Rapid Access Clinics in the South West Local Health Integration Network in Ontario, Canada, reports the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
In February the province of Ontario said it would dissolve all 14 LHINs, as well as six provincial health agencies and merge them into one big agency labeled Ontario Health.
Three takeaways:
1. Rapid Access Clinics will aim to improve access and avoid unnecessary use of resources by focusing on treating patients quickly and efficiently.
2. RACs work in two ways: First they use a central referral system that enables referring physicians to send referrals to one place and quickly find the first surgeon available; after the patients enter the referral system, they will be triaged to an advance practice provider.
3. Rhonda Butler, advance practice leader of the hip and knee program in the musculoskeletal RAC, believes the program can also reduce unnecessary tests and MRIs, and ensure patients get help earlier.