Northern Health Recognized for Program

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - Northern Health  has received special recognition for its Health Innovations Funds project called "Care North".

The Care North project  focuses on improving access to primary health-care services for patients in northern B.C. This initiative is a collaboration between primary care physicians, Northern Health and participating communities.  Care North has improved the quality of primary level chronic disease care in the
region and the number of communities involved in the initiative has continued to grow. In 2007, Care North won an Excellence in BC Healthcare award to honour
excellence and innovation in public health-care delivery.

Health professionals from across the province gathered last week  for a day-long forum hosted by Health Minister George Abbott .

The $100-million Health Innovation Fund was created in last year  in the wake of  concerns raised over wait times in emergency rooms.  The dollars were  offered  projects that focus on new and innovative ways to improve patient care.

Funded projects focus on  three key strategic areas:

• emergency room decongestion, to improve efficiency and reduce emergency wait times;
• primary health-care services, to improve care  at the community level; and
• pay for performance, which uses financial incentives to increase productivity and quality of care.

In total, 51 projects - 29 major  initiatives and 22 smaller scale projects - received money from this one-time fund. 

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