Speaking at Friday’s event at the Robert and Lily Lee Family Community Health Centre were (from left to right): Dr. Jay Slater, medical director for At Home supports; Margaret MacDiarmid, Minister of Health; Vivian Lo, a Richmond residents whose grandfather benefits from At Home in Richmond; Lynda Foley, Fraser Health’s executive director of clinical programs and home health; and Shannon Berg, VCH’s executive director, home and community care
On Friday, March 1 in a provincial funding announcement made at the Robert and Lily Lee Family Community Health Centre, VCH received an additional $8.7 million in funding this year to support several programs currently being launched or expanded under the Integrated Primary and Community Care (IPCC) initiative.
VCH was represented at the provincial event by Shannon Berg, executive director, home and community care; Dr. Jay Slater, medical director for
At Home supports; and Vivian Lo, a Richmond resident whose grandfather is supported in his own home via VCH-Richmond’s Home First program.
IPCC initiatives primarily target frail seniors, patients with complex chronic conditions, and those with mental health and substance use challenges. The goal is to improve the quality of care for these patients by partnering with family physicians and community and acute care providers in a coordinated, team-based approach.
“IPCC moves away from the traditional model of using hospitalization or residential care to treat patients with complex care needs,” said Carole Gillam, VCH’s executive director of primary health care. “Increasing community based health services to support chronic and complex conditions reduces the need for hospital and emergency room visits, and can delay a patient’s admission to a residential care facility.
Health authorities across BC will receive up to $50 million in annual funding for the next three years to advance IPCC initiatives and support the shift in how health care services are provided.
This year’s funding will support the implementation and expansion of the following programs across VCH:
- Home First
- Acute Home Based Treatment Strategy
- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
- Early Discharge Support
- Frail Seniors/Chronic Disease Community Transitions
- Care Management Strategy