The Excellent Care for All Act, 2010
Regulations under the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010
Background
On June 8, 2010, the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010 (ECFAA) received Royal Assent and most requirements in the Act came into force. The Act requires health care organizations, beginning with public hospitals, to :
- Develop and post annual quality improvement plans.
- Implement patient and employee satisfaction surveys and a patient relations process.
- Link executive compensation to achievement of quality plan performance improvement targets.
- Develop declarations of values after public consultation.
- Create quality committees to report to each hospital board on quality related issues.
Overview of Regulations
Quality Committee Membership
Requirements in ECFAA related to quality committees will come into force on January 1, 2011. Regulations will support the operationalization of these requirements in the Act.
Definition of Executive (Executive Compensation)
ECFAA requires that chief executive officer (CEO) and other executive compensation be linked to the achievement of quality plan performance improvement targets. A Regulation under ECFAA, effective January 1, 2011, will define the term "executive", expanding the list of individuals who will have their compensation linked to quality.
Health Quality Ontario
The ECFAA expanded the mandate of the Ontario Health Quality Council (OHQC), now part of Health Quality Ontario (HQO) ,to include promoting health care that is supported by the best available scientific evidence. Recommendations to health care organizations and other entities on standards of care in the health system will have to be made based on and respecting clinical practice guidelines and protocols. The Council will also make evidence-based recommendations to the Minister concerning the Government of Ontario's provision of funding for health care services and medical devices.
In order to facilitate the expanded mandate of the former OHQC, the Ontario Health Quality Council Regulation (O. Reg. 14/05) under the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004 (CFMA) was revoked on January 1, 2011 and replaced with a new Regulation under ECFAA. This new Regulation contains many of the provisions found in the Regulation under the CFMA, as well as some technical changes and amendments to reflect the expanded functions of the OHQC as described in ECFAA.
Further to these regulatory changes, OHQC has been, as of April 1st 2011, consolidated into one agency, Health Quality Ontario (HQO). with five other health care improvement organizations and programs :
- the Medical Advisory Secretariat (MAS), former program of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care,
- the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee (OHTAC), former committee of MAS,
- the Ontario Health Technology Evaluation Fund,
- the Centre for Healthcare Quality Improvement (CHQI) / Change ,Foundation,
- the Quality Improvement and Innovation Partnership (QIIP).
The full text of the new Regulations under ECFAA is available on the e-laws website at :
- http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2010/elaws_src_regs_r10444_e.htm
- http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2010/elaws_src_regs_r10445_e.htm
