What are Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs)? What do they do?
LHINs are not-for-profit corporations that work with local health providers and community members to determine the health service priorities of their regions. LHINs are responsible for planning, funding and managing health services in their communities. Created in April 2006, they took on full authority on April 1, 2007. LHINs don’t provide services directly; instead they are responsible for integrating services in each of their specific geographic areas.
Through community engagement, LHINs work with local health providers and community members to develop integrated health service plans for their communities.
LHINs are based on a principle that community-based care is best planned, coordinated and funded in an integrated manner at the community level, because local people are best able to determine their health service needs and priorities.
For more information on the LHIN in your region please visit www.lhins.on.ca.
What programs/services are LHINs responsible for?
LHINs have responsibility for :
- Public and private hospitals
- Community Care Access Centres (CCACs)
- Community support service organizations
- Mental health and addiction agencies
- Community Health Centres (CHCs)
- Long-term care homes
What programs/services are staying with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care?
The government retains control for :
- Individual practitioners (such as nurses, physicians, etc.)
- Family Health Teams (FHTs)
- Ambulance services
- Laboratories
- Provincial drug programs
- Provincial programs
- Independent Health Facilities (IHFs)
- Public health
Why did the government organize the health system by LHINs?
The government continues to transform the health system to make it more patient-centered, efficient and accountable. LHINs are a key component of that plan. Through local decision-making and improving the coordination of local health care system, LHINs will help ensure that Ontarians receive the care they need now and in the future.
Are LHINs a cost-cutting measure?
LHINs are not about cutting costs - they are about improving the delivery of vital health services. They were created to ensure a more efficient and accountable health system that provides better value for investments in health services.
What does a LHIN-organized health system mean to the people of Ontario?
Ontarians benefit from having health service decisions affecting them made by people in their community, who understand the needs of the community and the people who live there.
LHINs are specifically mandated to engage people and providers in their communities about their needs and priorities. They continue to develop ways to improve access to health services, respond to concerns people have about those services and look for ways for service providers to improve the quality of care.
LHINs play an important role by ensuring that patients have better access to coordinated services through proper planning, and by building on the strength of local health organizations to improve communication among providers.
How do LHINs make health care better in communities across Ontario?
LHINs are responsible for administrating local health systems to ensure that services are coordinated. This will ease the flow of patients across the health care system and improve access to services in communities. They also plan and allocate resources more efficiently to ensure better access to health care.
Because they allow more community input into local health care decisions, LHINs are improving the health care experience for patients in every part of the province.
What authority do LHINs have to integrate services in their local areas?
LHINs have the authority to integrate local health services and programs as agreements with providers are negotiated. LHINs don’t make integration decisions alone - they work with local health service providers and their communities to identify ways to reduce duplication in the health system and to improve health services in Ontario.
LHINs are based on the belief that local management of the health system, through a coordinated and integrated approach, is the most effective way to deliver health care in Ontario.
It is not always possible for all health services to be located in every single neighbourhood, especially specialty services; that means that some services may have to be integrated to make them more accessible and efficient for patients.
LHINs will only make decisions on improving access to health care services through integration after consulting with patients, their communities and local health service providers.
Why have LHINs been given this authority?
LHINs have been tasked with planning and funding health services in their local areas to improve service delivery for patients and obtain better value for investments in health services.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is handing over nearly two-thirds of the Ministry's budget to LHINs. What checks and balances are in the legislation to ensure that LHINs do not overstep the wishes of government, or take the health system in a direction counter to the government's strategic direction?
The legislation governing LHINs ensures that there is an appropriate balance between granting them the authority they need to effectively and efficiently manage the local health system and retaining the ability to hold LHINs accountable for their performance.
The relationship between LHINs and the government is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and an accountability agreement between each LHIN and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. These accountability agreements include performance goals and objectives for the LHINs, performance standards, targets and measures, and a plan for spending the money the LHINs receive.
Each year, every LHIN must submit an Annual Service Plan and sign a yearly Ministry-LHIN Accountability Agreement. You can find this year’s documents by visiting the LHINs website.
The legislation also requires LHINs to provide the minister with annual reports, including audited financial statements. The Auditor General of Ontario also has the authority to audit any aspect of the operations of a LHIN.
How can communities be sure that LHINs will include them in local decision-making?
LHINs are required by legislation to engage their communities. It is what they were created to do. Each LHIN determines the process, format, and frequency of community engagement activities based on the unique characteristics and needs of the local community.
Are meetings of LHIN boards open to the public?
Most board meetings are open to the public. However, the legislation does allow the board to hold private meetings to discuss matters that should remain confidential, such as human resources advice and information from legal counsel.
Are LHINs able to make decisions to close hospitals?
No. LHINs cannot order the closure of hospital.
The legislation stipulates that LHINs will not have the authority to direct amalgamations, to direct changes to provider boards or to direct service providers to close or cease their corporate operations.
Does this mean that services will move from hospitals in smaller communities to hospitals in major centres?
Services are provided in each LHIN in response to the local characteristics and needs of the community. LHINs have the flexibility to address unique local population health needs and priorities, without compromising the quality, access, or the efficiency of health services.
Do I have to get health services from the LHIN in which I live?
No. LHIN boundaries are for management and administrative purposes only. People are not restricted to receiving services within their LHIN. You may continue to choose your health services providers as you always have.
How independent are LHINs? Do they have to report back to the government?
The government will always have the ultimate responsibility for providing Ontarians with high quality, accessible health care services. As crown agencies, LHINs work in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to ensure that unique local health care needs and priorities are addressed.
The government continues to set the principles, goals, and baseline requirements for all LHINs to ensure that all Ontarians have access to a consistent set of health care services when and where they need them, regardless of what LHIN they reside in. At the same time, LHINs have the flexibility to address unique local population health needs and priorities.
The relationship between LHINs and the government is clearly delineated in a Memorandum of Understanding and the Ministry-LHIN Accountability Agreements.
What impact do LHINs have on French language services in the province?
As managers of their local health system, LHINs help enhance French language services in Ontario.
LHINs are responsible for making sure French language health services are available in their regions. LHINs are also responsible for engaging their local Francophone populations to ensure the health care needs and concerns of their communities are addressed.
Who is responsible for long-term care home compliance?
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care continues to be responsible for all long-term care (LTC) compliance and inspection functions across the health system. This includes monitoring and enforcing standards; licensing, educating and handling appeals; and providing support for long-term care home closures, re-developments and sales. The Compliance Branch, in the Health System Accountability and Performance Division, works with the LHINs and other branches across the ministry, as well as other provincial ministries with compliance mandates. LHINs are also responsible for signing and monitoring the service agreement for each long-term care home, including LTC home performance accountabilities and funding. View more information about Long-Term Care on the Ministry’s website.
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