This innovative solution transforms how patients needing acute mental healthcare are referred and admitted to hospitals in North Simcoe Muskoka, significantly improving equitable access to specialized care.  

When emergency department physicians determine that a patient needs treatment at a hospital with inpatient mental health beds, the complex task of finding an available bed has traditionally relied on faxes, spreadsheets and phone calls. Now, with Novari Mental Health and Addictions™, hospitals in the region can access real-time regional bed status dashboards and submit electronic referrals. This streamlines the process, enabling better communication among providers, and has the potential to reduce wait times and improve access to care.

This collaboration between Waypoint in Penetanguishene, OSMH in Orillia and RVH in Barrie builds on the strength of their longstanding regional partnership and acute mental health bed management process. It also allows for regional-level reporting on acute mental health wait times, capacity and utilization, offering valuable insights to support collaborative quality improvement that will enhance person-centred care and healthcare system efficiency. 

Health care systems around the world continue to grapple with the legacy effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and human healthcare resources (HHR) shortages. To help offset these challenges, Novari Health provides state-of-the-art referral management, central intake, and wait list management solutions. These systems streamline the management of wait lists for medical imaging, surgery, mental health, diabetes, and other clinical services that have experienced unprecedented backlogs in recent years.