Providence Care connecting patients with primary care

Program helps life after hospital

Providence Care has launched a new program to ensure hospital inpatients without a family doctor are connected to primary care before discharge.

Providence Care is Southeastern Ontario’s leading provider of specialized care in aging, mental health, palliative care and rehabilitation. 

The initiative, developed with five primary care clinics across eight locations, aims to reduce stress for patients and create smoother transitions from hospital to home or rehabilitation. Officials say it also helps prevent unnecessary readmissions and care delays.

Current primary care partners include:

Frontenac Doctors – Kingston

Greenwood Medical Centre – Kingston

Medical Tree – Kingston

Princess Street Medical Centre – Kingston

Kingston Community Health Centre (KCHC), including:
Greater Napanee Health Home – Thomas Street Clinic – Napanee
Midtown Kingston Health Home – Kingston
Kingston Community Health Centre – Weller Ave – Kingston
Street Health Centre

Working alongside Health Care Connect, local providers, and the Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team, the program addresses a major gap, with more than 20,000 Kingston residents currently lacking primary care.

So far, 15 patients have been linked to doctors through Providence Care Hospital and Providence Transitional Care Centre. People experiencing homelessness are supported through Kingston Community Health Centre.

“Recovery doesn’t end when a hospital stay does,” said Allison Philpot, Vice President of System Innovation. “By connecting patients to primary care, we’re ensuring they know their next step.”

Story by Bob Perreault