HealthForceOntario Marketing and Recruitment Agency James Draper, Director, Regional Advisor Central East LHIN Presentation for the Central East LHIN Board of Directors September 23rd, 2015
Presentation Outline Why were we established? What do we do and how have we had an impact? Where are we going? Summary and Questions 2
Why we were established... Shortage of critical health care providers The Ontario Health Human Resource Environment in 2006 Compromised access to health care due to lack of human resources Diffused responsibility, no single organization to provide leadership in international and competitive marketplace Complex education and licensing/registration systems; new immigrants had difficulty getting information and making decisions about careers Uncoordinated employment assistance for providers; loss of productivity and significant frustration 3
HFO The Strategy Ontario Government MOHLTC Health Force Ontario HFO MRA The Agency HFO MRA 4
SUPPLY HealthForceOntario Marketing and Recruitment Agency (HFO MRA) Individual Challenges (Health Professionals and their personal network) Career Assistance Licensing Professional Opportunities Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs) Returning to Practice Return of Service Alternative Careers Immigration Advice Locum Opportunities Professional & Practice Start-Up Information Regulatory College Policy and Practice HFO MRA Services Community Challenges (Town Council, Chamber of Commerce, Hospital, Primary Care Organizations, etc.) Finding Clinical Care Providers Permanent Locum Community Marketing Assistance Regulatory College Policy and Practice Recruitment and Retention Best Practices DEMAND Clerkship Travel Program Community Showcases External Physician Outreach HFOJobs Internationally Educated Health Professionals Advisory Services Locum Programs Emergency Department Locum Program Northern Specialist Locum Programs Rural Family Medicine Locum Program Physician Assistant Program Physician Recruitment Advisory Services Practice Ontario Practice U Recruitment Essentials Regional Advisors Return of Service SUPPLY AND DEMAND INTEGRATED Connecting health professionals and communities to address Health Human Resources (HHR) challenges
What do we do and how have we had an impact? 6
Key Agency Recruitment & Retention Focused Services Provided in Ontario - Across all LHINs REGIONAL ADVISORS - Support communities with physician recruitment - Practice Ontario - provide personal job-search assistance and career advice to medical residents HFOJOBS/NURSING GRADUATE GUARANTEE INITIATIVE - A web-based job board connecting candidates (6 health professions) seeking employment with health-care organizations, communities and employers LOCUM PROGRAMS Emergency Department Locum Program Northern Specialist Locum Programs Rural Family Medicine Locum Program GP Vacancy Coverage Locum Arrangements PHYSICIAN DISTRIBUTION Working with Medical Schools to provide key communities access to medical learners within a job fair setting virtual and/or in person 7
Regional Advisors located across Ontario Regional Advisors (RAs) work with communities and local healthcare organizations within Ontario s 14 LHIN regions. Their role is to assist all areas in Ontario to reach their physician recruitment and retention goals, and to work closely with all medical schools in the province to provide personal jobsearch assistance and career advice to medical residents
Ontario has six medical schools located across the province Ontario map outlining med schools
What services are provided through Practice Ontario? Transition-to-practice information, including rural incentives Personal job search support, exposing residents to permanent and locum opportunities in rural Ontario Assistance with résumé preparation Support arranging site visits to communities of interest Integration/retention support of physicians in their new communities Guidance for international medical graduates with return of service commitments Transition to Practice Supports Presentations to Resident Groups Practice Ontario Personalized Job Search Assistance with Spousal Employment
Practice Ontario Key Findings Successful placement of residents in rural Ontario communities (defined as a Rurality Index of Ontario (RIO) score of greater than 40) Surveys and testimonials demonstrate a high satisfaction rating from residents who receive services Year over year increased uptake of Practice Ontario services Practice Ontario has a direct impact on supporting the placement of physicians in rural and remote communities, fostering an overall positive effect on the distribution of physicians in the province
Locum Program Support - The Emergency Department Locum Program The Emergency Department Locum Program(EDLP) assists hospitals to avert closure of an Emergency Department due to physician unavailability by providing urgent locum coverage as an interim measure of last resort to designated hospitals facing significant challenges covering Emergency Department shifts. ELP also provides advice/best practices to emergency departments across the province with a particular focus on assisting EDLP hospitals identify and address underlying issues affecting the recruitment and retention so that sustainable staffing solutions ca be achieved. CE LHIN Communities Accessing EDLP - Campbellford Memorial Hospital - Northumberland Hills Hospital, Haliburton and Lakeridge Health have all used the program at one time
Rural Family Medicine Locum Program The Rural Family Medicine Locum Program maintains ongoing primary care in eligible communities by providing temporary short-term replacement coverage for practising rural Family Medicine physicians CE communities accessing RFMLP: - Buckhorn - Campbellford - Colborne - Hastings - Kinmount - Minden - Warkworth
Where we are going? 14
HFO MRA..today and tomorrow Job Fairs Physician Transition Support Today In person Into practice Tomorrow In person and virtual Into and out of practice HFOJobs 6 health professions Many more Primary Client Groups Physicians, nurses and Physician Assistants Other high need Partnerships Informal Strategic Priority Supply and some Distribution Distribution and some Supply 15
Opportunities for Enhancing HFO MRA Collaboration with the CE LHIN Physician Recruitment Physician Retention Health Professional Recruitment & Retention HHR Planning Support Knowledge Transfer Bringing health human resources to life 16
Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
Summary As an operational service agency HFO MRA is focused on building and maintaining the province s health human resource capacity: - Retention and distribution of Ontario s health professionals - Recruitment and outreach to internationally educated health professionals living in Ontario, Ontario s recruitment community and practice-ready physicians living outside Ontario who are practicing in high need specialties Working with its partners - including LHINs, communities, recruiters, health professionals, medical schools and many others - HFO MRA aims to achieve the vision of helping to ensure Ontarians have access to the right mix and number of health professionals, where and when they are needed
Questions? 19