Helping patients in Northumberland County navigate the healthcare system with more ease is the goal of a new initiative of the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland (OHT-N).
The OHT-N has launched a new website featuring an integrated system navigation platform designed to better support patients, caregivers, residents, and health care providers across the community.
“We’ve very excited about the launch of the OHT-N’s new and improved website and, especially, its new service navigation section,” Andrea Groff, executive lead for OHT-N, told kawarthaNOW.
“We have heard over and over again how frustrating it is for patients and caregivers to find information when they’re trying to navigate the healthcare system. We did not want to contribute to the noise — we wanted to help cut through it.”
To that end, Groff said the team worked with the Experience Partner Council (EPC) — individuals with lived experience navigating care and supports in this community — and partners to develop a more user-friendly, online hub designed to help patients, providers, and caregivers find the health care services they need close to home.
With a mobile-friendly layout, searchable plain-language content, and built-in accessibility features, “we are committed to providing one front door to help everyone in Northumberland — regardless of age, ability, or digital literacy — to (access the local health system more easily),” Groff said, quoting EPC chair Suzanne Lawson.
“This is just the beginning of what this tool can provide, and we welcome feedback to enhance it further and keep its content as up to date as possible. Our biggest hope is that this platform, and its ‘find services near you’ service, will help people feel more informed, connected, and supported throughout their health journey,” Groff added.
The website was developed with a focus on the patient and caregiver experience, offering tailored resources and accessible information aligned with OHT-N’s core priority areas.
Priority areas include access to primary and speciality care (including coordinating care pathways for those without access to a primary care provider), services for seniors and older adults with complex conditions (helping people maintain independence, sustain their health, and age well at home), and mental health and addiction support (with a focus on prevention, early intervention, continuous care, and crisis response).
The website also focuses on highlighting OHT-N’s collaborative efforts in spearheading new initiatives to address identified community needs. This includes the expansion of the rural outreach clinic in Colborne, a partnership with the Township of Cramahe, according to a media release.
“The goal of (Ontario Health Teams) is to create a connected, sustainable healthcare system in which people can more easily access the care and support they need,” said Susan Walsh, president and CEO of Northumberland Hills Hospital and co-chair of OHT-N, in a statement.
“We’ve heard from patients and caregivers that navigating services can be challenging. This new website was developed in direct response to these concerns, offering a trusted, one-stop resource for local health services and supports.”
Lawson said she has heard first-hand how frustrating it is for patients and caregivers to hunt through dozens of sites just to find the right clinic, service, or community program.
“By bringing attention to our local health organizations, highlighting primary and acute-care services, and featuring where to access caregiver resources on one intuitive navigation platform, this redesigned website turns that maze into a single front door — saving time, reducing stress, and letting people focus on their health instead of the search,” Lawson said.
Partners encourage community members to visit the website at www.ohtnorthumberland.ca and provide feedback to help enhance the platform and usability. The website will be regularly updated to reflect changes in local health care services and public health information, the release noted.
For help with the service navigation section of the website, or for questions on accessing health and wellness resources in the community, call the OHT-N’s community navigation representative at 289-265-0505.
OHT-N is a county-wide team of patients, caregivers, physicians, and health and community care providers working together to enhance coordination and experience of local health and community services. In recent years, OHT-N partners successfully launched three priority health care projects in Northumberland County: a volunteer peer support initiative, a community paramedicine program, and the region’s first rural outreach clinic.
