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SCOPE Niagara program to connect family doctors and nurse practitioners to Niagara Health and Home and Community Care specialists.
A new program has been launched to help reduce Emergency Department visits and hospital re-admissions in Niagara.
The new SCOPE Niagara program connects nurse practitioners and family physicians to specialists within Niagara Health and Home and Community Care.
Officials say the program will connect primary care providers with SCOPE Niagara's nurse navigator, who will direct them to the most appropriate providers for their patient's health problems.
"As family physicians, we are seeing more and more patients who are struggling with multiple complex care needs," explains Dr. Darija Vujosevic, Family Physician and Co-Chair of the Niagara Practitioners Healthcare Alliance (NPHA). "Most family physicians do not have access to specialist advice and have difficulties navigating the programs and services in the hospital and community. With one call, our high-risk patients who have urgent concerns are provided with the highest quality of care possible. SCOPE Niagara ensures that patients get the right care, in the right place, and at the right time so they don't have to go to the Emergency Department."
SCOPE Niagara is a partnership with Niagara Health, Home and Community Care and Niagara Practitioners Healthcare Alliance (NHPA), with the support of the Niagara Ontario Health Team.
So far, over 80 nurse practitioners and family doctors have registered for the program.