Like many Northern communities, Marathon has struggled to attract and maintain home care service providers. Consistent access to home care services has the potential to reduce hospital admissions, decrease emergency department visits, improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. In January 2020 the Marathon Family Health Team, in coordination with Ontario Health (formerly the Northwest Local Integrated Health Network) and Wilson Memorial General Hospital, established the Home and Community Care Program.
What do home care services include?
Nurses provide direct healthcare services. This may include education for yourself or your caregiver about your healthcare needs while at home. Some of the services available are: post-operative care, wound care, medication management, intravenous therapy, head-to-toe assessments, catheter care, nephrostomy care, vaccine administration, and palliative and end-of-life care.
Who can use this service?
Patients of any age who are not ambulatory (unable to make it into the clinic for appointments) are eligible to receive this service.
How do patients of the MFHT access home care services?
If you think you would benefit from home care services, please speak with a physician, nurse practitioner or specialist, so they can provide you with a referral. All visits are covered by the Ontario Ministry of Health for patients of the MFHT.
