Rehabilitation — provided in hospital or in the community — is a key component in improving outcomes for both patients and the health care system.

The Rehabilitative Care Alliance (RCA) has developed a new evidence-based resource for OHT administrators/planners and regional/provincial policy-makers that outlines how rehabilitative care can improve outcomes in primary care, hospitals (acute care, rehab or complex continuing care) and in the community.

Patient and System-Level Benefits of Rehabilitative Care: A primer to support planning by OHTs and Ontario Health provides an accessible overview of current evidence to help OHTs better understand the role rehabilitative care can play in improving outcomes. The primer also makes the case that rehabilitative care providers should be active partners at OHT planning tables.

In addition to a general overview of the benefits of rehabilitative care, sections on primary care, inpatient settings (acute and post-acute) and home and ambulatory care settings provide sector-specific information and considerations.

A one-page summary is also available to assist stakeholders in sharing the primer with OHTs. In addition to the more detailed primer, the RCA also has a brief guide to rehabilitative care for OHTs.

These resources are part of the RCA’s ongoing work to strengthen and standardize rehabilitative care in Ontario and to support OHTs in integrating rehabilitative care in the delivery of services to their priority populations.

For more information, please contact Sue Balogh, Project Manager.