Abstract
Introduction/Background: During the height of the pandemic, social and health service partners of the Mid-West Toronto Ontario Health Team (MWT-OHT) rallied in response to low vaccine uptake in four high priority neighbourhoods. Building on the success of this community connected and partner driven strategy, we present our expanded model "Open-Door/ Porte Ouverte as both a concept and service delivery model which serves to strengthen pathways to connect people to the care they need.
Approach: Leveraging existing partnerships, the MWT-OHT was able to rapidly come together with community partners, community health ambassadors, social and health service providers to plan, develop, and implement an expanded model Open Door; that is embedded in the MWT-OHT identified high priority neighbourhoods.The Advisory Committee chose the name "Open-Door;'' to connect people to the care that they need in ways that are accessible, acceptable, and relevant to them. Open Door is designed to be a community-connected and located resource for everyone, including newcomers, the uninsured, and those with language barriers with a focus on health promotion, health education, and connections to services.The model is intended to serve as a multifunctional resource to communities with the goal of encouraging community members to learn, empower, and be supported to advocate for themselves and take charge of their health while bringing social and health services across OHT partners around the community.Post-pandemic,the Open Door program sought to expand supports to include goals addressing the following three primary areas:) Increase access to preventive and primary care2) Deliver education material and raise awareness of chronic disease prevention/management as a health promotion focus that is accessible and acceptable to the community.3) Connect community members/specific priority populations to services with a focus on social determinants of health (shelter, food, etc.) to prevent early deterioration of health and increase social support to remain in their home environment or the community.
Results: The Open Door/ implementation process has become a hub for the development and strengthening of pathways between and across the MWT-OHT and partners from multiple sectors (community, CHC, hospitals, mental health/substance services) to come together to solution around the identified system barriers and navigation needs in a way that is agile, pragmatic, and connected to the Open Door program. Year to Date Program Highlights Include:* 5,977 Community engagement, education, and information sharing interactions.* ,408 individuals referred to Cancer screening (mammograms, pap tests, FITs)* ,392 individuals referred for health and social supports (i.e., housing, food security, social services, transportation, dental) * 660 individuals connected to primary care providers* 256 individuals referred for mental health services and substance use services* 5 MWT-OHT partners actively engaged to support Open Door* Strengthened connection to UHN Connected Care led Lower Limb Preservation Program to prevent lower limb complications for people with Diabetes through homeless shelter and community outreach with ,38 clients reached from October 2023 to March 2024Implications: Working closely with community partners, the Open Door program has strengthened the capacity of collaborators to identify additional needs and supports that are directly community related, such as specific educational sessions on health and wellness of relevance to community residents as well as identifying access to dental care as an area of need. The program has proven to be a blueprint for the MWT-OHT as an Open Door that connects partners to come around the needs of community members in ways that are relevant and accessible to them that builds community strengths.