We offer System Solutions for Critical Care in Ontario.
Established in 2005, Critical Care Services Ontario (CCSO) was initially responsible for the early implementation of Ontario’s Critical Care Strategy and now centrally coordinates and develops integrated system solutions for critical care and associated specialty programs. CCSO’s work is the result of an ongoing collaboration between critical care providers, hospital administrators, and regional and provincial health system partners including the Ministry of Health.
CCSO has been an instrumental component in the evolution of an integrated critical care system for Ontario. Working closely with system partners, CCSO’s implementation of improvement initiatives has facilitated a stronger networked system of care, the development of knowledge translation and educational opportunities, and data analytics to support performance management and system standards.
We provide leadership to facilitate the system change and provincial alignment to advance critical care underpinned by a framework for system improvement. This has been applied across all CCSO program areas including Adult, Paediatric and Neonatal Critical Care, as well as specialty programs in Neurosurgery, Trauma and Burns, and the Life or Limb Policy.
Our work supports the critical care system and related programs to function in a complimentary and integrated manner ensuring timely delivery of quality care for Ontarians.
In a province of over 14 million people and 1 million square kilometers, Ontario’s critical care system is one of the largest of its’ kind providing care to 165, 000 adult, paediatric and neonatal patients in 243 critical care units in FY 2021/2022. The ability to maintain an integrated system across the province is imperative to ensure high quality care can be provided in an efficient, effective and coordinated manner.
To identify critical care system needs and collaborate with healthcare partners to improve access, quality and integration for patients.
CCSO leading improvements and system innovation in Ontario’s Critical Care System.
Patient-focus • Collaboration • Leadership • Credibility • Results • Innovation • Knowledge-based Improvement • Transparency
Critical care is intended to meet the needs of patients facing immediate and potentially reversible life-threatening situations, especially those in which vital organ systems are at risk of failing. Using advanced therapeutic, monitoring and diagnostic technology, the objective of critical care is to maintain organ system functioning while treating the underlying injury or illness. The goal is to have patients improve with minimal morbidity and return to a prior level of functioning with a meaningful quality of life.
These services are provided by specialized teams of health care professionals in adult, paediatric, and neonatal intensive care units.
Providing system level planning, policy development and performance management to improve coordination across system partners and enable a high quality, accessible and integrated critical care system for adults, children and infants.
The CCSO team is comprised of a clinical lead, director, managers, business analysts, decision support staff and administrative assistants with a broad range of experience including clinical roles, project management, data analysis and stakeholder engagement.
Our team is committed to collaborating with our cross-program and interdisciplinary partners throughout the continuum of care at the hospital and system level (regionally and provincially). Building connections and leveraging the expertise of our stakeholders is core to CCSO’s work to enable the critical care system to deliver timely, effective and patient centred quality care.
As an extension of the Ontario Critical Care Plan (2018-2021), the updated system priorities align with the five priority pillars of the 2018-21 plan. The priorities reflect the needs and opportunities identified through a consultation process with system stakeholders and leaders, and will guide the work that CCSO leads in collaboration with system partners.
CCSO is unwavering in its commitment to work with system partners in improving access, quality, system integration and value in Ontario’s critical care system. The five priorities for action are:
Lead the development and implementation of initiatives to advance, measure and monitor patient and family partnerships (family includes those identified by the patient to participate in care and decision-making) across the critical care system and associated specialty programs.
Lead the coordinated adoption of clinical and technological innovations to support efficient and safe quality care
Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives to facilitate a collaborative approach, towards an integrated system of care.
Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives to facilitate access to critical care and associated services, and improve patient flow.
Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of a series of system initiatives to stabilize and ensure a sustainable inter-professional workforce in critical care and associated specialty program areas.
These priorities inform the work that CCSO leads, in collaboration with clinical and health system partners, to enhance an accessible, integrated, and high-quality critical care system in Ontario.
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