With influenza season approaching, the provincial government is giving a $90-million financial boost to Ontario's hospitals to help address overcrowding.
Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Christine Elliott announced the multi-million dollar investment Wednesday. The money will be used to support 1,100 beds in total, including the creation of more than 640 new ones.
According to the government, the funds will help end so-called hallway medicine, while allowing doctors and nurses to work more efficiently.
"Hallway health care is a multi-faceted problem that will require real and innovative solutions," said Elliott. "Our government will continue to listen to the people who work on the front lines of our health care system as we develop a long-term, transformational strategy to address hallway health care."
It was also announced that the government would move forward with plans to grow the number of long-term care beds in the province, adding 6,000 new beds. Ford made a campaign promise to cut hospital wait times by adding 15,000 new long-term care beds within five years and 30,000 over ten years.
Ford and Elliott delivered the health care news at the inaugural meeting of the premier's council on improving healthcare and ending hallway medicine in Toronto. Council Chair Dr. Rueben Devlin has been tasked with recommending strategic priorities and actions to improve Ontario's health-care system and improving patient satisfaction.