The Network continues to track outpatient rehab referrals, allowing Network members to compare their performance against best practice recommendations and other organizations. This reporting also allows the Network to monitor access to outpatient rehab for patients with primary hip and knee replacements, stroke and hip fracture.

Highlights of the 2019/20 year-end report include the following:

  • Declined referrals remain low: An average of 2.1% of referrals were declined across all patient groups (primary unilateral total hip and total knee replacement, stroke and hip fractures).
  • Total knee replacement and stroke rehab wait times improved: In 2019/20, 68% of patients with primary unilateral knee replacement received outpatient rehab within the best practice standard of seven days of discharge from acute care, an improvement from 60% in 2017/18. The percentage of patients with stroke receiving outpatient rehab within seven days of discharge also increased.
  • Outpatient stroke rehab programs serve wide geographic area: More than 44% of outpatient stroke referrals in Toronto are received from Central and Central East LHIN.

The Network will be using 2020/21 data to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to outpatient rehabilitation. This includes comparing discharge volumes to previous years, and monitoring the proportion of patients receiving outpatient rehab in-person, virtually or using a hybrid model.

For more information, please contact Sharon Ocampo-Chan, Project Manager.

Ministry adopts Network’s proposed outpatient rehab pricing

Earlier this year, the Network proposed new bundled care pricing for hospital-based outpatient rehab for shoulder arthroplasty and bilateral hip and knee replacements.

The proposed pricing, which was submitted to the Ministry of Health, was based on the Network’s analysis of outpatient data, best practice recommendations and current models of care. 

In July 2020, the Ministry adopted this proposed pricing in its 2020/2021 bundled care funding envelope.