Grant: Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI)

Patient care transitions are emerging as a priority policy issue in health systems across Canada. In recent years, there have been considerable efforts to improve patient flow to address increased demands on emergency departments and hospitals. However, concerns have been raised about the impact of these initiatives on the quality of institutional care and patient outcomes following discharge. Health policymakers are increasingly acknowleding the need to address values-based considerations more explicitly and systematically in their policymaking process. This has taken on a new urgency as governments endeavour to refocus the health system on improving quality and the patient experience, particularly related to patient care transitions. In this study, we explore the role and influence of values and other contextual factors on health policy related to patient care transitions across the continuum of care in Ontario.