Kensington Health Centre Partners with University Health Network to Establish World-Class Community-Based Residential Hospice Home in Toronto, Ontario

Marketwire

September 18, 2008

Canada

University Health Network (UHN) will share its latest knowledge, research, and expertise in end-of-life care to assist Kensington Health Centre (KHC) long-term care home in establishing a world-class centre through a formal affiliation between UHN's palliative service and the academic palliative unit at Princess Margaret Hospital, and the newly established Kensington Hospice Home on the Toronto-based Health Centre's site. 

"Scheduled to open in late 2009, Kensington's new Hospice Home will be available to provide end-of-life care to the more than 1,146,800 million people who reside in the geographical area known as the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN)" says Brian McFarlane, President & CEO of the Kensington Health Centre.

"Our collaboration is a win-win as we work together to advance palliative care services in this rapidly growing region," says Dr. Bob Bell, CEO of UHN. "We are now using what we've learned in our palliative care unit at Princess Margaret throughout our three sites and I am certain that knowledge gained at Kensington Health Centre will benefit palliative patients in acute care settings."

"The Kensington Hospice Home will provide more people in the Greater Toronto Area with greater dignity and comfort in their last days of life," said David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "Such a partnership will also further our goal to continue improving access to quality health care across Ontario, when and where it is needed."

The two organizations agreed that their objectives are the provision of quality end-of-life care services at Kensington's historic chapel located at 38 Major Street and UHN's collaborative clinical, research and education programs will be further enhanced. 

"Kensington Health Centre is committed to promoting quality of life, ensuring that when end-of-life care is required, the residents of Toronto will have access to the best end-of-life care in a home-like setting," says Mr. McFarlane. "To honour this commitment we must accomplish two major feats: renovate a historic building to a state-of-the-art home, and ensure that we have a healthcare team that is ready to deliver world-class end-of-life care. Our partnership with UHN and the palliative team at Princess Margaret Hospital provides an outstanding opportunity for Kensington's health care team to work with internationally renowned experts in the field of palliative care, education and research."

Dr. Gary Rodin, head of UHN's Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care and Academic Director of the Kensington Hospice Home, adds, "Other areas of focus will include mentoring medical, nursing and other health professionals in the palliative care model; development and application of comfort measures, pain management and bereavement counseling techniques; clinical research programs and clinical drug trials; comprehensive education programs, and e-Health initiatives, such as developing processes for sharing clinical protocols, treatment plans and patient related information."  

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