Improving Mental Healthcare in Northern Ontario through Ornge’s specialized Mental Health Team and ambulatory transport services

Northern Ontario’s hospitalization rate for mental health concerns especially suicide-related cases is twice that of the rest of the province, coupled with higher use of prescription medicine than in urban communities  The connection between limited mental health service access and lack of community resources, combined with disproportionately higher hospitalization rates for mental health concerns, highlights the urgent need for effective ambulatory transport interventions.

Ornge provides air ambulatory and medical transports to critically ill or injured patients, operating as a vital component of Ontario’s health care system. In 2022, Ornge launched a pilot project based in Thunder Bay, mobilizing a specialized mental health team to provide air ambulatory transports in Northern Ontario. Following the success of this project, an in-depth assessment raised recommendations to improve the delivery of mental health transports

This case study examines challenges in Ontario’s mental health interventions, including gaps in data, staff availability, and accessibility concerns related to Ornge’s Mental Health Team (MHT). The absence of a centralized, reliable inventory of mental health resources compounded by factors such as geographic isolation, weather, and resource limitations further strains the timely delivery and coordination of patient care. In partnership with Ornge, this study aims to contribute to the assessment of the clinical efficiency and effectiveness of non-ambulatory MHTs and explore appropriate measures to improve the quality of care.