The South West Regional Cancer Program has a philosophy of continuous improvement. It aims to increase efficiency while promoting access to available screening and prevention programs. By integrating technology—such as shared electronic health records, digital diagnostic tools, and telemedicine—care teams can communicate more effectively and patients can access services faster and closer to home. Prevention and early detection are also vital. Leveraging education, healthy living initiatives, and available provincial screening programs allows more cancers to be caught early, when they are easiest to treat. Together, these efforts strengthen the healthcare system, improve patient outcomes, and create a more coordinated, proactive approach to cancer care.
Goals and objectives
Goal 1: Strengthen technology integration in cancer care
Objectives:
- Expand use of telemedicine to improve access to specialists and reduce travel for patients.
- Collaborate with Ontario West on Coordinated Access initiatives (i.e., centralized intake for diagnostic procedures).
Indicators:
- Participation in a Coordinated Access centralized electronic system by 2028.
- Increase in follow-up appointments offered virtually when appropriate.
Goal 2: Enhance cancer prevention efforts
Objectives:
- Partner with Ontario Health Teams and community groups to promote healthy living.
- Prioritize smoking cessation for cancer patients.
Indicators:
- Increase participation in regional cancer prevention programs by ≥10% over baseline.
Goal 3: Strengthen and expand cancer screening programs
Objectives:
- Improve access to and uptake of screening for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers.
- Reduce wait times for diagnostic follow-up after an abnormal screening result.
Indicators:
- Increase in eligible population participating in recommended screening programs, in line with OH-CCO targets.
- Average wait time from abnormal screening result to diagnostic follow-up reduced.
- In 2021, the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre and Brightshores Health System implemented CAREchart@home as part of the Ontario Health, Cancer Care Ontario initiative to provide cancer patients with after-hours telephone support when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation in an outpatient setting. This service helps patients manage side effects with the convenience and comfort of home and reduces unnecessary Emergency Department visits. Recently, the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre’s Telephone Triage Nursing (TTN) group has focused efforts on improving daytime service by increasing staff and opening more telephone lines. Callers can now get through to a nurse quicker and more frequently. Due to increasing volumes of cancer patients, the TTN line, which is used by patients to call if they are experiencing a side effect or symptom and cannot wait until their next appointment to discuss, was often busy causing calls to be dropped. With the improvements, we can see (in the chart below) the significant decrease in dropped calls, ensuring patients are able to speak with a health care provider and be triaged as needed.
Number of Callers Dropped Per Week (Nursing Triage Only)
The graph above depicts the following:
- Median Callers Dropped Pre-Implementation is 89 and represented by a yellow line.
- Median Callers Dropped Post-Implementation is 16 and represented by a purple line.
- The number of callers is represented by the blue bars.
- The number of calls for the dates depicted in the graph above are as follows:
- On January 1, 28 callers were dropped.
- On January 6, 89 callers were dropped.
- On January 13, 60 callers were dropped.
- On January 20, 64 callers were dropped.
- On January 27, 130 callers were dropped.
- On February 3, 91 callers were dropped.
- On February 10, 189 callers were dropped.
- On February 17, 47 callers were dropped.
- On February 24, 15 callers were dropped.
- On March 3, 24 callers were dropped.
- On March 10, 4 callers were dropped.
- On March 17, 17 callers were dropped.
- On March 24, 10 callers were dropped.
A success story in improving care
Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Unveils New Cancer and Medical Care Clinic and Pharmacy at Stratford General Hospital
In January 2025, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) celebrating the completion of the state-of-the-art Cancer and Medical Care Clinic and Pharmacy facility. As a satellite to LHSC’s Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre, HPHA’s clinic serves over 3,500 patient visits annually, including chemotherapy treatments and supportive care for cancers such as breast, prostate, bowel, and lung, among others. Highlights of the clinic include:
- Increased patient consultation and treatment spaces, with 17 upgraded treatment locations now available, up from the previous 12
- A new negative pressure room to provide care for high-risk patients
- A specialized Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) room for the insertion of central lines for long-term IV medication administration
- An interior renovation of over 18,000 square feet with new mechanical, electrical, and security systems, as well as updated windows and roofing.
Read more about the improvements to the chemotherapy suites at Stratford General Hospital.
2024 – 2028 Strategic Plan Outline
Go back to the South West Regional Cancer Plans landing page.
