Timiskaming Ontario Health Team Partners – Advancing Wound Care Close to Home

September 30, 2026

TEMISKAMING SHORES- Timiskaming Ontario Health Team member partners collaborated to host a local teaching wound care clinic on September 30th in response to an identified need.

Through various Timiskaming Ontario Health Team (TOHT) conversations, partners identified a need to improve local wound care pathways to optimize use of scarce resources, and ensure timely, quality wound care is available to those who need it.  In May 2026, TOHT partners came together to discuss exactly how to improve local wound care pathways and it was agreed to collaborate on increasing clinical wound care skills among local health care providers through a community wound care clinic.

The clinic involved nurses specialized in wound care from Ontario Health atHome who provided wound care to ten local residents while local health care professionals participated to gain practical skills in wound care assessment, treatment and management. Temiskaming Hospital surgeon Dr. Nicole Falls was also on hand to support the training. Participating professionals included staff currently offering or in training for wound care from Temiskaming Hospital, Community Paramedicine, Care Partners, Paramed and Temagami Family Health Team. Primary care/hospital physicians who engaged with earlier planning were also invited.

In addition to training in the clinic room, the day also provided an opportunity for providers from various organizations to connect and get to know one another based on positive feedback from previous gatherings.

Evaluation surveys have been gathered from those involved with the September 30th teaching wound care clinic. With feedback in hand, TOHT member partners plan to organize additional teaching clinics and to continue building capacity for quality, person-centred local wound care offered at the right time, right place and with the right provider in the Timiskaming Ontario Health Team area.

Quotes

“Through our collaborative Timiskaming Ontario Health Team efforts, we are coming together to better understand challenges and perspectives across the various sectors, organizations and people that make up our local health system. The teaching wound care clinic is an example of that working. We collectively identified a pain point in the system and then worked together to implement an initiatives to improve things for patients as well as for health care providers.” – Dr. Meaghan Alexander, Family Physician with Great Northern Family Health Team, Mino M’shki-ki and Timiskaming Ontario Health Team Primary Care Network Council Co-chair

“When we share knowledge and understand the resources available to us, we are better able to work together to improve patient outcomes and support independent living in communities across Ontario. Through this initiative, Ontario Health atHome is demonstrating its commitment to working alongside system partners to ensure a continuum of wound care services is available to eligible patients. We are pleased that the teaching wound clinic model will now be available in the TOHT area and look forward to future partnerships that help patients live healthy at home.” – Beverley Kelley, Vice President, Patient Services (North East and North West) Ontario Health atHome

“We hear from hospital and emergency department physicians that when quality and timely wound care is not available it delays discharging patients from the hospital, increases strain on emergency department physicians and staff and leads to sub-optimal use of scarce resources. Temiskaming Hospital is committed to working together as one system because when we all identify ways to contribute and collaborate the impact is felt across the system and more importantly improved for patients.”- Martha Cope, Vice President of Patient Services- Temiskaming Hospital and Co-Chair Timiskaming Ontario Health Team Capacity, Access and Flow Table.

“From a community citizen perspective, this teaching wound care clinic is a wonderful example of Timiskaming Ontario Health Team member partners working together. We are grateful to the many people living with diabetes and their caregivers and families who shared their experiences and ideas for improving local integrated care for diabetes, including wound care. Timely, quality care close to home is vital to prevent lower limb amputations.” – Sherwin Knight, Community Citizen Council Tri-Chair – Timiskaming Ontario Health Team

“Despite challenges beyond their control, Timiskaming Ontario Health Team member partners are embracing local health system transformation enablers. Organization leaders and their staff are connecting as one system and one team to apply a collective impact and co-design approach to continuously improve. At the heart of this is recognizing community citizens as equal partners in the work. The teaching wound care clinic is a great example of what can be achieved when coming together on a shared purpose. TOHT member partner leaders such as Martha Cope from Temiskaming Hospital, community citizen Sherwin Knight and Dr. Meaghan Alexander are to be commended for their dedication and collaborative approach.” – Kerry Schubert-Mackey, Executive Director – Timiskaming Ontario Health Team

Quick Facts

Funded by the Ontario government, Timiskaming Ontario Health Team (TOHT) is a partnership of over 30 local health and social service organizations and community citizen partners. TOHT member partners work together through a Collaboration Council and other sub councils and working groups to improve population health outcomes, improve patient and provider experience in the local system of care and optimize available resources. “In partnership with community, we will create an inclusive, wholistic and seamless health and wellbeing system; rooted in nature and in the hearts and needs of people and future generations.”

TOHT member partners are collaborating on improving capacity, access and flow of services and on the prevention and management of Type 2 Diabetes in the community. This includes organizations and community citizens working on initiatives to prevent and manage lower limb wounds, a complication of diabetes that can lead to amputations.

 

For Media Inquiries

Erin Cowan, Integrated Health Lead, Timiskaming Ontario Health Team

Timiskamingoht@blancherivehealth.ca

www.timiskamingoht.ca