New Care Coordination Centre launched to improve access to specialized care in N.L.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services launched a new provincewide Care Coordination Centre on Saturday, aimed at improving access to specialized care and streamlining patient transfers between facilities.

The centre, known as C3, was introduced alongside the province’s new health information system, CorCare, and is intended to better coordinate in-patient and emergency department transfers while supporting more timely access to appropriate care.

Debbie Molloy, vice-president of human resources with NL Health Services, said the initiative marked a significant step in strengthening care delivery across the province.

“By providing centralized coordination and support for physicians and care teams, we can move patients more efficiently through the system, better align care with available capacity and support access to specialized services,” Molloy said in a statement.

The Care Coordination Centre operates around the clock and is led by registered nurses. Through a single intake line, referring physicians can access support for specialist consultations, interfacility in-patient transfers and emergency department-to-emergency department transfers. The service also helps facilitate transfers back to facilities closer to a patient’s home when appropriate.

The new centre is expected to improve coordination between providers and facilities, ease pressure on the health-care system and support more equitable use of resources across the province.

The agency added that the initiative should also help improve patient flow and overall health outcomes.