FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    Connecticut Department of Public Health
November 20, 2012                                          Contact: William Gerrish

  (860) 509-7270

 

Blueprint for health care delivery will help guide Certificate of Need Decisions

 

Hartford – The Department of Public Health, Office of Health Care Access (OHCA) today released its Statewide Healthcare Facilities and Services Plan, a resource to guide planning for Connecticut’s health care delivery system and improve the accessibility and quality of health care services in the state.

 

The two-year plan identifies the state’s health care facilities, services, equipment and current health care utilization, and provides recommendations for addressing future statewide health care system needs. The plan is a resource for policymakers, regulators, and others involved in the Certificate of Need (CON) process, as it includes standards - once adopted into regulation - that will be utilized to guide the review and determination of CON applications.

 

“This plan is designed to serve as a blueprint for Connecticut’s health care delivery system,” said OHCA Director of Operations, Kimberly Martone. “The document’s inventory of resources presently available to meet residents’ needs represents the first time information on the state’s health care system has been gathered and presented in one place, helping to crystallize and quantify information about our health care delivery system today. The plan will help shape Connecticut’s health care delivery system in a way that promotes access to vital health care resources for all Connecticut residents.”

 

An advisory body consisting of representatives from a cross-section of the health care industry and state government provided guidance to OHCA on the development of the plan. Subcommittees conducted in-depth work in the areas of acute care, ambulatory surgery, behavioral health and primary care.

 

Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) Section 19a-634 charged OHCA with establishing and maintaining the plan. OHCA will conduct a biennial utilization review to update the plan.

 

To view the plan, please visit www.ct.gov/dph/ohca.

 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state's leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

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