An innovative new approach to home care in Durham Region is celebrating its one-year anniversary with impressive results. The Durham Ontario Health Team (OHT) at Home program, a collaboration between Lakeridge Health, Durham OHT, and CBI Home Health, was launched in 2025 with the goal of modernizing home care and providing better support for residents across the region.
Since its launch, the program has aimed to provide timely access to personalized home care, helping patients avoid unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital admissions. The program also ensures that patients are referred to the appropriate community resources and specialists when needed. The initiative has already demonstrated a meaningful impact across various key measures of access, quality, and patient experience, according to Jon Hantho, CEO of CBI Home Health.
“Home care truly is an exciting frontier for innovation in healthcare,” said Hantho. “The first year of Durham OHT at Home shows what’s possible when partners come together around a shared vision. We are proud of the progress made so far and energized by the impact this model is having for clients and families.”
As of January 27, 2026, the program has served 465 patients, with 100% of complex patients seen within 24 hours. Brian Pollard, a Health System Executive at Lakeridge Health, emphasized that having the right home care solutions in place is essential in preventing readmissions and emergency department visits. “After one year, Durham OHT at Home is demonstrating how integrated, coordinated home care can help Lakeridge Health achieve its vision of One System. Best Health, while also fostering a healthy Durham Region population,” Pollard said.
Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of complex patients having their medication reconciliations and prescriptions filled within 48 hours. Patient surveys show an average satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5, and the program has achieved an impressive net promoter score (willingness to recommend the program) of 9.6 out of 10. Additionally, 52% of patients were discharged to self-management after completing their care, no longer needing home care services.
The Durham OHT at Home program is part of a broader initiative across Ontario, with seven Ontario Health Teams testing this new model of delivering home care. As part of a two-year pilot, the program is being evaluated to assess patient outcomes, patient experience, and its overall impact on the healthcare system. The program has gained significant support, with 18 core partners and over 70 healthcare organizations across the region, including those in primary care, mental health, social support, and long-term care.
Looking ahead to its second year, Shannon Bourke, Lakeridge Health Regional Program Director, said, “All partners remain focused on building on early successes and continuing to improve access to high-quality, integrated home care for Durham Region residents.” The program is tracking toward its goal of serving 700 patients within the Oshawa neighbourhood model.
