Designing the Future of Health Care, Together!

On October 23rd, the Spectrum team and a number of special guests celebrated a significant milestone in our clinic journey with the exciting expansion of Spectrum Health Care’s Peel clinic.
The event included inspiring comments from our leadership team, a tour showcasing the clinic’s features, and a touching ribbon cutting by a clinic patient who experienced remarkable health outcomes.

“This state-of-the-art facility is leading the way for the modernization of clinic-based treatment in Ontario,” exclaimed Sandra Ketchen at the clinic’s well-attended open house event. “This innovative model is enabled by our integrated approach, exceptional care team and overall investment in clinic infrastructure and capabilities.”
Building on a near 30-year legacy of care in Peel, Spectrum’s clinical team is carrying out our vision to support a more integrated care model – working closely with community primary care providers, Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and community organizations to improve both health access and patient outcomes. Staffed with skilled experts in the delivery of compassionate, patient-focused care – including registered nurses and specialists – the expanded clinic will provide an opportunity for partnership with area hospitals to co-design clinic offerings to meet their specific needs. This may include providing a range of treatment options, educational initiatives and integrated care pathways -- bringing specialists into the clinic to collaborate with clinic staff in areas such as chronic disease management, spirometry, ostomy, catheter care and much more.
Why Clinics Matter to Ontario
Supporting the evolving care needs of the community by serving 300 more patient visits per week for a total of 800 patient visits, the expanded Mississauga clinic directly addresses the need for more capacity in the health care system.
“By demonstrating Spectrum’s commitment to the future of care, our nimble and accessible community nursing clinics enable the treatment of exponentially more patients, enhance the seamless coordination and continuum of care, drive shorter wait times for physician follow ups, reduce hospital visits and expedite hospital discharge,” adds Ketchen. “It’s a win-win situation for the health care system and for patients in the community.”
Roman Juras is one such patient. He began his journey with Spectrum in January 2016 for a diabetic foot ulcer and over the course of seven years, experienced multiple admissions, surgeries including a toe amputation for recurrent diabetic foot wounds. In the fall of 2023 Mr. Juras became a part of Spectrum’s Limb Preservation Clinic initiative – a unique Peel-based program through which patients, nurses and primary care physicians all have access to a specialist doctor including Dr. Asem Saleh, an innovative vascular surgeon at Humber River Hospital and Medical Director at North Toronto Vascular Surgery. Through this collaborative program it was decided that the best way to proceed with Mr. Juras’ treatment was to provide 100% offloading with total contact casting (TCC) within our clinic setting.
Throughout his journey, in addition to Dr. Saleh, Mr. Juras was followed by a diabetic foot specialist and infectious disease specialist and received care and teaching by our Spectrum’s clinic nurses, NSWOCs and his wonderful wife, Birute. By February 2024, Mr. Juras experienced a full closure of the diabetic foot wound, with orthotics recommended for long-term use. Today, Mr. Juras happily reports that he has not had a recurrence of a diabetic foot ulcer since his discharge.
L-R: Birute and Roman Juras, Dr. Asem Salah, Vascular Surgeon - Humber River Hospital, and Holly, NSWOC Nurse - Spectrum Health Care
"Mr. Juras’ experience demonstrated the power of a more integrated, nimble and accessible model of health care,” explains Ketchen. “This important pilot proved that specialty care can indeed be provided in community-based settings – helping to significantly enhance patient outcomes, reduce demand on hospital-based resources and reduce total cost to the health care system.”
“Seeing Mr. Juras cut the ribbon of our expanded Peel clinic was a proud moment for our team, reminding us why ongoing innovation and sector-wide collaboration are so critical to driving new models of care and enhanced patient outcomes.”
