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LHIN urges people to take charge of their health By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) are urging people to take an active part in their own healthcare. "They found a new miracle cure for chronic disease. It's called exercise," said Bill MacLeod, CEO for the local LHIN. MacLeod said most studies indicate the best way to improve health is through exercise, which is more effective than better eating or losing weight. "If you just get more exercise, you'll be healthier," MacLeod said. The local LHIN recently released its three-year Integrated Health Service Plan, called Partnering for a Healthier Tomorrow. The plan lists five priorities, including accessible and sustainable health care, enhanced community capacity, family health care when you need it, high quality person-centred care, and optimal health -- mental and physical. The latter priority falls on the people of the community. "We're promoting optimal health as well, so we're not just totally focused on healthcare," MacLeod said. This means, the LHIN hopes to work with its community partners to improve people's health and not just the health-care system for those who get sick. Statistics Canada has a statistic by which the LHIN can measure its success. It's called Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL). In the Mississauga Halton LHIN the PYLL was 2,288 per 100,000 people between 2006 and 2008. The Canadian average for the same time period was much higher at 4,471 PYLL "We're starting to look at this number more aggressively, more actively," MacLeod said. "It gives you a measure, in effect, of how effective the health system is and how effective the health promotion is in an area." MacLeod admits 100 per cent optimal health will likely never be achieved for 100 per cent of the population. However, it's a goal to work towards. "You never really reach that goal, but you make good progress towards achieving it," MacLeod said. The strategic plan took a year to compose and included input from local health-care providers and more than 2,000 members of the community. It is intended to address the needs of the community. MacLeod said the priorities are mostly a repetition of the previous plan, but have evolved to meet today's needs. "Some things are pretty predominant and strong that they're going to carry through from decade to decade almost. They're not really going to change every three years," he said. But there are changes to each priority. As an example, the family health care when you need it priority has changed. It now focuses on providing healthcare in the community, whereas in the previous strategic plan, it focused on the growth of hospital services. Since the LHIN was founded six years ago, Credit Valley Hospital See LHIN page 11 3 · Thursday, February 28, 2013 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog helping hands: Rosemarie Olivet styles Margot Fallow's hair in Fallow's room at Oakville Seniors Citizens Residence. Olivet has been helping Fallow since the senior signed on to become a client more than two years ago. CLEARANCE SALE UP TO Thursday February 28 - Sunday March 10 ANNUAL 75% OFF 60th Anniversary RECLINER SALE Limited Time Only Available Fabric or Leather From $879 EVERYTHING PRICED TO GO! Bonus - FREE Bamboo Hand Towel with purchase of $50.00 or more. OAKVILLE'S BEST KEPT SECRET! SERVING OAKVILLE SINCE 2002 Available Canadian made Fabric or Leather 8-2857 Sherwood Heights Drive, Oakville Main Intersection QEW & Winston Churchill Facing the QEW and South Sheridan Way www.beddingforme.com · Free Shipping 905-842-9877 Many Styles on Display Furniture & Home Decor 217 Lakeshore Rd. E., Downtown Oakville www.swissinteriors.com | 905-844-3530