Excellent Care for All Act, 2010, S.O. 2010, c. 14

• Jurisdiction: Ontario

Excellent Care for All Act, 2010

S.o. 2010, chapter 14

Consolidation Period: From December 4, 2023 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2023, c. 19, s. 19.

CONTENTS

Preamble

The people of Ontario and their Government:

Believe in the importance of our system of publicly funded health care services and the need to ensure its future so that all Ontarians, today and tomorrow, can continue to receive high quality health care;

Believe that the patient experience and the support of patients and their caregivers to realize their best health is a critical element of ensuring the future of our health care system;

Recognize that a high quality health care system is one that is accessible, appropriate, effective, efficient, equitable, integrated, patient centred, population health focussed, and safe;

Are committed to ensuring that health care organizations are responsive and accountable to the public, and focused on creating a positive patient experience and delivering high quality health care;

Believe that quality is the goal of everyone involved in delivering health care in Ontario, and that ultimately, each health care organization should hold its executive team accountable for its achievement;

Believe that everyone involved in delivering health care in Ontario has a role to play in ensuring the quality of the system;

Recognize the importance of providing Ontario’s health care providers with support to help them plan for and improve the quality of the care that they deliver based on the best available scientific evidence;

Recognize the value of transparency in the health care system;

Share a vision for a Province where excellent health care services are available to all Ontarians, where professions work together, and where patients are confident that their health care system is providing them with excellent health care;

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Interpretation

Definitions

1 In this Act,

“Agency” means the corporation continued by section 3 of the Connecting Care Act, 2019; (“Agence”)

“annual quality improvement plan” means the quality improvement plan required under section 8; (“plan annuel d’amélioration de la qualité”)

“caregiver” and related terms have the meaning or meanings provided for in the regulations; (“fournisseur de soins”)

“compensation” means all forms of payment, benefits and perquisites paid or provided, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of a person who performs duties and functions that entitle him or her to be paid, and includes discretionary payments; (“rémunération”)

“compensation plan” means the provisions, however established, for the determination and administration of a person’s compensation; (“régime de rémunération”)

“executive”, with respect to a health care organization, means,

(a) the chief executive officer of the health care organization, or anyone who holds a position equivalent to chief executive officer, regardless of title,

(b) the members of the health care organization’s administrative and clinical executive staff that are provided for in the regulations, and

(c) any other person provided for in the regulations; (“cadre”)

“fiscal year” means the period commencing on April 1 in one year and ending on March 31 in the following year; (“exercice”)

“health care organization” means,

(a) a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, and

(b) any other organization that is provided for in the regulations and that receives public funding; (“organisme de soins de santé”)

“health sector organization” means,

(a) a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act,

(b) a health service provider or Ontario Health Team that is provided for in the regulations and that provides a prescribed home and community care service pursuant to funding under section 21 of the Connecting Care Act, 2019,

(b.1) an integrated community health services centre within the meaning of the Integrated Community Health Services Centres Act, 2023, unless the centre is subject to an exemption provided for by the regulations,

(c) a licensee within the meaning of the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021,

(c.1) a local health integration network within the meaning of the Local Health System Integration Act, 2006, but only with respect to,

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, clause (c.1) of the definition of “health sector organization” in section 1 of the Act is amended by striking out the portion before subclause (i) and substituting the following: (See: 2023, c. 19, Sched. 2, s. 19 (1))

(c.1) the Service Organization, but only with respect to,

(i) Repealed: 2020, c. 13, Sched. 3, s. 2 (3).

(ii) the placement of a person into,

(A) a long-term care home within the meaning of the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021,

(B) Repealed: 2020, c. 13, Sched. 3, s. 2 (4).

(B.1) a supportive housing program funded by the Ministry of Health or a supportive housing program that includes a home and community care service funded by the Agency under section 21 of the Connecting Care Act, 2019,

(C) a chronic care or rehabilitation bed in a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, or

(D) an adult day program that is provided by a local health integration network or a home and community care service that is an adult day program funded by the Agency under section 21 of the Connecting Care Act, 2019, or

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, sub-subclause (c.1) (ii) (D) of the definition of “health sector organization” in section 1 of the Act is amended by striking out “a local health integration network” and substituting “the Service Organization”. (See: 2023, c. 19, Sched. 2, s. 19 (2))

(iii) any other services that are prescribed, and

(d) any other organization that is provided for in the regulations and that receives public funding; (“organisme du secteur de la santé”)

“local health integration network” means a local health integration network within the meaning of the Local Health System Integration Act, 2006; (“réseau local d’intégration des services de santé”)

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, the definition of “local health integration network” in section 1 of the Act is repealed. (See: 2023, c. 19, Sched. 2, s. 19 (3))

“medical assistance in dying” means medical assistance in dying within the meaning of section 241.1 of the Criminal Code (Canada); (“aide médicale à mourir”)

“Minister” means the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care; (“ministre”)

“nurse practitioner” means a registered nurse who holds an extended certificate of registration under the Nursing Act, 1991; (“infirmière praticienne ou infirmier praticien”)

“patient declaration of values” means the patient declaration of values provided for in section 7; (“déclaration des valeurs des patients”)

“patient ombudsman” means the patient ombudsman appointed under section 13.1; (“ombudsman des patients”)

“patient relations process” means the patient relations process provided for in section 6; (“processus de relations avec les patients”)

“personal health information” has the same meaning as in the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004; (“renseignements personnels sur la santé”)

“personal information” has the same meaning as in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; (“renseignements personnels”)

“physician” means a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; (“médecin”)

“prescribed” means prescribed in the regulations; (“prescrit”)

“quality committee” means a quality committee established and maintained under section 3; (“comité de la qualité”)

“regulations” means the regulations made under this Act; (“règlements”)

“responsible body” means,

(a) with respect to a health care organization that is a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, its board within the meaning of that Act,

(b) with respect to any other health care organization that has a board of directors, the board of directors, and

(c) with respect to any other health care organization that does not have a board of directors, the responsible body as provided for in the regulations; (“organisme responsable”)

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, section 1 of the Act is amended by adding the following definition: (See: 2023, c. 19, Sched. 2, s. 19 (4))

“Service Organization” has the same meaning as in the Connecting Care Act, 2019; (“Organisme de services”)

“survey” means a survey conducted under section 5. (“sondage”) 2010, c. 14, s. 1; 2014, c. 13, Sched. 5, s. 1; 2016, c. 30, s. 37 (1, 2); 2017, c. 7, s. 2 (1); 2019, c. 5, Sched. 3, s. 7 (1, 2); 2020, c. 13, Sched. 3, s. 2 (1-7); 2021, c. 39, Sched. 2, s. 7; 2023, c. 4, Sched. 1, s. 70 (1).

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2014, c. 13, Sched. 5, s. 1 - 01/07/2016

2016, c. 30, s. 37 (1) - 01/11/2017; 2016, c. 30, s. 37 (2) - 08/12/2016

2017, c. 7, s. 2 (1) - 10/05/2017

2019, c. 5, Sched. 3, s. 7 (1, 2) - 01/04/2020; 2019, c. 5, Sched. 3, s. 7 (3) - no effect - see 2023, c. 19, s. 29 - 04/12/2023

2020, c. 13, Sched. 3, s. 2 (1-7) - 01/05/2022

2021, c. 39, Sched. 2, s. 7 (1, 2) - 11/04/2022

2023, c. 4, Sched. 1, s. 70 (1) - 25/09/2023; 2023, c. 19, Sched. 2, s. 19 (1-4) - not in force

Responsibility of health care organizations

2 Every health care organization,

(a) shall comply with every requirement established by this Act and the regulations; and

(b) shall ensure that every quality committee it establishes and maintains complies with, and carries out its responsibilities under, this Act and the regulations. 2010, c. 14, s. 2.

Quality Committee

Quality committee to be established

3 (1) Every health care organization shall establish and maintain a quality committee for the health care...