MINISTER DEPUTY MINISTER PROGRAM STANDARDS AND QUALITY ASSOCIATE DEPUTY MINISTER POLICY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS PARTNERSHIPS AND PHYSICIAN SERVICES FINANCIAL OFFICER PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER/ MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH Acute and Tertiary Care Executive Health Care Quality, Safety and Wait Time Improvement Executive Primary Health Care and Emergency Health Services Executive Continuing Care Executive Health Services Emergency Management Collaborative Emergency Centres Provincial Lead Mental Health, Children s Services and Addictions Executive Health System Workforce Executive Pharmaceutical Services Executive Mental Health and Addictions Special Advisor Diversity and Social Inclusion Special Advisor Culture Change, Leadership, and Employee Engagement Policy and Planning Intergovernmental Affairs Legislative Policy SENIOR DIRECTOR ACTIVE LIVING Physician Services Fee for Service and Master Agreement Physician Services Atlernative Funding Accountability and Performance Measurement HEALTH INFORMATON OFFICER Strategic Financial Operations Financial Services DHAs/IWK Infrastructure Management Financial Services Physician Services and Capital Planning Financial Services Continuing Care and Other Programs Insured Services Budgets and Financial Planning Manager Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Chronic Disease Prevention and Injury Prevention Environmental Health Healthy Development Population Health Assessment and Surveillance Public Health Renewal Senior Medical Officer of Health Deputy Chief Medical Officers Of Health (6) Corporate Services ehealth Executive Provincial Programs Business Intelligence, Analytics and Privacy Executive Regional Services Page 1 of 8
Responsibilities ASSOCIATE DEPUTY MINISTER Responsible for the oversight of: Program Standards and Quality (this includes Acute and Tertiary Care; Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, and Wait Times Improvement; Primary Health Care and Emergency Health Care; Continuing Care; and Health Services Emergency Management); Mental Health, Children Services and Addictions; Health System Workforce; Pharmaceutical Services; and Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs. Two special advisors, Mental Health and Addictions and Diversity and Social Inclusion, as well as the, Culture Change, Leadership, and Employee Engagement, report directly to the Associate Deputy Minister. Mental Health, Children s Services and Addictions Ensures the availability of a continuum of quality and accessible mental health and addiction services and community supports to Nova Scotians through the development of standards and policies, monitoring and evaluation, establishment of requirements for information systems, funding, administration of funding, and implementing government priorities. Work is carried out collaboratively within the (DHW) and with other government departments, community agencies, Non-governmental Agencies (NGOs), the District Health Authorities (DHAs), and the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK). Health System Workforce Responsible for health sector workforce priorities to address the number, mix and distribution of health professionals in the province to meet the population and healthcare needs and to provide quality care. It includes designing, developing and evaluating health human resources strategies related to workforce planning, strategic recruitment and retention, education and training, deployment and role optimization and compensation. Pharmaceutical Services The Pharmaceutical Services branch in the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness manages drug use in Nova Scotia by providing access to evidence based and cost effective medications through a number of Pharmacare Programs and drug and disease funding mechanisms. As well, through collaboration and strong partnerships, Pharmaceutical Services develops, implements, and manages policies and programs that ensure Nova Scotians have access to and are utilizing drugs that provide value to their health and the Nova Scotia health care system. Page 2 of 8
Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Responsible for providing support to the Minister, Deputy Minister and ADM of Health & Wellness; strategic positioning of critical government health issues through negotiation and collaboration between federal/provincial/territorial governments; corporate and legislative policy development, policy coherence and process management throughout the department, Submissions to Executive Council, Public Accounts, Auditor General; Agencies, Boards & Commissions; and French Language Services; the department s business planning, strategic planning, annual and quarterly reports and specific corporate program development. PROGRAM STANDARDS AND QUALITY Responsible for the oversight of Acute and Tertiary Care; Healthcare Quality, Safety and Wait Times Improvement; Primary Health Care and Emergency Health Services; Continuing Care; Health Services Emergency Management; and Collaborative Emergency Centres. Acute and Tertiary Care (ATC) The Acute and Tertiary Care (ATC) Branch acts as leaders and collaborators with system stakeholders to ensure efficient, high quality, sustainable, appropriate, and effective acute care and tertiary services are available to Nova Scotians. This includes provincial programs, projects and initiatives enabling a provincial approach to acute and tertiary care services, liaison with District Health Authorities and the IWK Health Centre. Healthcare Quality, Safety and Wait Times Improvement Quality and Patient Safety is responsible for leading provincial initiatives that build quality, patient safety and infection control capacity, monitoring health system performance and fostering a provincial culture that supports quality and safety across the continuum of care. Wait Time Improvement focuses on supporting and leading wait time improvement initiatives, including provincial wait time data. Primary Health Care and Emergency Health Services Primary Health Care provides policy and planning support for the advancement of an integrated community-based health system in primary healthcare in Nova Scotia. Primary health care is the first level of contact between individuals, families, or communities and the healthcare system. Page 3 of 8
Emergency Health Services (EHS) is responsible for the continual delivery, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of out of hospital emergency health services in the province through the EHS ground ambulance and the EHS LifeFlight air medical transport service. EHS s key mandate is the delivery of pre-hospital emergency health services, while it is also at the forefront of providing innovative community based healthcare to Nova Scotians in connection with the Primary Health Care Branch. Continuing Care Sets strategic direction; policy and standards; funds and monitors/evaluates continuing care services; and plans for future needs. Works collaboratively with District Health Authorities (DHAs) and service providers to implement new programs and ensure integrated/effective service delivery. This includes core programs in Home Care, Long Term Care, and Adult Protection. Health Services Emergency Management Health Services Emergency Management (HSEM) helps to protect the health of Nova Scotians. The major focus of the branch is to collaborate with stakeholders to enhance the provincial health system s preparedness to cope with local or provincial emergencies; including national or international events. This is achieved through the development of mitigation, preparedness, and response and recovery strategies. This is accomplished by forward planning, education, exercise participation, and the revision of plans, based on lessons learned from past events. Building strong partnerships through collaboration and information sharing is crucial in emergency management. The Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) is a departmental resource capable of supporting and facilitating responses to emergencies by expediting the sharing of information, the development, selection and implementation of response measures, the coordination of ongoing activities and effective communications. The HEOC may be used for both planning and response to an emergency situation. PARTNERSHIPS AND PHYSICIAN SERVICES Partnerships is responsible for leadership and direction in the development, implementation and strategic management of relationships, contracts and negotiations for the. Partnerships is also responsible for the management of ancillary programs that are available to Nova Scotians outside of the Medical Services Insurance (MSI) program. Page 4 of 8
Physician Services focusses on overall policy direction for, and the effective management of, physician compensation and resources. The Branch is responsible for the fee-for-service, Alternative Payment Plan (APP) and Academic Funding Plan (AFP) compensation agreements as well as the delivery of various physician recruitment and retention programs. FINANCIAL OFFICE The Chief Financial Office provides strategic business advice and financial management over the expenditure planning and management of healthcare programs and services, determines funding models for healthcare funded provider organizations, and oversees stewardship of all (DHW) resources. Responsible for healthcare capital infrastructure, budgeting and planning, forecasting, payments, procurement; non-resident insured eligibility, health economics, internal audit, administrative services as well as other business and financial processes. The Strategic Financial Operations Section is comprised of Health Economics, Medical Information Services, Internal Audit Services, and Administrative Services. The primary role of this group is to work with all branches of the DHW in the provision of empirical evidence for planning activities. HEALTH INFORMATION OFFICE (HIO) The Health Information Office Is the major driver of Health Information Management- Information Technology (HIMIT) planning, execution and ongoing evaluation/ innovation/improvement of versatile, responsive HIMIT frameworks/systems/ processes. HIO provides corporate HIMIT research, planning, evaluation expertise and corporate HIMIT project management. ehealth is the division responsible for ensuring the DHW has sustainable, current and effective information systems solutions that support the program requirements of the department as well as the health system. This includes development and implementation of an effective ehealth strategic direction and planning that can be operationalized effectively; design, development and implementation of ehealth systems solutions that support health program goals; and development and implementation of an appropriate, cost-effective and sustainable systems portfolio. Business Intelligence Analytics and Privacy (BIAP) is the division accountable for managing information throughout the Nova Scotia health system by providing quality information, and knowledgeable analysis. BIAP is responsible for data governance by ensuring standards development, compliance, risk management and information Page 5 of 8
accountability; provision of interpreted data as quality information for use in evidence informed decision making; and Provincial policy development, compliance, risk management and security in respect to privacy and access. Health Information Technology Services (HITS) and Health Administration Services Program (HASP) which were previously part of HIO are now under Merged Services Nova Scotia. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICE AND MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH Responsible for addressing complex issues related to improving and protecting health and decreasing disparities across our province. Areas of focus include: public health renewal, population health assessment and surveillance, healthy communities, communicable disease prevention and control, environmental health, and healthy development. The Advisory Commission on AIDS and the regional Medical Officers of Health also fall under this branch. ACTIVE LIVING Focuses on achieving better health outcomes and improving quality of life for Nova Scotians through participation in physical activity, sport and recreation initiatives. Legislation: Acts Administered by the as of 2014 July 07 1 Adult Protection Act AIDS Advisory Commission Act Anatomy Act Boxing Authority Act Chiropractic Act Co-ordinated Home Care Act Counselling Therapists Act Dental Act Dental Hygienists Act Dental Technicians Act Denturists Act Dietitians Act (not proclaimed) Dispensing Opticians Act Doctors Nova Scotia Act 1 Regulations under the Act are available at the following link, http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/regulations/actsxdep. htm#health, by clicking on the title for the corresponding Act. Page 6 of 8
Drug Dependency Foundation Act Emergency Department Accountability Act Emergency Health Services Act Fair Drug Pricing Act Health Act Health Authorities Act Health Council Act Health Council Appointments Act Health Protection Act (shared with Agriculture and Environment) Health Research Foundation Act Health Services and Insurance Act Healthcare Services Continuation (2001) Act Homemakers Services Act Homes for Special Care Act (shared with Community Services) Hospital Services Planning Commission Act Hospitals Trusts Act Hospitals Act Human Organ and Tissue Donation Act (not proclaimed) Human Tissue Gift Act Insured Health Services Act (not proclaimed) Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre Act Licensed Practical Nurses Act Mandatory Testing and Disclosure Act Massage Therapy Act (not proclaimed) Medical Act Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals Act (not proclaimed) Medical Laboratory Technology Act Medical Professional Corporations Act Medical Radiation Technologists Act Medical Services Act Midwifery Act Municipal Hospitals Loan Act Narcotic Drug Addicts Act Naturopathic Doctors Act Nova Scotia Hospital Act Page 7 of 8
Occupational Therapists Act Optometry Act Paramedics Act (not proclaimed) Patient Safety Act Personal Directives Act (shared with Justice) Personal Health Information Act Pharmacy Act Physiotherapy Act Prescription Monitoring Act Professional Dieticians Act Protection of Persons in Care Act (shared with Community Services) Psychologists Act Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Act Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Expansion Act Registered Nurses Act Regulated Health Professions Network Act Respiratory Therapists Act Safe Body Art Act (not proclaimed) Safer Needles in Healthcare Workplaces Act Self-Managed Support-care Act Smoke-free Places Act Snow Sport Helmet Act Social Assistance Act (shared with Community Services) Tanning Beds Act Tobacco Access Act Administrative update: August 12, 2014 Page 8 of 8