RNAO released its highly anticipated ECCO 4.0: Enhancing Community Care for Ontarians report during a media conference held at Queen’s Park on May 12. The report provides a comprehensive vision and urgent call for health system reform based on evidence and principles of equity.

The report’s 16 recommendations provide a blueprint for the government and other partners to ensure the health system is anchored in primary care and provides accessible, equitable, person-centred, integrated and publicly funded care. During the media conference, moderator and RNAO Immediate Past-President Dr. Claudette Holloway, President NP Lhamo Dolkar and CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun provided an overview of the recommendations before fielding questions from the media. With recommendations such as aligning public health and primary care, and implementing retention and recruitment initiatives for nurses, as well as addressing the social determinants of health, ECCO 4.0 provides a clear roadmap for the government and health-system partners to build a healthier, more equitable future for Ontarians.

This report updates ECCO 3.0, which was released during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It analyzes gaps in community, home and long-term care (LTC) that were revealed during that time. ECCO 4.0 also emphasizes the importance of prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the health system to improve access, care quality and health outcomes.