On September 22, 2022, sixty-six health care stakeholders, registered charities focused on specialized nursing care, and industry came together to discuss the current situation of wound, ostomy, and continence care in the Province of Nova Scotia.
There was a need identified by a person living with an ostomy to better understand how critical health care providers could collaborate and contribute to better access to specialized care and the sustainability of health care in the areas of wound, ostomy, and continence. Current information was shared in these three domains of wound, ostomy, and continence, as well as best practice and innovation.
While outstanding progress has been made in wound care within the Province of Nova Scotia, a patient voice demonstrated the harsh reality that people are facing living with an ostomy. Many people are left in the community alone and unsupported. Many are paying for their ostomy supplies out of pocket and have to choose whether to buy groceries or purchase ostomy supplies. Ostomy complications can occur which cause an impact on quality of life and costs to the health care system. Having access to specialized wound, ostomy and continence care has been proven to improve clinical and cost outcomes–and yet, the number of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (NSWOCs) is inconsistent across the province and lacking in the community.
The goals of the Summit were to:
Update our stakeholders on best practices in wound, ostomy, and continence within Nova Scotia.
Evaluate a patient’s experience living with an ostomy in Nova Scotia.
Determine the economic burden for people living with an ostomy through the review of the ostomy impact study.
Provide information on the value of a wound, ostomy, and continence tri-specialty to support patient centred improvements.
Deliver updated information of the Nova Scotia continuing care Provincial Wound Care Program.
Discuss wound care innovation within the Province of Nova Scotia.
Engage and strengthen wound, ostomy and continence health within Nova Scotia.