Mandate
Regional mandate
Eastern Health is responsible for the delivery and administration of health services and community services in its health region and provincially as designated by the Minister of Health and Community Services. The organization will deliver its programs and services within fiscal capabilities and in accordance with the Regional Health Authorities Act and other relevant regulations. The Regional Health Authorities Act outlines the responsibility of health authorities as the following:
Responsibility of Authority
16. (1) An authority is responsible for the delivery and administration of health and community services in its health region in accordance with this Act and the regulations.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), an authority may provide health and community services designated by the minister on an inter-regional or province-wide basis where authorized to do so by the minister under section 4.
(3) In carrying out its responsibilities, an authority shall:
- promote and protect the health and well-being of its region and develop and implement measures for the prevention of disease and injury and the advancement of health and well-being;
- assess health and community services needs in its region on an on-going basis;
- develop objectives and priorities for the provision of health and community services which meet the needs of its region and which are consistent with provincial objectives and priorities;
- manage and allocate resources, including funds provided by the government for health and community services, in accordance with this Act;
- ensure that services are provided in a manner that coordinates and integrates health and community services;
- collaborate with other persons and organizations, including federal, provincial and municipal governments and agencies and other regional health authorities, to coordinate health and community services in the province and to achieve provincial objectives and priorities;
- collect and analyze health and community services information for use in the development and implementation of health and community services policies and programs for its region;
- provide information to the residents of the region respecting:
- the services provided by the authority,
- how they may gain access to those services, and
- how they may communicate with the authority respecting the provision of those services by the authority;
- monitor and evaluate the delivery of health and community services and compliance with prescribed standards and provincial objectives and in accordance with guidelines that the minister may establish for the authority under paragraph 5 (1)(b); and comply with directions the minister may give.
Provincial mandate
In addition to its regional mandate, Eastern Health has distinct roles in education and research that are associated with its position within the academic health sciences community. The organization’s primary education and research partner is Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Eastern Health also has provincial responsibilities for tertiary-level institutional services, which include:
- Cancer Care
- Cardiac and Critical Care
- Children and Women’s Health
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Laboratory Services
- Mental Health and Addictions
- Rehabilitation
- Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery and Thoracic Surgery
Several provincial outreach programs:
- Child Rehabilitative Clinics
- Regional Cancer Centres
- Satellite Systemic Therapy (Chemotherapy) Clinics
The organization is also responsible for numerous other provincial programs and services, namely:
- Cardiac Genetics
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Medical Control and Registration of Pre-Hospital Care Providers
- Neonatal Transport Team
- Provincial Air Ambulance
- Provincial Equipment Program – Community Living and Supportive Services
- Provincial Fertility Services
- Provincial Genetics
- Provincial Health Ethics Network Newfoundland and Labrador (PHENNL)
- Provincial Insulin Pump Program (up to age 25 years)
- Provincial Kidney Program
- Provincial Organ Procurement Program
- Provincial Pediatric Advice and Poison Control Lines
- Provincial Pediatric Enteral Feeding Program
- Provincial Perinatal Program
- Provincial Public Health Laboratory
- Provincial Synagis®[1] Program – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- Stem Cell Transplantation
[1] Synagis® is a medication to help protect high risk babies from developing a serious lung disease caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).