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Letter to Editor Template Save The Arthritis Program at Southlake Regional Health Centre I am shocked by the closure of The Arthritis Program (TAP) at Southlake Regional Health Centre – a short-sighted decision that will adversely harm patients in Newmarket and surrounding regions. When the program closes in January, more than 2,200 inflammatory arthritis patients will lose access to vital treatment and care in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Insert one or two short paragraphs discussing your connection to TAP/arthritis care and telling your personal story e.g. “TAP saved my life. I don’t know what patients will do without it.”] To make matters worse, Southlake’s claim that patients will be able to access continued care by unidentified resources in the community is patently untrue. There are no existing resources to adequately replace TAP as it is the identified sole arthritis community care provider after 27 years of operation in the York region. At a critical time when Ontario’s healthcare system is already overburdened and facing serious pandemic budget deficits, TAP represents a helpful solution to these pressures by helping to save patient lives and save the Ontario government money. I urge decision-makers to immediately work together to keep TAP open to help patients manage their inflammatory arthritis diseases and continue to live their best lives. Sincerely (Your name) (Contact information) |
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.