Referrals are screened to assess patient eligibility for the requested service, followed by prioritization based on the Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) guidelines. Referrals are then distributed to the most suitable specialist accounting for, a) patient & primary care preference; b) urgency & wait times; & c) specialist availability.

During the implementation stage, the program is being launched using a phased approach across 12 hospitals in the region.

The Primary Goals of the Central Intake Program

• Address the backlog of cases due to COVID while simultaneously improving patient access to timely endoscopy
• Ensure efficiency & accuracy of referral process & information
• Enhance communication between care providers & create a system that provides real-time data
• Eliminate the need to send multiple referrals to various providers