On September 25, 2015 the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO) held their Awards and Celebration Dinner as part of their annual conference. Nurse practitioners (NPs) from different organizations were honoured, with half of the awards presented to NPs from member FHTs and NPLCs.

Congratulations to:

Huronia Nurse Practitioner Network Bursary Ann Kerr - Alliston Family Health Team

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to join thought-provoking plenaries, vibrant discussions and networking with your peers. Register before early-bird rates end Monday (Sept. 28th). Ontario’s health system is transforming to become more sustainable and person-centred; primary care is the critical component. Now is the time for leaders and collaborators to ask – how are we strengthening primary care to fill this need?

In a news release announcing a Special Report on CCACs, the Auditor General of Ontario stated, “The Ontario government needs to take a hard look at how the province’s Community Care Access Centres (CCACs), along with their third-party service providers, deliver home- and community-based health care and related support services to patients outside hospital settings.” Effective care coordination is best led by a person’s primary care team throughout his or h

According to research published in in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), switching doctors from fee-for-service payment and adding interprofessional health providers to the team appears to result in moderately improved diabetes care for Ontario patients. "Our study suggests that Ontarians might be healthier if everyone had access to team-based care" said Dr. Tara Kiran of St. Michael's Hospital Academic FHT and one of its authors.

We’re pleased to announce the launch of our new website. With a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation, it’s been updated to help you and our partners find what you’re looking for faster and easier than ever. Changes include:

Throughout the AFHTO 2015 conference, we’ll explore the many ways in which team-based primary care is the foundation of a sustainable health system and the diverse approaches teams are taking to strengthen that foundation. All this work takes place within a larger system so to wrap it up we ask - what’s the government’s vision and direction for primary care in Ontario? And how exactly do we move forward from its current state?

Sep. 2 – Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins announced provincial funding for an expanded pilot to provide for patients’ care needs using an approach called bundled care. Taking place in six communities across Ontario, the aim is to help people transition more smoothly from the hospital into their homes. Also known as an "integrated funding model", with this approach a single payment is provided to a group of health care providers to cover care for an individual patient both in the hospital and at home.

The AFHTO annual conference offers unparalleled educational value. More than any other event, it is truly interprofessional, providing opportunities for everyone in primary care to learn and share innovations with their colleagues from across Ontario. This year’s sessions offer a range of topics for everyone within the primary care team, such as:

Thank you to all who submitted nominations to highlight significant achievements being made in primary care. The hard work and thoughtful innovations of our members are truly inspiring. Next steps for awards selection:

“When you can't pay for the drugs you need to treat or manage your health conditions, you get sicker and develop more serious complications. Families, employers and communities are hurt as well. Primary care teams see this every day. We wholeheartedly support this campaign to move toward a national system of pharmacare.”- Angie Heydon, Executive Director The call to create a national drug coverage plan is gaining ground, and with the possibility of a federal election in a few short months, it can now make even greater strides with your support.