Jan. 8 - Health Quality Ontario has released reports summarizing the quality improvement plans (QIPs) submitted this year by health care organizations across Ontario.

 Wishing a joyful holiday to you, your family and community!  

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has released the report: An External Evaluation of the Family Health Teams (FHT) Initiative. It is a longitudinal study over the period from Dec. 2008 to November 2013, prepared by the Conference Board of Canada under contract to the ministry. AFHTO has prepared a summary of this 311-page report.

Dec. 15 - St. Michael’s Academic Hospital FHT was profiled for their work addressing patients’ income security in the Toronto Star. Dr. Andrew Pinto and Karen Tomlinson (both of whom presented on this project at AFHTO’s 2014 conference) along with Dr. Gary Bloch were all recognized for their innovative focus on one of the key social determinants of health. Click here for further details.

Dec. 15 - Health Quality Ontario’s (HQO) End-of-Life Health Care in Ontario report was released today. Click here to download the full report and recommendations. The report addresses where the health system must improve to ensure the best end-of-life care for all Ontarians, and highlights the need for an increased number of professionals trained in palliative care.

On Thursday, November 27, 2014 the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) held their 2014 President’s Installation and Awards Ceremony as part of their 52^nd Annual Scientific Assembly. Family health teams and their affiliated physicians figured prominently in the proceedings, not the least of which was London Family Health Team’s Dr.

Nov. 26 - The government of Ontario announced the launch of a pilot program as part of the province’s Low Back Pain Strategy. Six AFHTO member organizations will be participating in this pilot:

Health Quality Ontario has just released its yearly report on Ontario’s health system, Measuring Up. The section on primary care presents indicators related to access to primary care, patient experience and recommended screening tests, with some comparisons at the LHIN, provincial and international levels.  Click here to view the full report.

Dr. John McDonald, a 2014 Bright Lights Award recipient is interviewed for a profile on his work providing inter-professional health care to patients and promoting the system across Ontario and beyond in the Brantford Expositor. Click here to read the full article. 

Family Health Teams and Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics  have matured over the 5 – 9 years that each organization has been in existence. Contracts between MOHLTC and FHTs expire on March 31, 2016, with this comes the opportunity to develop a much more mature and meaningful approach to governing these organizations, from the Ministry and through to the board of each FHT and NPLC, to deliver high-quality primary care and improve the health of people in the communities served.