Minister Eric Hoskins and eHealth Ontario have now received Ed Clark’s review of Ontario’s Digital Health Assets, which confirms the significant and ongoing value

“Moving care coordinators from CCACs to LHINs does not remove barriers, it just moves them from one bureaucracy to another. If primary care providers were supported to coordinate care, it would make a significant difference for the health of patients and their experience of care.”

Today the Minister’s Office confirmed that funding letters regarding the compensation increases promised in the 2016 provincial budget are signed and will be going out within the next week. Click here to read the Minister’s announcement. Dates for web briefings with Ministry staff are being arranged. We expect to have further information out to you shortly.

AFHTO’s vision is that all Ontarians will have timely access to high-quality and comprehensive primary care – care that is informed by the social determinants of health, delivered by collaborative teams, and anchored in an integrated, equitable and sustainable health system. Our 2016 Annual Report,  Equity, Integration and Access: Shaping a Population-Focused Health System chronicles the work of AFHTO and its members to move Ontario toward that vision.

New deal serves doctors and patients alike

Waterloo Region Record article published on Aug. 8, 2016. Article in full pasted below. Dr. Sean Blaine, Waterloo Region Record

Government has taken a key step to move forward with its proposal for health care – the Patients First Act has been tabled in the legislature today. This legislation brings together all of the key health system players at a local level to focus on the unique health needs of people in communities across the province.

“Coordinating patient care is a fundamental role of primary care, which is the foundation of Ontario’s complex health system… However, patients do not always move through the system as smoothly as they could.”

Ontario Primary Care Council Submits Response to Patients First proposal 

In a letter to Minister Eric Hoskins six associations of the Ontario Primary Care Council (OPCC) have provided initial feedback on the Province’s plans to strengthen our health care system.

The Ontario government has opened Budget Talks 2016, an online portal for Ontarians to offer feedback to the government on 2016/17 budget planning, which provides another opportunity to raise awareness of the need for sufficient funding for recruitment and retention.