Population-based primary care is about effective management of the health of defined groups of people. It ensures all within this group are attached to a regular primary care provider and can access the appropriate care when they need it. The province’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care convened an Expert Advisory Committee to recommend how to ensure access to appropriate care for all Ontarians. Their report Patient Care Groups: A new model of population based primary health care for Ontario, was released on October 15, 2015. Two hundred leaders from AFHTO-member organizations convened shortly thereafter to look into the role for primary care teams in a population-based health system. This included examination of the functions that would need to be further developed and strengthened in such a system. The key messages from this session:
- Family Health Teams (FHTs) and Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (NPLCs) have the leadership, dedication and a fundamental commitment to the well-being of their patients. They are willing to:
- Step up to play their part in building a primary care system that understands and meets the needs of our patients and communities.
- Stand up and be counted – using measurement to demonstrate their value and improve on it.
- Build on the relationships they have been developing with other teams, other providers, and their LHINs.
- AND there is significant caution about how change is implemented. Most importantly members want:
- To be heard. Members are cautiously optimistic about closer LHIN alignment; they want thoughtful consideration and adequate consultation with FHTs/NPLCs.
- To be valued. Primary care is the foundation of a sustainable health system; policy, planning and resourcing need to strengthen this foundation.
- To be supported to succeed. Above all else, sufficient funding is needed to stabilize the workforce and ensure sufficient capacity to deliver quality care. IT infrastructure and EMR connectivity are also in need of further development.
Click to read AFHTO’s response to the Expert Advisory Committee’s recommendations.