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Primary care teams in a population-based health system

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 […]

Undervalued: The revolving door of dietitians

Sudbury Northern Life article published on November 30, 2015. Article pasted in full below Jonathan Migneault – Sudbury Northern Life Lower salaries to blame, says Dietitians of Canada Sudbury’s City of Lakes Family Health Team has had three registered dietitians since 2008, due to a high turnover rate.“We joke that primary care just has a […]

Video: Why D2D Matters – A family doctor’s perspective

Data to Decisions (D2D) is a membership-wide report on performance in primary care. In this 4 minute video, Dr. Michelle Greiver, North York FHT, describes the reasons she values Data to Decisions. Share this video with your colleagues, physicians and board members to start conversations about how your team could benefit from D2D. Next steps […]

Re: Ontario plans health-care overhaul — sorely needed!

On November 24, 2015, The Globe and Mail published an article Ontario plans to target home care in overhaul of health care system. In response, AFHTO together with the Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC) sent a joint letter to the editor: Letter to the Globe and Mail Editor, sent November 24, 2015: Research from […]

ICES Report: Comparison of FHTs to Other Ontario Primary Care Models, 2004/05 to 2011/12

On November 25, 2015 the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) released the report Comparison of Family Health Teams to Other Ontario Primary Care Models, 2004/05 to 2011/12. This report compares outcomes of Family Health Team (FHT) patients in relation to other major models of primary care in Ontario over time. This report was developed […]

Nurse practitioner-led clinics embraced in Essex, Belle River | Windsor Star

Windsor Star article published on November 23, 2015. Article in full pasted below. Brian Cross, Windsor Star They don’t rush you, is the first thing that struck Essex retiree Jean St. Pierre when she began getting her primary care from a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor. She and her husband Edward had a family […]

Clarence-Rockland Family Health Team named clinic of year | CBC

CBC article posted Nov. 18, 2015. Article in full pasted below. CBC News Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Urban Family Health Team also recognized by Ontario College of Family Physicians The Ontario College of Family Physicians has recognized a bilingual family clinic in Clarence-Rockland as one of the top two in the province. The Clarence-Rockland Family Health Team […]

AFHTO 2016 Conference: Date Change – October 17 & 18, 2016

The AFHTO 2016 Conference has been moved 2 days earlier to Monday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 18, 2016. Add this event to your calendar. Help shape the AFHTO 2016 Conference. Look for the calls in: February 2016 to recruit members to review and approve conference content, April 2016 to submit presentation and poster abstracts […]

AFHTO members recognised in OCFP Awards

On Thursday, November 12, 2015 the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) held their 2015 President’s Installation and Awards Ceremony as part of the Family Medicine Forum. Family health teams and their affiliated physicians played a major role in the proceedings, especially Dr. Sarah-Lynn Newberry of Marathon FHT who has been installed as OCFP’s new […]

HQO releases Primary Care report / Resources to help your team

Health Quality Ontario released Quality in Primary Care: Setting a foundation for monitoring and reporting in Ontario today. The report provides a snapshot of how the province is performing in access to primary care providers, provision of specific primary care services, and coordination with other sectors of the health system. Results show that Ontarians are […]

Family health teams a proven success that few new patients can access | Windsor Star

Windsor Star article published on November 8, 2015. Article in full pasted below. Brian Cross, Windsor Star Family health teams are keeping their patients healthier, according to research that’s emerging a decade after Ontario started approving these big operations loaded with physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers and various other health practitioners. But while new studies are concluding that Ontarians would be […]

CBC and Toronto Star profile FHT physician treating homebound patients

CBC “Keeping Canada Alive” aired on Nov. 1 “It’s such an honour to be able to see a patient in their home – actually then they’re not a patient but a person” – Dr. Tia Pham, South East Toronto FHT In its six-part series, Keeping Canada Alive, CBC filmed health and home care stories in […]

Minister Hoskins speaks about structural change at Health Achieve conference

In a speech at the close of the OHA’s Health Achieve conference today, Ontario Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins, spoke about why he believes “we must undertake structural change to our health care system.” Key points include: • The need for government to improve equity of access to health services and outcomes for patients • […]

Health For All FHT physician now federal Minister of Health

Congratulations to Hon. Dr. Jane Philpott, Canada’s new Minister of Health and founding Lead Physician of the Health For All FHT in Markham. Announced today as part of the new cabinet, Dr. Philpott’s background also includes time in the Niger Republic and serving as chief of family medicine at the Markham-Stouffville hospital. Her responsibilities are […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: Strengthening the foundation of a sustainable health system

“FHTs and NPLCs are the engine of team-based innovation in primary care in Ontario and likely all of Canada.” – Dr. Sean Blaine, AFHTO President, at the Opening Plenary. “Achieving the Triple Aim cannot happen without improved team experience.” – Both Dr. Ed Wagner at the opening plenary and Kavita Mehta in the closing panel […]

Announcing the AFHTO 2015 Bright Lights Award Winners!

AFHTO has awarded nine innovators for their work in making meaningful improvements in patient health, how patients experience their care, and how efficiently healthcare resources are used. The awards recognize individuals for their leadership and the work being conducted to improve the value of services delivered by primary care teams in Ontario. Winners were selected […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: Tips for your arrival and stay at the conference

It’s now one week to the AFHTO 2015 Conference on October 28 & 29! We look forward to seeing you all as we welcome close to 900 delegates from around the province. To ensure a smooth experience, please see below for some helpful tips for planning your arrival and stay at the conference: Planning your […]

2015 Annual Report Collective Impact: The Power to Shape Our Future

We are pleased to share our latest Annual Report – Collective Impact: The Power to Shape Our Future. This report highlights the progress AFHTO members have made, and the emerging research evidence on the added value of primary care teams.            Leadership + governance             =     Growing VALUE for Ontario’s + measurement + improvement […]

Health Quality Ontario’s releases 2015 Measuring Up Report

Health Quality Ontario (HQO) has released its yearly report on Ontario’s health system, Measuring Up. Based on the Common Quality Agenda, the report presents a profile of Ontarians’ health, the performance of our health system and a comparison with the rest of Canada and other countries. As such, we encourage members to review it. The […]

Ingersoll NPLC & partners’ pilot reduces emergency service needs

The Oxford Situation Table is a panel of 15 agencies including the OPP, Woodstock Police, the Ingersoll NPLC and community organizations working together to mobilise services in rapid response to potential crisis situations. Recently released results from the Oxford County pilot project chaired by an Ingersoll NPLC staff member show a positive impact in the […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: registration is still open / pick your sessions early

Presentations are being finalised, menus are being selected and posters are being created. Everything is being set up for the AFHTO 2015 Conference. Now all we need is you. There is still time for you and your colleagues to register for energising discussions, forward-looking plenaries, and networking with your peers. If you’ve already registered, don’t […]

NPAO honours AFHTO members’ nurse practitioners at annual conference

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 […]

Auditor General’s Report: Hard look needed to improve CCAC service delivery model

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.” […]

Family health teams deliver improved diabetes care for Ontario patients

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 […]

New Look. New Website. Still AFHTO.

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: Updated look – Our new homepage features the latest and most relevant news for members. Members […]

Deputy Minister Bob Bell now confirmed for the AFHTO 2015 Conference!

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 […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: Education opportunity for the whole team. Register now!

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: Planning and integrating […]

AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – thank you to all who submitted nominations

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: All nominees received a confirmation e-mail on August 11. This e-mail is your assurance that the nomination was received and will be […]

Supporting the Call for National Drug Coverage

“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 […]

D2D 2.0 report release: AFHTO members advance primary care measurement

AFHTO members are leading the way to advance manageable and meaningful measurement across primary care. This work is critical. Around the world, cost-effective, high-performing health systems are based on a strong foundation of comprehensive primary care; robust measurement is a mandatory ingredient for strengthening that foundation. D2D 2.0 demonstrates significant progress in this journey: More […]

St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT Filling the Gap in Regent Park

July 16 – St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT has opened the Sumac Creek Health Centre to help serve Toronto’s downtown east region, including Regent Park, Moss Park and St. James Town. A densely populated area, it’s been underserved with an estimated 10,000 unattached patients who don’t have a primary care provider. A community engagement specialist […]

Four Family Health Teams share how they integrated their staff and operations

AFHTO profiles the efforts of four family health teams (FHTs) and affiliated physician groups (FHOs, RNPGAs) as they integrated components of their respective operations such as procurement, staffing and strategic planning. Building an effective, collaborative, interdisciplinary team is essential to your success in delivering primary care. Combining people – physicians, IHPs and admin staff – […]

Peterborough Networked FHT & YMCA partner to prescribe exercise

July 9 – The Peterborough Examiner described the Peterborough Networked FHT partnership with the YMCA “as the next step toward a healthy community. It should also be the next step toward a comprehensive “green prescription” program across Ontario.” The first of its kind in the province, The Prescription … to Physical Activity … to Better […]

FHT physician awarded Order of Canada

July 3 – Dr. Ruth Wilson, a Queen’s FHT physician and former AFHTO board member, was named a member of the Order of Canada on Canada Day. The recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Wilson, who’s also a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Queen’s University, was moved by the honour, saying “it’s not […]

Northumberland FHT and partners promoting breastfeeding

July 3 – Mothers attending the Waterfront Festival in Cobourg will have no trouble finding a comfortable spot to breastfeed and change their babies. The Northumberland Breastfeeding Coalition, of which Northumberland FHT is a member, has arranged a line-up of hot pink Adirondack chairs in an open-sided tent for their convenience. Coalition members will also […]

Getting started on a COPD registry in Accuro EMR

A new Electronic Medical Record (EMR) query to identify patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is available to all primary care providers using Accuro EMR. The query was developed by QIDS Specialists from the Windsor FHT and East GTA FHT and validated by other QIDS Specialists. The query was developed  in collaboration with  the Ontario Lung Association, and […]

“Bright Lights” Awards Nominations – Deadline Extended to August 11

  Nominate an outstanding team or individual today! Deadline to submit nomination is now 12PM on  August 11! Little innovations, big impact – “Bright Lights” Award winners are innovators, making meaningful changes to improve the patient experience, health outcomes and reduce overall costs to the health care system. The awards program recognizes leadership, outstanding work […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: Registration Now Open!

Register now for the AFHTO 2015 Conference Team-Based Primary Care: The Foundation of a Sustainable Health System October 28 & 29, 2015 – Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, Ontario Research from around the world shows that cost-effective and high-performing health systems are based on a strong foundation of comprehensive primary care. Ontario’s health system is transforming […]

Essex County NPLC improving access to cancer screenings

June 26 – Essex County NPLC is promoting cervical cancer screening for women in Ford City, a Windsor neighbourhood with a low rate of regular checkups. Residents experience multiple barriers to health care such as transportation issues, poverty and not having a family doctor, which is why an outreach office was opened there three years […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: presenter notifications sent out

Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract for concurrent session and poster presentations at the AFHTO 2015 Conference. The working groups have now reviewed all submissions and a notification e-mail has been sent to each contact person. If you are part of a group that has prepared an abstract, please ensure your group contact […]

Ontario to introduce patient privacy amendments

Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care aims to introduce amendments to the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) in the fall. If passed, these amendments would include making it mandatory to report breaches to the commissioner’s office; lifting the requirement that offences be prosecuted within six months of an alleged breach, and doubling fines […]

Optimizing value of and access to team-based primary care

Evidence tells us that, with a team-based approach to primary care, patients experience more timely access to care, better care coordination and improved management of their chronic diseases. At present, about 25-30% of Ontarians can access team-based primary care. The logical question is – how do we expand access to primary care teams and get […]

St. Michael’s Academic FHT expanding poverty treatment program

May 25 – St. Michael’s Academic Hospital Family Health Team’s focus on treating poverty as a root cause of poor health continues to grow as profiled in the Toronto Star. The innovative process starts from screening for poverty during admission through to potential visits with an income security health promoter, social worker or lawyer and […]

AFHTO 2015 Conference: Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract!

Over 170 submissions were received for concurrent session and poster presentations at the AFHTO 2015 Conference. Thank you to all those who applied! A confirmation e-mail has been sent to the contact person for each abstract submission. If you are part of a group that has prepared an abstract, please ensure your group contact has […]

Northern FHTs partner with CAMH in new Telepsychiatry Program

May 13 – Based on successful pilots at the East End FHT, Great Northern FHT and Superior FHT, a new telepsychiatry program aims to create a collaborative care model for both patients and providers and increase access to mental health care across the North. Family Health Teams in the North East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) […]

Central Lambton FHT and partners address young patients’ mental health needs

May 4 – Sometimes wait list times for psychiatric services last up to a year but family doctors are often the first to hear about children and teens’ mental health concerns. With this in mind Central Lambton FHT has partnered with Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine in what is believed to be a first-in-Ontario […]

HQO Report: Patient experiences of care coordination and communication

April 15- AFHTO welcomes the release of “Experiencing Integrated Care: Ontarians’ views of health care coordination and communication”, Health Quality Ontario’s (HQO) report on patients’ experiences of their transitions between health care providers and the associated care coordination and communication. The report focuses mainly on patients’ experiences of transitions and communication between doctors, specialists and […]

Akausivik Inuit FHT: “Ottawa’s ‘best-kept secret’”

April 20- The Ottawa Citizen profiled Akausivik Inuit FHT for their whole person approach to patient care. The team treats members of Ottawa’s Inuit community, the biggest Inuit population of Canadian cities outside of the Arctic. With patients that tend to have other issues that can complicate their treatment and their health, such as their living […]

Congratulations to Two Rivers FHT for completing their RNAO BPSO Designation

April 16 – Two Rivers FHT honoured at Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO)’s Annual General Meeting           Left to Right: Heather McConnell (RNAO Associate Director, Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Transfer), Lesley Roberts (Two Rivers RPN), Jennifer Veens (Two Rivers RN), Jessie Rumble (Two Rivers BPSO Lead, RN), Dr. Irmajean Bajnok (RNAO Director of […]

Thamesview FHT hosts free program for cancer survivors

April 8 – The Thamesview Family Health Team is hosting the RENEW program in the Chatham-Kent area. RENEW (Resources, Education, Nutrition, Exercise, Wellness) is a free four-week program for cancer survivors featuring experts, including a genetic counsellor, registered dietitian and physiotherapist, who provide insight into the next steps in the cancer journey. When patients are […]

Media coverage highlights value of team-based primary care

Recent media coverage about family health teams and team-based primary care as a whole have pointed to its value to patients in Ontario and the government’s intent to review primary health care models and balance healthcare spending. Total cost of care – Team-based care improving the bottom line AFHTO emphasizes that the real issue for […]

Invitation to all members to guide the AFHTO 2015 Conference program

We invite you, your colleagues and patients to participate in a conference program working group and earn a $50 discount on registration for the AFHTO 2015 Conference. Play a valuable role by discovering the thought leaders in your chosen topic area and by shaping the content of the AFHTO conference for your peers across the province. […]

Prince Edward FHT’s ‘Hospital at Home’ Praised

Mar. 23 – Lauded as the possible future of healthcare, Hospital @ Home is a partnership project with the aim to divert appropriate patients requiring inpatient care to a program that wraps the necessary care around the patient in their own home – ‘the right care at the right time in the right place’. The […]

Rapids FHT launches program to help children become healthier

Mar. 12 – Rapids FHT in Sarnia has initiated the Momentum program to empower families to change their eating and behaviour habits so children become healthier. The program is the first of its kind in the region and brings the whole family together with a team of health providers to build meal plans, develop healthy […]

Primary care recommendations in Home and Community Care Report

Today the Ontario government announced “Ontario Endorses Expert Report on Home and Community Care” as it released Bringing Care Home, a report from the expert group on home and community care led by Dr. Gail Donner. The release stated, “This report will help inform the next steps in Ontario’s home care strategy which will be […]

FHTs and their physicians among The Change Foundation’s 20 Faces of Change

Mar. 11- AFHTO members were among the inaugural winners of The Change Foundation’s 20 Faces of Change Awards. The awards honour those who have inspired positive, patient-focused change in Ontario’s healthcare system. Dr. Ed Kucharski, Sherbourne Health Centre FHT Dr. Kucharski received the award for his “patient engagement in action” approach in his work with the […]

Valuing comprehensive primary care: The Starfield Principles

There is a compelling association between comprehensive primary care and system efficiency and effectiveness. The lifelong work of the late Barbara Starfield observed that an investment in primary care was associated with improved system quality, equity and efficiency (reduced cost)[i],[ii],[iii] ,[iv]. In British Columbia this efficiency was quantified by Marcus Hollander. The total cost of […]

“Health Care in a Time of Austerity” on TVO’s The Agenda

Feb. 25 – On The Agenda with Steve Paikin, Claudia Mariano, Nurse Practitioner at West Durham FHT and AFHTO Board Member, appeared on the show to discuss the need for increased support for recruitment & retention in primary care. The program, “Health Care in a Time of Austerity” focused on primary care reform in a time […]

Espanola and Area FHT Home Visit Pilot Improves Seniors’ Quality of Life

Feb. 19- Espanola and Area FHT’s Care of the Elderly Program is a pilot in which the team’s family physician, Dr. Hama Abdel-Salam pays an average 40 house calls a week to frail elderly patients. This results in better health outcomes for them, and reduced ER visits and lengths of stay at the hospital. This […]

Akausivik Inuit FHT “a model of patient-centred care”

Feb. 17 – Nunatsiaq News interviewed Akausivik’s executive director, Connie Siedule on the team’s significance for the Inuit community and its recent independence from the Tungasuvvingat Inuit community health centre. The only Inuit FHT in Ontario, they address the often complex needs of their patients (in Inuktitut if needed or desired), diverting them from emergency […]

Barrie and Community FHT going forward with MVP Clinic

Feb. 17 – Provincial funding for Barrie and Community FHT’s pilot project, Most Valuable Player (MVP) Clinic was announced last Thursday. The clinic gives priority to unattached medically complex patients. Each patient (the MVP) is supported through a process that provides an example for interprofessional collaboration. Click here for the Barrie Examiner article. Click here […]

Improving access to EMR data – a success story

Feb. 5 – Almost overnight, 51 AFHTO members have taken up a new tool to extract data from any custom forms in PS Suite EMR, something that was not possible for teams to do previously. The tool emerged from the Innovation project developed by the East Wellington FHT and has spread like wildfire via Quality Improvement Decision […]

South East Toronto FHT partners with community to open pregnancy clinic

Feb. 3 – Premier Kathleen Wynne helped open a new pregnancy clinic in Thorncliffe Park, an initiative driven by South East Toronto FHT and their partners. The neighbourhood has the highest birth rate and highest proportion of children under age 14 in Toronto. Partners include The Midwives Clinic of East York — Don Mills, Toronto […]

Ensuring access to team-based primary care

AFHTO continues to give top priority to advocacy for increased funding to enable our members to recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver comprehensive team-based primary care. AFHTO members have been highly effective in meeting with their local MPPs to raise awareness and political pressure.  AFHTO, together with our collaborators in interprofessional primary care […]

Quality improvement in primary care – Summary of 2014-15 QIPs

Jan. 8 – Health Quality Ontario has released reports summarizing the quality improvement plans (QIPs) submitted this year by health care organizations across Ontario. The Insights into Quality Improvement – Key Observations: 2014-15 Quality Improvement Plans are reports that span acute hospitals, inter-professional primary care organizations, home care, and long-term care and are part of HQO’s new quality improvement plan report series highlighting […]

External evaluation report on family health teams is now available

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 […]

St. Michael’s Academic FHT’s income security project profiled in the Toronto Star

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 […]

HQO Releases Report On End-of-Life Care in Ontario

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 […]

OCFP recognises family health teams at Annual Scientific Assembly

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 52nd 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. Cathy Faulds who has […]

AFHTO members participating in Ontario Low Back Pain pilot program

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: City Centre Health Care in Windsor in partnership with the Essex County Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic in Essex The Mount Forest, East Wellington […]

Comparing Health Quality Ontario’s new Measuring Up report to D2D 1.0 results

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. A number of these […]

Governance principles for primary care teams

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 […]

Kingston FHT psychologist’s work in insomnia therapy profiled

Dr. Judith Davidson, a 2014 Bright Lights Award recipient for her treatment of patients with chronic insomnia, is interviewed for a profile exploring her use of cognitive behavioural therapy in the Kingston Whig Standard and the Queen’s Gazette. Click below to read the full articles. Kingston Whig Standard, Eye-opening insomnia therapy leads to award, October 29, […]

AFHTO 2014 Conference: In Partnership with Patients

“Nothing about me without me.” At the close of the AFHTO 2014 Conference, Dr Tia Pham, lead physician at the South East Toronto FHT, reminded the audience of these famous words on patient partnership from Don Berwick, founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. “It’s the patient’s experience that counts.” Concluding comments from Dr Joshua […]

AFHTO calls for quick action on government’s Primary Care Guarantee

800 Primary Care Providers meet in Toronto to share best practices and push for enhanced primary care. Toronto, ON (October 16, 2014): The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) called for the Wynne government to take quick action to implement one of its election commitments: a guarantee that every Ontarian has access to […]

AFHTO launches Data to Decisions 1.0: comparing measures across teams for the first time

Data to Decisions 1.0: Advancing Primary Care (D2D 1.0) is the tangible result of our collective “get started” effort in team-based performance measurement across the AFHTO membership. D2D 1.0 is a summary of primary care data that are currently available, comparable and mean the most to AFHTO members in their efforts to advance quality of […]

AFHTO’s 2014 Annual Report to the Members is now available

The 2014 Annual Report gives insight into the progress of AFHTO members – family health teams and nurse practitioner-led clinics – collectively supported by their association, to move toward their shared vision. This is a vision where all Ontarians would have timely access to high-quality and comprehensive primary care, and that care is informed by […]

Advancing primary care measurement with D2D 1.0 and the Starfield Model

Two big steps in our progress to measure, improve and demonstrate the value of interprofessional primary care: Close to 50 FHTs submitted their data for the Data to Decisions (D2D) 1.0 report.  Whether or not your FHT/NPLC contributed data, the summary results can help you and your team. AFHTO members can access D2D 1.0 on […]

The Starfield model: Measuring comprehensive primary care for system benefit

AFHTO’s approach to primary care measurement focuses on the relationship with our patients and our ability to deliver the care patients value. Its objective is to optimize quality, access and total health system cost of care for patients, using indicators from Health Quality Ontario’s Primary Care Performance Measurement Framework. An article describing the model and […]

Tungasuvvingat Inuit FHT wins Innovation in Public Health and Primary Health Care Award

The Tungasuvvingat Inuit Family Health Team (TIFHT) was honoured with this award at a the “Prevent More to Treat Less” conference, jointly sponsored by the Association of Ontario Health Centres and the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, together with a range of partners including AFHTO. Since March 2011 TIFHT has provided Primary Health care […]

Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors are open until July 14

Dear fellow AFHTO members: Are you interested in serving on the AFHTO board of directors? The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. Please share this call for nominations with all who work in your team. FIVE people are to be elected for a 3-year term […]

AFHTO 2014 “Bright Light” Awards nominations open

Nominations now closed. Thank  you to all who submitted nominations. Confirmation emails will be sent by end of day Wednesday, August 13 2014. If you have submitted a nomination and have not received a confirmation email by then, please contact us at info@afhto.ca. Little innovations, big impact – Bright Light Award winners are innovators, making […]

AFHTO 2014 Conference: Thank you for submitting abstracts!

Over 150 submissions were received for concurrent session and poster presentations at the AFHTO 2014 Conference. Thank you to all those who applied! A confirmation e-mail has been sent to the contact person for each abstract submission. If you are part of a group that has prepared an abstract, please ensure your group contact has received […]

AFHTO 2014 Conference: One week left to submit a presentation or poster abstract (May 12)

Take advantage of this opportunity to share your knowledge and experience in advancing patient-centred care! Due date for all concurrent session and poster abstracts is May 12 at 9:00 AM Click here to review the submission guidelines. Click here for concurrent stream descriptions and examples of potential topics. Click here to submit an abstract in one […]

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Family Health Teams in Ontario

Ten years ago the concept of “Family Health Teams” was first announced. This anniversary follows a week in which two important studies have published evidence of the value of interprofessional collaboration in Ontario’s Family Health Teams, and in interprofessional primary care models across Canada. To mark this event, the Association of Family Health Teams of […]

Healthcare Team Model Best for Patients and Healthcare System

The Conference Board of Canada has published a new report Getting the Most out of Health Care Teams: Recommendations for Action.  Click here for the full report. Key points from the report are summarized in the Conference Board of Canada’s press release, reproduced below: Billions of dollars in savings could be realized Ottawa, March 10, 2014 – […]

Interprofessional Collaboration in Ontario’s Family Health Teams: A Review of the Literature

We are pleased to share the following literature review exploring current research on interprofessional Family Health Teams (FHTs) across Ontario. This review collects and analyzes existing evidence on the initial improvements to primary healthcare access, patient outcomes and reduction of system costs. A Review of the Literature – Click here for full article Authors: Sophia […]