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Ontario Improving Access To Family Health Care

McGuinty Government Adding 30 New Family Health Teams

May 6, 2010

News

Ontario is calling for applications for 30 new Family Health Teams (FHTs), which will help increase access to family health care for Ontarians.  

New Family Health Team applicants will be selected from health care providers and/or community groups that can:

• Improve access and quality of family health care by attaching more patients who do not have a family doctor to one in their area
• Meet local patient needs and improve local service integration
• Demonstrate their ability to be operational within a reasonable timeframe and deliver services in a cost effective manner
• Support the provision of French language health services, where applicable

FHTs provide better access to care, closer to home with physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, dietitians and other health care providers working together in teams. FHTs also help to reduce emergency department use for non-emergency care.

The call for applications closes on June 25, 2010. The FHTs will be awarded in the summer of 2010. Adding these 30 FHT’s fulfills the government’s commitment to establish 50 new FHTs and bring the province-wide total to 200.

Today’s announcement is a key part of the government’s Open Ontario Plan to provide more access to health care services while improving quality and accountability for patients

QUOTES

“Our government is improving access to family health care for those residents who need it. Family Health Teams bring together physicians with other health care professionals to provide quality care while reaching out to those patients who don’t have a family health care provider.”
- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“We remain committed to working closely with government to strengthen the delivery of health care services. Family Health Teams offer great benefits to both doctors and their patients and expanding the number of teams in Ontario is a step forward to better care.”
 - Dr. Mark Macleod, President of the Ontario Medical Association.

QUICK FACTS

• There are currently 170 FHTs in Ontario in various stages of development and implementation, providing care to close to 2.3 million Ontarians – including more than 363,000 patients who did not have access to a family physician.
• There are currently 1,912 doctors and 1,338 other health care providers working in Ontario Family Health Teams.

LEARN MORE

Read more about Family Health Teams in Ontario and the application process.

Use Health Care Connect to find care close to home.

Members of the media :

Ivan Langrish, 416-326-3986
Minister's Office

Andrew Morrison , 416-314-6197
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
ontario.ca/health-news