Province Expanding and Enhancing Interprofessional Health Care Teams
As part of the 2017 Budget, Ontario is helping more people across the province access teams of health care professionals, to ensure patients can receive comprehensive and personalized health care where they need it.
Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P. for Northumberland Quinte West, was at the Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team in Brighton to highlight Ontario’s new investment in interprofessional care.
The Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team will receive additional new base funding of $50,700 to support recruitment and retention.
These health care teams bring together a diverse group of health care professionals to help meet the individual and often complex needs of patients. These teams can include doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physician assistants, dietitians, pharmacists, mental health workers, social workers, psychologists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and other professionals.
There are currently 294 interprofessional care teams across Ontario that are delivering care to more than four million people. Ontario is investing $248.4 million over the next three years to:
- Support existing teams, including recruiting new staff and retaining current health care workers
- Create new care teams across the province so that every region in Ontario has at least one team.
Interprofessional care teams deliver primary care to help patients with their specific health care goals and needs, ranging from managing chronic disease, to addressing complex health needs, to helping a patient deal with a life challenge that is negatively impacting their health. These teams also empower patients and their families to be active participants in working toward their health care goals.
Ontario is increasing access to care, reducing wait times and improving the patient experience through its Patients First Action Plan for Health Care and OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare Program – protecting health care today and into the future.
QUOTES
“I have been a proud supporter of Family Health Teams in Ontario since they were first created. Today’s funding helps keep our Family Health Team thriving as it continues every day with the important work of providing exceptional health care. FHT’s provide critical health services throughout our communities through their dedicated health care providers.”
— Lou Rinaldi, M.P.P., Northumberland-Quinte West
Our organization has grown significantly over the past ten years, and we now provide care to more than 14,000 patients across three clinic locations in Brighton, Colborne and Trenton. The high quality of our team has contributed to the successful recruitment of new physicians to serve our communities and the retention of a high performing, multidisciplinary, professional Team. We look forward to the stability and opportunities for growth that our new funding will provide.”
— Richard Wiginton, BSc MD CCFP, Lead Physician and Board Chair, Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team
On behalf of the Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team, we are extremely pleased with the commitment to enhance our interprofessional team. With new physicians on board, our team has experienced significant growth in our patient population. The investment in people centred primary care translates into better health outcomes for the patients and our communities. The competitive salaries and benefits helps our team recruit and retain knowledgeable health professionals to our primary care team and supports increased programs and services in the Brighton, Colborne and Quinte West communities.
— Wendy Parker, Executive Director, Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team
QUICK FACTS
- The Trent Hills FHT received $79,600 and the Northumberland FHT received $107,000 in additional base funding to support recruitment and retention, as announced in November 2017.
- Ontario’s $248.4 million investment over three years in Interprofessional Care Teams includes $102 million to support the expansion of interprofessional primary care teams, and around $145 million for the recruitment and retention of dedicated health care professionals to support these teams.
- $15 million will be invested in 2017/18 to create new or expand existing interprofessional care teams so that all 76 sub-regions across the province have a team.
- This investment is in addition to the $85 million in investments in interprofessional teams in the 2016 Budget.
- As part of the 2017 Budget, Ontario also announced that it is making prescription medications free for all children and youth 24 years of age and younger, regardless of family income. Coverage will be automatic, with no upfront costs.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
