Family Health Teams Improving Access To Health Care
January 26, 2010 1:15 PM
McGuinty Government's Investment Yielding Positive Results
Over 34,000 Kitchener-Waterloo area residents are receiving improved access to family health care, thanks to the area's two Family Health Teams (FHTs), including more than 5,000 people who now have access to a family doctor.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made the announcement during a tour of the New Vision FHT. New Vision is providing primary health care to about 17,400 patients -- including more than 2,300 who didn't have a family doctor.
The Ontario government announced the formation of the New Vision FHT in April 2005 and it began seeing patients in November 2005. The New Vision team consists of 11 physicians and eight other health care professionals.
The New Vision FHT is one of 150 Family Health Teams in Ontario which are providing care to more than two million patients -- including more than 333,000 people who now have access to family health care.
Family Health Teams provide better access to family care, closer to home, with physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, dieticians and other health care workers working together as a team. The teams also help reduce emergency department use by providing after-hours, non-emergency care.
QUICK FACTS
- In December 2009, the McGuinty government announced the creation of 19 more Family Health Teams as part of its plan to add 50 more FHTs.
- The government has provided the New Vision FHT with more than $4.9 million in overhead and human resource funding -- as well as more than $933,000 in one-time funding for start-up and capital improvements to its site.
LEARN MORE
ontario.ca/premier
"Family Health Teams, such as the New Vision Family Team, are one of the key ways we are increasing access to family health care in communities across the province that need it most. By having health care professionals working together, Family Health Teams are able to see more patients, keep them healthy and provide the highest quality of care."
– Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
"Kitchener-Waterloo's two family health teams are models across the province for providing innovative, patient-focused health care. I am extremely pleased with the creative collaboration these teams have demonstrated and with the positive contribution they are making on the lives and health of thousands of families in our community."
– John Milloy
MPP Kitchener Centre
"We want to ensure that patients are at the centre of health care. A team-based approach is the emerging face of health in Ontario and we're seeing the result of that right here in Waterloo Region."
– Leeanna Pendergast
MPP Kitchener-Conestoga
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