AFHTO is the voice for Family Health Teams (FHTs) in Ontario. AFHTO works with and on behalf of its members as the advocate, champion, network, and resource center for family health teams, to support them in improving and delivering optimal interprofessional care.
AFHTO’s vision is that FHTs will be recognized by patients, FHT boards and staff, other health organizations, the public at large and their government as an innovative and efficient model for delivering accessible, comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centred primary health care.
AFHTO believes that Comprehensive Primary Care is the foundation of a sustainable responsive health care system in Ontario. AFHTO strives to represent individuals and organizations committed to the following principles of Comprehensive Primary Care:
- The basis of Comprehensive Primary Care is the existence of a trusting accessible relationship between patients and their primary care providers.
- Comprehensive Primary Care is accountable to the population it serves.
- Comprehensive Primary Care needs to represent the expectations and needs of the population it serves.
- Comprehensive Primary Care embraces the opportunity for group (team) objectives, dynamics and outcomes.
- Comprehensive Primary Care embraces the opportunity for the innovative use of all service provider skills in the achievement of group (team) objectives, dynamics and outcomes.
- Comprehensive Primary Care embraces the responsibility of health system stewardship, conservation and sustainability.
- Comprehensive Primary Care incorporates all the PCCCAR Functions, namely: Health assessment; Clinical evidence-based illness prevention and health promotion; Appropriate interventions for episodic illness and injury; Primary reproductive care; Early detection, initial and ongoing treatment of chronic illnesses; Care for the majority of illnesses (with specialists as needed); Education and supports for self-care; Support for hospital care and care provided in-home and in long term care facilities; Arrangements for 24 hours/ 7 day a week response; Service co-ordination and referral; Maintenance of a comprehensive client health record; Advocacy; Primary mental health care including psycho-social counselling; Co-ordination and access to rehabilitation; Support for people with terminal illnesses,
AFHTO is guided by the following values :
Transparency: AFHTO is open and transparent in all of its dealings with its member FHTs.
Equity: AFHTO ensures that all member FHTs are given an equal opportunity for participation in the organization. AFHTO also seeks to ensure that all of the health disciplines and employees represented in its member FHTs are given the opportunity to provide input to the workings of the organization.
Diversity: AFHTO will always seek to solicit the widest possible spectrum of views and opinions from all of its member organizations when developing its policy positions and programs.
Collaboration: AFHTO seeks to collaborate as widely as possible with other healthcare organizations including the MOLTC, to provide the best possible care to the residents of Ontario.
Honesty and Integrity: In order to achieve its mission, AFHTO will always work to earn and preserve the trust of its members as well as all of the organizations that with which it collaborates.
Interprofessional Cooperation: AFHTO seeks to encourage and foster the development of teams that are at the core of the FHT concept.
Dedication to Constant Improvement: A core value of AFHTO is its dedication to the constant improvement in the ability of member FHTs to provide the best possible care to the residents of Ontario.
