Critical Role of Comprehensive Primary Care in COVID-19 Wave 2 Response

To: Helen Angus, Deputy Minister of Health
Alison Blair, Assistant Deputy Minister
Matt Anderson, CEO, Ontario Health
David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health (MOH)


Re: Critical Role of Comprehensive Primary Care in COVID-19 Wave 2 Response


Our calls to action in a joint letter to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health

A Joint Open Letter for stricter measures to address COVID-19

September 29, 2020


The Honourable Doug Ford
Premier’s Office
Room 281, Legislative Building, Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1

Dear Premier,

Ontario has now surpassed the highest number of daily cases that were identified during wave 1 in the spring. With 700 cases reported yesterday, it is time to look at stricter public health measures to curb the escalation of the pandemic this fall.

Ontario Health Teams (OHTs): Guidance for Health Care Providers and Organizations

Body

SHARED BY THE MOHLTC

This document sets out the process for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s (the “Ministry”) open invitation to providers across the full continuum of care to come
together and demonstrate their readiness to become Ontario Health Teams — groups of providers and organizations that are clinically and fiscally accountable for delivering a
full and coordinated continuum of care to a defined geographic population. This document is designed to guide groups of health care providers and organizations
in becoming Ontario Health Teams. It describes the components of the model, the expectations for Ontario Health Teams at maturity, and readiness criteria to become an
Ontario Health Team. There is an assessment process to enable all Ontario’s health providers to improve readiness and eventually become an Ontario Health Team.
While the goal is for all health services providers to eventually join or become Ontario Health Teams, how health service providers get there can vary depending on numerous
factors, including the readiness of the local health system. 

Resource includes:

  • Part I: Why does our health care system need change?
  • Part II: What will the future look like?
    • Strengthening our relationship with patients, families, and caregivers
    • Supporting providers to work better together
  • Part III: How will we get there?
    • Leverage existing strengths and partnerships, scale, and spread quickly
    • The path to becoming an Ontario Health Team
    • The maturation of Ontario Health Teams
    • Ontario Health Team: Assessment Process
  • Part IV: How interested providers will be supported
  • Conclusion
  • Appendix A –Ontario Health Team Model: From Readiness to Maturity Summary
  • Appendix B – Ontario Health Teams in Detail

 

Resource:

http://health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/connectedcare/oht/docs/guidance_doc_en.pdf

AFHTO's recommendations to the OMA Negotiations Committee on Physician Services Agreement

AFHTO consulted with physician leaders to provide feedback for consideration in the development of recommendations to the OMA Negotiations Committee on the upcoming Physician Services Agreement. We submitted recommendations in  multiple areas on July 30, 2020, including:

AFHTO's recommendations to the Physician Services Committee

Originally posted Jul. 24, 2020. Updated Aug. 4, 2020

AFHTO consulted with physician leaders to provide feedback for consideration in the development of recommendations to the Physician Services Committee. We submitted recommendations in the following areas to the Ontario Medical Association Primary Care Working Group and the Ministry of Health on July 15, 2020:

1. Access and Quality Issues

A Joint Open Letter on Pandemic Pay

May 25, 2020

Premier Doug Ford
Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON
M7A 1A1

OPEN LETTER

Dear Premier Ford,

As a broad group of healthcare stakeholders whose members employ tens of thousands of front line workers in the fight against COVID 19, we write to you today to seek immediate clarity on the implementation details and timing of the release of pandemic pay to support frontline workers employed by organizations funded by the Ministry of Health and the LHINs.

COVID-19 Outbreak Has Likely Peaked in Ontario

Ontario News Release

Modelling shows physical distancing still needed to prevent further spread

TORONTO — The Ontario government today released updated COVID-19 modelling, which shows that the enhanced public health measures, including staying home and physically distancing from each other, are working to contain the spread of the virus and flatten the curve.