The provincial government is offering up a plan to help connect more residents to a family doctor.
Ontario’s Primary Care Action Team, led by Dr. Jane Philpott, is now accepting proposals to create and expand up to 80 primary care teams in underserved areas with a goal of connecting 300,000 people to a family doctor and primary care team this year.
This first call is targeted to communities, by postal code, that have the highest number of people not connected to primary care, including Wheatley, Tilbury, Thamesville, Sombra, and Ruthven.
“Together we are building a primary care system that is comprehensive, convenient, and connected for every single person in Ontario,” said Dr. Jane Philpott. “In communities across Ontario, your primary care team will be your entry to care, where you will have a team of health professionals led by a family doctor or nurse practitioner to provide the care and services you need, when you need it, in a timely way.”
As part of their application, prospective teams will have to demonstrate how they will connect the maximum number of people living within their identified postal codes to primary care. The government expects to select and announce successful teams this summer, and launch a second call for proposals in September.
