PMH in Ontario

The Government of Ontario has taken steps in recent years to implement a variety of primary care models that align with the principles of the Patient’s Medical Home. The primary care model that aligns most with the PMH vision is the Family Health Team (FHT).

FHTs align with the PMH vision in that they comprise of a multidisciplinary team of health care workers including family physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, dietitians, and other health care professionals who work together to provide community-centred primary care programs and services. From 2005 to 2012, 185 FHTs were operationalized over five waves of implementation. Today, there are more than 3.4 million Ontarians enrolled in FHTs. Although existing FHTs continue to provide care to their patients, no new FHTs have been established since 2011–2012 due to political challenges.

More recently, the passing of the Connecting Care Act in June 2019 established the Ontario Health Teams (OHT) comprised of health care providers–including hospitals, doctors and home and community care providers–who work together to provide patient-centred and comprehensive care in a range of care settings. The first 24 OHTs were launched in November 2019. Between 2020 and 2021, 26 additional OHTs were implemented with one more added in early 2022, for a total of 51 OHTs across rural and urban Ontario communities.

As new OHTs are developed and operationalized, the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OFPC) continues to advocate for the Patient’s Medical Home vision which encompasses comprehensiveness, continuity, and team-based care with family physician leadership. As the Premier’s Council reported in June 2019, “effective primary care is the foundation of an integrated health care system.” The OCFP firmly believes that effective primary care in Ontario begins with a medical home for all patients.