Federal funding must be directed to team-based primary care across Canada

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2022 /CNW/ - As health ministers meet in Vancouver today, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) calls on them to prioritize team-based primary care to help address the health human resource crisis and to give every Canadian comprehensive care and continuity of care with a family physician or nurse practitioner.

"Primary care is in crisis and that puts the entire health system in crisis. Primary care helps prevent and manage illnesses and keep people out of hospital, which reduces demand on the system," says Kavita Mehta, CEO of AFHTO. "Team-based primary care supports the retention of physicians and nurse practitioners as care is coordinated across a team, which allows them to focus on more complex cases and reduces burnout. People get the care they need, in their communities, and we can take some pressure off the acute care system."

To ensure the sustainability of public health care, a portion of the federal funding through any Canada Health Transfers must be allocated to expanding team-based primary care and provinces and territories must be held accountable for these investments. In Ontario, only 30% of Ontarians have access to team-based primary care, and $75M a year for 10 years would improve access for all those who need it.

"Jurisdictions around the world that have prioritized primary care as the foundation of their healthcare system see better health outcomes and less costs," says AFHTO board member, Dr. Allan Grill. "The federal, provincial, and territorial governments must prioritize investments in primary care, including for recruitment and retention, and access to primary care teams. It is what every Canadian deserves."

The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) is a not-for-profit association that provides leadership to promote high-quality, comprehensive, well-integrated interprofessional primary care for the benefit of all Ontarians. We are an advocate and resource for family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, and other interprofessional models.

SOURCE The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

Media contact: Beth MacKinnon, Senior Associate, Policy and Advocacy, [email protected], 647-234-8605 x1201