More Family Health Teams is good news for patients: Ontario's doctors

TORONTO, May 6 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors commended today's announcement by the provincial government that it is moving ahead with an additional 30 Family Health Teams (FHTs) in Ontario.

"More patients across the province will now have access to an enhanced, comprehensive level of care that Family Health Teams can provide," said Dr. Mark MacLeod, President of the Ontario Medical Association. "Ontario's doctors know that by working with nurses, nurse practitioners dieticians and other professionals in a collaborative team, we can increase access to timely, high quality care for Ontarians."

Family Health Teams not only provide care to more patients, but they have also played a critical role in helping patients find a doctor. Since 2004, Ontario's doctors have helped nearly 1 million patients find a doctor who previously didn't have one. Of these patients, some 400,000 have been connected since 2008. The addition of new Family Health Teams means thousands more patients across Ontario will now have access to a doctor if they don't have one already.

"While we have made tremendous progress in recent years, Ontario's doctors remain committed to working with the government to ensure that every patient in this province has access to the care of a physician," said Dr. MacLeod.

For further information: or to schedule an interview, please contact OMA Media Relations at: [phone] or 1-800-268-7215 ext. 2862