Ontario Health Team FAQ
What is an Ontario Health Team?
An Ontario Health Team is a group of healthcare providers and organizations that are responsible, both clinically and fiscally, for delivering a fully coordinated continuum of care to a defined geographic population.
Each Ontario Health Team is responsible for setting their own governance structure and at “maturity” will work under a single accountability framework and distribute funding to partners for services from a single envelope received from the Ministry of Health.
Who is Able to Become a Member of an Ontario Health Team?
Health care providers and organizations from numerous sectors are eligible to join an Ontario Health Team. These include but are not limited to those that provide:
- Primary care (family physicians and nurse practitioners, as well as other interprofessional primary care models)
- Acute care (care provided by hospitals)
- Home care
- Community support services
- Mental health and addictions services
- Rehabilitation and complex care
- Palliative care (e.g., hospice)
- Long-term care home placement
- Emergency health services
When will Ontario Health Teams be Announced?
The Ministry of Health has indicated the first wave of Ontario Health Team candidates will be announced in the fall of 2019.
What will Change with Ontario Health Teams from the Perspective of a Patient?
Ontario Health Teams are being designed to create improvements in integrated care throughout the health care system, fundamentally changing how patients and their families and caregivers experience care. Patients will have easier access and improved navigation support as they transition from one health care provider or setting to another.
It is important to note that Ontarians will continue to access care from their current and existing care providers, and continue to choose who provides their care and where it is received. Patients who are supported by providers or organizations that become part of an Ontario Health Team would not need to sign up or complete any additional administrative processes. The members of the Ontario Health Team have the flexibility to redesign how care is delivered to meet the needs of their patients in the most effective way.
Ontario Health Teams are also required to have a confirmed commitment in place to provide 24/7 care coordination and system navigation services for targeted patients.
How will Digital Health and Virtual Care Play a Role in an Ontario Health Team?
At maturity it is expected of Ontario Health Teams to be able to provide patients with digital choices, including virtual care options such as virtual and telephone visits and timely digital access to electronic patient health records. The goal and vision for an Ontario Health Team is to have all members of a patient’s circle of care able to access and share information in an efficient and secure manner across the provider network.
Want to learn more about Ontario Health Teams? Click here
