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Ontario Government approves new Family Health Team for Renfrew and area

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Funding from the Ontario Government to establish a new Family Health Team (FHT) for Renfrew and area residents has been approved.

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Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski made the announcement in a press release dated April 29.

“This is tremendous news for residents of Renfrew and the surrounding area, particularly to those who currently do not have a primary care physician,” Yakabuski said in the release. “Giving more patients access to a family doctor, will go a long way in easing strain and overcrowding in our emergency departments, and to those who staff them. I am most grateful to all those involved with the Ancient Rivers Family Health Team, and for their leadership in this initiative. I am also grateful to our government for providing the necessary funding.”

An Expression of Interest (EOI) in a FHT had been drafted by the 17 family doctors of the Ancient Rivers Family Health Organization (FHO) who have offices in Renfrew and Calabogie.

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According to Renfrew Medical Associates in 2021, Ancient Rivers Family Health Organization is a group of family physicians who work collaboratively to give their patients best access to personalized care and quality services, with a focus on illness prevention.

As stated in the application sent to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in June 2023, the objective of the FHT is to offer primary care services to vulnerable and marginalized individuals as well as those lacking a family physician.

Renfrew, Calabogie, and neighboring regions are the sole areas in Renfrew County lacking an interprofessional care team catering to their locality. Therefore, this announcement signifies a move towards bridging this gap and enhancing fairness.

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The new Family Health Team will serve residents of the town of Renfrew and the surrounding catchment area, attach many orphan patients and aim to provide care services to approximately 6,600 Renfrew and area patients.

“This funding will substantially improve patient access to allied health professionals, which will help the family doctors in Renfrew, Calabogie and area deliver better care. Family doctors are the foundation of our health care system and investing in them is essential. We are excited to be bringing more resources to our community for both attached and unattached patients,” said Dr. Candice Cybulskie, lead applicant for the FHT.

Establishing an FHT not only aims to connect more residents with primary care but also aims to alleviating emergency room overcrowding caused by non-emergency visits. It is envisioned as an attractive model for physicians, potentially drawing much-needed doctors to this region to establish their practices.

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According to the announcement press release, the FHT plans to expand its team beyond the 17 doctors from the Ancient Rivers FHO. This expansion will create an interprofessional primary care team, enhancing convenience for patients and offering additional supports currently lacking in the community.

The expanded team may include healthcare professionals like nurse practitioners, nurses, and counselors for mental health services. Additionally, dietitians and physiotherapists could be part of the team, providing comprehensive care for both short-term and long-term health needs.

Through this interdisciplinary care model, the FHT could address conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, smoking cessation, diabetes, obesity, falls prevention and mobility, nutritional counselling and care coordination.

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Rather than creating a new governance structure, the FHT will use the structure and experience of the existing Board of Directors of Renfrew Victoria Hospital (RVH), and the main site of the FHT will be located on the RVH campus.

The Expression of Interest for a Family Health Team was endorsed by many partners and individuals who make up a network of support across the region, as well as local municipalities.

“I would like to express our gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and all those who supported our proposal. This project will build upon our strong relationship with our local physicians to address a critical need in our area, providing access to primary care so more patients receive the right care at the right time in the right place,” said Julia Boudreau, RVH president and CEO.

The announcement is part of the Ontario Government’s $110 million investment to connect up to 328,000 people to primary care teams.

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