How do Ontario Health Teams benefit physicians and patients?

Dr. Vineet Nair: I'm excited about where this is going to go. We're going to have access to team-based care, and we're really focusing on making sure every patient has primary care access. We're going to be able to look at 24/7 coverage for our patients that need it the most, and at warm handoffs between sectors when people are moving throughout the system. We're also working toward that dream of one electronic health record that can follow the patient around, so they don’t have to repeat their story again and again.

Dr. Catherine Yu: For primary care physicians specifically, it is an absolutely gratifying experience to see your patients actually get access to care from resources and care team members that were once far removed from you.

Dr. Kim McIntosh: Being involved in an OHT has made my life as a physician easier and, in essence, more comprehensive and has enabled my job to expand by working within a trusted team. There are other providers—both allied health and community providers—who can offer outreach and care to my patients as an extension of me. This makes my job more complete, improves the patient experience, and enables me to be more of a doctor to more people. I never feel like I lose out, especially in this team in Kuchiching, in terms of doing the things I love as a physician.

Nair: We're talking about having team-based care for all of our patients, and as a non-FIT doctor, I'm excited about the possibility of having that access for my patients.

Yu: Before OHTs came about, I would spend the bulk of my time trying to find resources for my patients in order to address their needs. Now, I have a better network of providers that I can navigate patients to for support. I’ve been able to spend more time with my patients rather than on logistics, paperwork, or the practice management side of finding resources for my patients.

Nair: I think also being involved at the OHT council level—where we have all of these partners in our system working together has been amazing. We're talking about patient care partners, community care organizations, paramedics, hospitals, primary care physicians, and nurse practitioners all at the same table, working toward improving the same system. These kinds of relationships weren’t there before; there were silos, and primary care physicians were often only consulted after the fact. Now, we're at the table from the start.

Yu: I’ve also found it a great pleasure to meet different clinicians who share similar challenges in their practice management. Through the OHT network. I’ve had the pleasure to work more closely with many family physicians in the community, and the community of practice that has formed has been impactful on my wellness and my day-to-day enjoyment of my career.

Nair: The OHT has really helped us organize as a primary care sector, and that can't be overstated. By being organized, we can speak with one unified voice and drive meaningful change.

Yu: We have around 270 physicians in the East OHT—primary care physicians whose voices need to be heard. As part of a network, and as an organized group of doctors who deliberate, prioritize issues together, and co-design solutions, our voices are heard.

McIntosh: Being involved in OHT has also provided learning opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise. It’s been really wonderful to learn from non-medical partners and feel the energy they bring to planning tables and working groups. The cultural learnings generously shared by local Indigenous communities, and the ability to co-design healthcare with patients and families, have been especially meaningful.

Nair: We’re also learning more about each sector we work with—paramedics, long-term care, and other community partners. We didn’t previously understand their structures or challenges, but now we gain insight into their day-to-day work, which gives us a more complete picture of the system.
If we can speak up as a physician group, we can influence changes that positively impact both physicians and patients, helping ensure better care overall.

Yu: Imagine not having to fax or send a referral to an external provider to get patients the care they need. I think if you can imagine that, you should really consider being part of an OHT.