Ontario enters a new era of family medicine with FHO+

TORONTO — Ontario’s doctors today welcomed the introduction of FHO+, a modernized family care model that will make Ontario one of the most attractive places in the country for family medicine.

Effective April 1, FHO+ builds on existing Family Health Organizations by improving how physicians are compensated for the full scope of care they provide, including clinical administrative work and indirect care such as reviewing lab results.

“When people are connected with a family doctor, they live longer, healthier lives,” said OMA CEO Kimberly Moran. “This new model will help Ontario reach its goal of attaching every patient in Ontario with a family doctor by making the province an attractive place to start a practice.”

This new model is designed to better reflect how family medicine is practised, recognizing the full scope of care that physicians provide beyond face-to-face visits.

“Today marks a positive turning point for patients and physicians across Ontario,” said OMA President Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman. “FHO+ supports the comprehensive, cradle-to-grave care that patients value and depend on, while giving physicians a best-in-Canada payment model that will attract and retain a new generation of family doctors.”

New key investments in Ontario’s health-care system

FHO+ is part of the 2024-2028 Physician Services Agreement, a landmark deal for doctors that will help attract and retain physicians in Ontario.

The new PSA includes many other important targeted investments for patients in Ontario, including:

• Funding to increase compensation for Emergency Department physicians across Ontario. This stable and permanent funding aims to increase fairness between hospitals of varying sizes
• Incentives to support in-hospital anesthesia services
• Surgical unbundling to allow pre- and post-operative care to be billed separately from the procedure itself, which will better reflect the complexity of in-hospital patient management and modern surgical care practices
• New time-based consultation extension fee codes for medical specialists to recognize patient complexity
• Significant increase to the premium paid to family doctors in the Family Health Group model
• Broad improvements for physicians in Alternative Payment Plans, including for Hospitalists, SickKids and CHEO
• Additional funding to modernize the Schedule of Benefits

These investments will improve gender equity, support new technologies and innovations, recognize increasing care complexity, and reflect modern medical practice.

“I want to thank Premier Ford and Minister Sylvia Jones, and the dedicated team at the OMA, for their extraordinary accomplishments in reaching this deal,” said OMA CEO Kimberly Moran. “This historic deal reflects years of focused advocacy on behalf of Ontario’s doctors, and it’s a great day for Ontario’s health-care system.” 

About the OMA

The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario’s 50,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.

For more information, please contact: 

OMA Media Relations
media@oma.org