Frequently Asked Questions - Providers

 
 

What is an Ontario Health Team (OHT)?

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care have announced a new vision for health care in Ontario. Their goal is to create a health care system that includes more integrated care, improved client/patient and service provider experience, an end to hallway medicine in hospitals and improved access to digital tools and virtual care. A key element of their strategy involves setting up Ontario Health Teams (OHTs), which the government has defined as groups of care providers and organizations that are clinically and financially accountable for delivering a full and coordinated continuum of care to a defined geographic population. Or, put another way, an OHT is a team of care providers working together to deliver integrated care to people who access services in their community. How did the West Toronto Ontario Health Team come together? Our team is still in the process. Currently the government is announcing the first 24 OHTs who have been approved to work together. In January the West Toronto Ontario Health Team will submit a progress report to the provincial government with the intention of submitting a full application in the next round, March 2020.

 

Who is included in the West Toronto OHT?

Currently, West Toronto Ontario Health Team is a group of health and social service providers who have been working in partnership for many years, and who currently deliver a comprehensive set of services. Senior leaders from our partner organizations have been working together for several months to have discussions as to how we can build an integrated care network. Eleven organizations are presented as initial self-assessment signatories. These organizations are:

  • Crosstown Family Health Team

  • Dorothy Ley Hospice

  • The Four Villages Community Health Centre

  • LAMP Community Health Centre

  • Reconnect Community Health Centre

  • Regeneration Community Services

  • Stonegate Community Health Centre

  • Storefront Humber Inc.

  • Unity Health, St. Joseph’s Health Centre site

  • Village Family Health Team

  • West Park Healthcare Centre

 

Is there any additional money for the work associated with planning an OHT?

There is not expected to be any additional money to support the development of the OHTs. We do expect that working together differently will allow us to deliver care in a more streamlined and efficient manner.

 

Is the OHT a governance and fiscal structure?

Yes. In the OHT model there is shared clinical and fiscal accountability such that collective resources (including leadership, front-line providers, funding, etc.) will be collaboratively directed to improve the health of the population of our community.

 

Will this impact our funding?

We have not yet heard specific details from the Ministry on exactly how funding will work in the future, however we do know that there will be no changes to funding agreements within primary care – existing agreements will remain in place.

 

How many OHTs will be approved?

The government has approved 24 OHTs from the first round of approximately 150 that expressed interest. Eventually, all patients and providers in Ontario will become part of an OHT and will be supported to move towards that based on their readiness (as assessed by the Ministry). The total number of teams that will be approved is not something that has been announced publicly.

 

What are the key priorities for the West Toronto OHT?

  • COPD

  • Digital Health

  • Frail Seniors

  • Mental Health and Addictions

  • Primary Care

Organizations within the West Toronto community have also committed to supporting our self-assessment and are participating as collaborative members of our team. Our vision is to become one connected system of health and social care for people living and seeking care in West Toronto, for all stages of life. We are actively recruiting more members from the West Toronto healthcare and social services community.

 

When will the Ministry decide if our submission is accepted /approved?

Our current plan is to submit our application at the next possible opportunity, March 2020. We do not know exactly when the Ministry will announce the next set of approved OHTs. We will continue to keep our stakeholders updated as new information becomes available.