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MOHLTC calls for 19 new Family Health Team applications

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Ontario funds 19 more Family Health Teams

 

OSOT advocates for inclusion of Occupational Therapists on FHTs!

On June 22, 2009 the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care issued a request for proposals for 19 new Family Health Teams in the following Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs):

·        North West,

·        North East,

·        Erie St. Clair,

·        North Simcoe Muskoka,

·        Central West,

·        Central East,

·        Champlain and South East. 

These LHINs were selected based on the percentage of residents without a family health care provider, the prevalence of chronic disease, and current access to health care services.  In addition, government is inviting applications from health care providers and/or community-based groups to establish a total of eight Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics in the same LHINs.   The call for applications closes on July 30, 2009. The new FHTs and NP clinics will be announced in the fall of 2009. 

 

Click here for more information about the call for new Teams. 

Advocating for inclusion of OTs on Family Health Teams

Family Health Teams (FHT) and Nurse Practitioner led Clinics are primary health services delivery options which are intended to provide better access to care, closer to home with physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, dietitians and other health care providers working together in teams.   From the beginning, occupational therapists were identified as health professionals that might engage in a FHT.   However, to date, no OT services have been funded through Family Health Teams even though the Ministry has received application for OT positions in these teams.  OSOT continues to ask the question why?!  In the past 6 months we have advocated assertively, promoting the diverse range of roles that OTs might play in Teams to assist physicians to more effectively and cost efficiently meet the needs of their client roster and…. to assist them to address issues that they find challenging as non core components of their roles.  We believe that we are making progress and have early commitments from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to address the policy issues that have resulted in OTs (amongst other rehab professionals) not being funded.

Members will note that the latest call for FHT applications does not specifically address opportunities for OT participation.  It is more likely that we may see the fruits of our efforts in a January 2010 planned call for further applications.  That said, OSOT encourages OTs to position their services to family doctors and emerging teams in the identified LHINs.  Interested?  Contact Christie Brenchley for more information and consultation.

Positioning OT within Family Health Teams

Positioning your occupational therapy services within a Family Health Team requires a comfort and understanding of Primary Health Care.   The following resources may be helpful;

·        See Health Canada’s resources on primary health care and its reform in Canada

·        For information about Primary Health Care and options for service delivery in Ontario see the HealthForceOntario website.

Occupational Therapists are well positioned to add value to primary care components of our health system which focus on population health, health promotion, injury prevention and managing those health issues that relate to occupational performance, community engagement and participation and are identified and addressed in the primary care system.  For example, occupational therapists may assist family physicians or nurse practitioners to address issues such as;

·        Mental health support, counselling or psychotherapy

·        Functional assessments for return to work or consultation to employees/employers regarding work readiness

·        Assessment for disability tax credit

·        Assessment for assistive devices program/coverage (particularly as this relates to the ongoing primary care needs of persons living with disability or chronic disease)

·        Support/education for caregivers

·        Home assessment for safety

·        Pain management

·        Self management monitoring and support

·        Aging driver assessments of cognitive function

·        Screening for driver safety, counselling re community mobility options

·        Assessment for long-term care placement

·        Determination of eligibility for assisted public transportation

·        Assessment for disabled persons parking permits

·        Assessment for disability insurance claims

·        Support/facilitation of community integration

·        Referrals for educational assessments/school board requirements

·        Screening of children with learning problems

·        Cognitive or perceptual assessments

·        Ergonomic assessments or consultation to employers relating to return to work

·        Prevention of falls or other safety related issues

·        Community resource linkage

·        Palliative care in the home

·        Assessment for supported living or personal care

·        Assessment for guardianship/trusteeship

·        Wheelchair/mobility consultation/assessment

·        Support to aging at home

For examples of OTs working in Primary Health Care see the Manitoba Society of Occupational Therapists’ position paper Occupational Therapists and Primary Health Care

For a resource for positioning OT to primary health care, see the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) new publication Inter-professional Primary Health Care: Assembling the Pieces, A Framework to Build your Practice in Primary Health Care, Mary Ann McColl, Jackie Dickenson, 2009.    This resource is available for purchase from CAOT at www.caot.ca.   This resource “outlines a 4 step process aimed at gathering information, making decisions, designing a collaborative practice model, and proposing it to the decision-makers in primary care.”

For information about population demographics, health status and regional health issues that can assist you to anticipate the primary care needs in your community see your Local Health Integration Network website.

Link with your family doctor or seek family physicians in your community to discuss potential for collaboration in meeting primary health care needs.  Network with local hospitals and CCAC to learn of emerging FHT proposals.

Contact the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario College of Family Physicians or the Nurse Pracitioner Association of Ontario to enquire about their knowledge of emerging primary health care proposals in your region.

Keep OSOT apprised of your interest and activities - contact Christie Brenchley.