Congratulations - FLA OHT chosen for acceleration to maturity!

Special message from our Executive Lead:

Hello FLA OHT partners,

I am pleased to share some exciting news for our Ontario Health Team. The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and members from Ontario Health provided an important update on the next steps to accelerate OHT progress.

Last year, the Ministry of Health released The Path Forward a plan to make sure Ontario Health Teams are built to last and deliver connected and convenient care province wide. In a follow-up to that announcement, to ensure continued success, starting next April each Ontario Health team will receive up to $2.2 million over three years (up to $750K/year). That means we, as partners of the FLA OHT, can be confident we have some resources from the province for the next three years to support our work to provide connected care for people across Frontenac, Lennox and Addington counties. But that's not all.

Based on an evaluation of work done to date, we have been chosen along with 11 other Ontario Health Teams to advance rapidly toward maturity. This will include preparing to take on home care responsibilities through our leading project, strengthening our primary care network, and building integrated chronic disease pathways for congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to name just a few examples.  These 12 teams will also be working together on governance models, operational support models, and a maturity and performance framework based on the good work we have already begun. We along with this initial group of Ontario Health Teams will share lessons learned with all of the other OHTs to support continuous learning and readiness as we all aim towards maturity of OHT maturity as outlined in the Connecting Care Act, 2019.

During the Ministry's announcement, the importance of meaningful partnerships with patients, families and care partners in this next stage of implementation was emphasized. We at the FLA OHT take that to heart and will be accountable for embedding co-design and partnership in our work.

Key takeaways from the announcement are:

• Starting April 2024, each OHT will receive up to $2.4 million over three years ($750 K per year).
• Twelve OHTs will be supported to advance rapidly towards maturity and be considered for designation under the Connecting Care Act, 2019.
• The twelve OHTs will share lessons learned to support continuous learning and readiness for the next phase of implementation for all OHTs, and will help inform the process, guidance, and templates that other teams will follow.
• Starting in Q3 23/24, the Ministry and Ontario Health plan to release guidance, resources, and supports for OHTs on key elements of the Path Forward, including primary care networks and governance (including on the OHT not-for-profit, back office support through operational support providers).
• The Ministry is developing an 'OHT Maturity Framework' that will help OHTs in their journey from the current state to a mature state. OHTs will have the opportunity to inform the framework through various channels.

I appreciate and understand that these are major changes, and this is big news for us. I will be sharing more news in the coming weeks as it becomes available. 

We have a lot of work to do but I couldn't be more excited to be doing it with you. And I want to say personally, and on behalf of the backbone team that is supporting you, thank you for all of your hard work and dedication over the last few years. I am excited to be working with you and continuing our commitment to achieve our best health, together.

Congratulations to everyone!  

Dr. Kim Morrison MD CCFP FCFP (she/her/elle)

Executive Lead