Elgin County will receive nearly $1-million from the provincial government to expand team-based health care in the region.
Elgin County will receive nearly $1 million from the provincial government to expand team-based health care in the region.
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On Friday, officials with the Thames Valley Family Health Team, alongside Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack, announced the funding, calling its impact “transformative.”
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“This investment by the province in the Thames Valley Family Health Team, under the leadership of Premier (Doug) Ford and (Health) Minister (Sylvia) Jones, will significantly grow our primary care capacity in Elgin County,” Flack said. “This is great news for our region and will serve nearly 1,200 residents in our community.”
The approximately $961,000 investment will allow the county to expand team-based primary health care, which involves health care professionals in varying roles, such as family doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists, working collaboratively to treat patients.
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The funding will be used to hire two nurse practitioners as well as “a small team of interdisciplinary health professionals” to help residents in Elgin County who don’t have a regular primary health care provider, especially those with complex needs or who are vulnerable or marginalized, the release said.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education enabling them to prescribe medications, order and interpret tests and diagnose and treat illnesses autonomously among other responsibilities, which can alleviate the load on doctors.
The funding is good news for Elgin County as Ontario faces a physician staffing shortage.
Nearly 2.3 million people don’t have a family physician, a figure that is expected to double in two years, the Ontario Medical Association says.
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“The funding today will be well received by the constituents of Elgin County announcement,” said Cindy Bratt, executive director of the East Elgin Family Health Team. “A big thank you goes out to the Ontario government for recognizing the need in Elgin County and enabling team-based care across Elgin County.”
The expansion aims to increase team-based care to all county residents who want it, as well as elevate access to non-emergency care that would reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency department, the release said.
Deanna Huggett, executive director of the Elgin Ontario Health Team, said the expansion of team-based primary care in the region is pivotal.
“We are not just enhancing care for people, but also contributing to the overall resilience and effectiveness of our health care system,” she said.
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