Primary Care

Primary care is the foundation of Ontario’s publicly funded health care system and is often the first point of contact for people seeking health care in the province. Health care systems built on robust primary care result in better health outcomes, lower health care costs and more equity.

Primary care:

• supports people at every stage of life
• provides comprehensive care that promotes health and well-being
• prevents, identifies and treats illnesses
• connects patients to specialists and other resources when needed

Ontario’s Plan to Connect Everyone to Primary Care

Ontario Health works with the Ministry of Health to implement the Government of Ontario’s Primary Care Action Plan, which aims to connect every person in Ontario to primary care.

This work contributes to achieving the objectives set out in the Primary Care Act, 2025.

Ontario Health's role in primary care

• Managing and overseeing contracts and accountabilities for three interprofessional primary care team models: Community Health Centres, Family Health Teams and Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics
• Advancing access and attachment to interprofessional team-based primary care by planning and implementing programs, services and health human resources initiatives at local and regional levels 
• Strengthening oversight and performance support of interprofessional primary care teams
• Developing and implementing evidence-based frameworks for primary care planning and performance measurement
• Supporting Ontario Health Teams to advance Primary Care Networks that connect, integrate and support primary care clinicians to improve patient care, with a focus on increasing attachment to primary care
• Implementing digital and virtual care innovations that support a more efficient and connected experience for patients and the primary care sector

Ministry of Health's role in primary care

• Setting strategy, priorities and direction for primary care resources and set policy objectives for the health care system
• Providing leadership and governance over primary care programs
• Partnering with key stakeholders to improve care, service integration and enhance accountability and performance management of the primary care sector
• Negotiating physician accountability and compensation
• Offering oversight of Indigenous primary health care models 

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