Definitions

Understanding Primary Care Models: CCMs, FHNs, FHGs and FHTs and what they mean for Physicians

There are models for Primary Health Care that for the most part represent different payment methods for
the physicians with relatively little impact on patients.

Comprehensive Care Model (CCM):

The CCM model is for physicians that practice independently.
By joining this model a physician agrees to:

1. Provide a minimum of one 3 hour block of after-hours coverage per week.
   After hours is defined as coverage that takes place during statutory holidays,
   after 1700 Monday – Thursday or on the weekend.
2. Enroll patients – meaning they commit to providing patients with comprehensive care
   as appropriate in your circumstance. Comprehensive care is defined as:

• Provision of on-going care
• Creation and maintenance of appropriate medical records
• Health assessments
• Diagnosis and treatment
• Primary reproductive care
• Primary mental health care
• Primary palliative care
• Support for hospital, home and rehabilitation facilities
• Service coordination and referral
• Patient education and preventative care

Family Health Groups, Family Health Networks and
Family Health Organizations:

Family Health Groups (FHG) and Family Health Networks (FHN) and Family Health
Organizations (FHO) are teams of physicians that consist of a minimum of 3 general
practitioners working in the same office, or in close proximity, that provide:

• Comprehensive care as defined above
• After hours coverage, the amount of which is determined by the number of physicians in the group, for
  example, three physicians must offer a total of three after-hours shifts per week. After-hours is defined as coverage that takes place during statutory holidays.
• Support for the Telephone Health Advisory Service (THAS). if a physician participates in one of these groups
  and a patient has enrolled with the physician, the patient will have access to after-hours health advice. A nurse is available evenings and on weekends to answer medical questions. In the case that s/he can not adequately answer the question s/he has access either to that patient’s physician or one of the physicians on the team, who can assist the nurse in providing the appropriate advice to the patient.

Family Health Team

Family Health Teams (FHT) are interdisciplinary teams that involve physicians working with other professionals such as nurses, nurse practitioners, dieticians and mental health workers amongst others. Each team hires health professionals based on the health needs of their community. If a physician is a member of a FHT, patients receive all the benefits outlined in the section on FGHs, FHNs or FHOs and may have access to the other healthcare professionals associated with the team.

The Ontario Medical Association has a video presentation "Update on Primary Care"

Primary Care Questions may be addressed to Adam Farber, OMA legal Services Department, at 1.800.268.7215 or in Toronto 416.340.2894 or email at adam_faber@oma.org

Please visit the OMA for additional information related to the OMA-MOHLTC Agreement.