Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team seeks community members for advisory committee

The Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team (MAOHT) is actively seeking community members to participate on the new Patient Family Caregiver Partners Advisory Committee (PFCPAC).

Ontario is committed to a sustainable health care system centered around the needs of patients/clients, families and caregivers. The province has introduced Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) as a new model of care that brings together health care providers to work as one team.

In December 2019, the Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team was announced as one of the first teams in the province to implement a new model of delivering health care that better connects patients/clients and providers in their communities to improve patient/client outcomes. The cornerstone to this model is the involvement of patients/clients, families, and caregivers.

Engaging people regarding the health system needs and the development of a new model of integration and potential OHT priorities is critical to the success of our plan to improve health system integration. Your involvement will serve as a forum for dialogue among community members and health care partners, as you advise the MAOHT on issues and perspectives.

Members will be selected from identified priority populations that aligns to priorities of the MAOHT during that year and from the MAOHT partners and healthcare agencies, which may include: the mental health and addictions community, Indigenous Nations, the Francophone community, survivors of gender based violence, LGBTQ2+ community, the dementia community, children and youth, and representation from our geographical region. Membership will evolve over time to reflect changes in MAOHT priorities and as we learn and grow.

We welcome applications from all patients/clients and family members/caregivers with diverse lived experience, visible minorities, persons with disabilities and encourage members from these groups to self-identify.

We encourage patients/clients, family members and caregivers who live within or are seasonal residents in the Muskoka, East Parry Sound and Almaguin Area to complete and submit the corresponding Expression of Interest for consideration of participation on the Advisory Committee.

Patient Family Caregiver Partner Advisory Committee membership is extended to all community residents, both full-time and seasonal. However, anyone who currently is a Board Member for a partnering provider or another health care agency applying for approval to become an OHT will not be considered due to potential conflict(s) of interest.

Through active engagement, the PFCPAC will collaboratively represent the lived experience and be the voice of patients/clients, families and caregivers in the co-design, development, implementation and evaluation of the Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team programs and services.

“We recognize how important Patient/Client and Family Advisory Committee-like structures are to bringing the patient/client, family and caregiver perspective into health care planning,” says Dr. David Mathies, Chair of the Muskoka and Area OHT Steering Committee. “We’ve been pleased with the response from our communities, and thank those who have shown interest in being part of our application for local health care integration and transformation.”

Interested in participating? Visit engagemuskoka.ca/MAOHT and complete the Expression of Interest Application and submit it by Friday, February 19, 2021.