Ontario Health Teams
Ontario Health Teams are a new integrated health care delivery system.
Ontario Health Teams (OHT) are a new integrated health care delivery system. At maturity, OHTs will be responsible for planning, prioritizing, and funding healthcare initiatives at a local level. Physician participation in supporting the OHTs is critical but voluntary. Working together can strengthen relationships among physicians and providers in the community and have the potential to significantly ease the administrative burden on physicians. OHTs are working towards the seamless coordination of care, improved work experience, stronger relationships, and improved communication, as well as a unified physician voice, learning opportunities, and improved access to patient’s electronic health records.
The Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) was designated in December 2019 and supports the communities of Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville. CCHOHT partners are Halton Healthcare, Acclaim Health, Halton Region, Home and Community Care Support Services (formerly the LHIN), the Chair of the CCHOHT Patient, Family, and Caregiver Advisory Committee, one specialist representative, and one primary care representative from each community, for a total of 9 members.
Our CCHOHT Representatives
CCHOHT is currently Co-Chaired by Dr. Kris Martiniuk, an Oakville primary care physician, and Denise Hardenne, CEO and President of Halton Healthcare.
Dr. Kristianna Martiniuk
Chair
Dr. Kiran Cherla
Dr. Briana Howarth
Dr. Jessica Osumek
Connected Care Halton OHT
The physician representatives (Kris, Duncan, Carolyn, and Kiran) who sit on the CCHOHT Collaborative Committee bring forward initiatives, give updates, and share discussion items regarding Halton physicians’ concerns. This is a standing item on the Collaborative Committee agenda. Physician representatives are integral to the collaborative decision-making process at the CCHOHT. Currently, the OHT is focused on strategic planning, virtual care proposals for physicians and patients, mental health care, palliative care, and home and community care priorities.
The HPA is emerging as a new and critical partner in CCHOHT work. The newly formed CCHOHT administrative team is supporting organizational and communications priorities of the HPA for this current fiscal year. Regular communications between OHT and HPA executive team ensure the work undertaken by the CCHOHT is informed by our physician community.
What is the HPA's relationship with the CCHOHT?
97% of Halton physicians who responded to this question supported an informal collaborative relationship between the HPA and the CCHOHT.
Therefore, the HPA has:
- our own separate rules and regulations
- our own separate agenda
- our own separate projects and initiatives
The HPA provides an organized, cogent, legitimate way of providing physician input at local, regional and provincial levels; of electing our representatives at the CCHOHT Collaborative Committee; and having accountability at all levels.
As an HPA we, the physicians who work in the CCHOHT area (Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills) can speak with a unified voice. Together we can impact the prioritization of healthcare resources and programs to suit our needs and those of our patients and communities.
NOTE: The HPA is not the CCHOHT physicians’ advisory group. Nor is the HPA agnostic of the CCHOHT. We speak on behalf of, and advocate for, you—the physicians who work in Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills—and your patients.