News

November 19, 2021 The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) welcomes Health Canada’s approval today of the first COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old. As our patients’ m...

October 19, 2021 The Honourable Doug Ford Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 Dear Premier, On behalf of the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OC...

On the inaugural National Truth and Reconciliation Day being recognized today across Canada, the Primary Care Collaborative values the opportunity and responsibility to acknowledge some of the action...

September 29, 2021 (TORONTO) – As children across the province are returning to school, the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) is reinforcing the need to increase vaccine confidence am...

The OCFP was pleased to provide feedback to the Ministry of Health on Proposed Regulations for Home and Community Care. We are pleased to see the list of services has been expanded to include those ...

It is a difficult time in our country. In 2020, a pandemic resulting from a virus changed so many aspects of our personal and professional lives. And yet a more insidious social and public health thr...

TORONTO – June 2, 2021 -- The Primary Care Collaborative (“PCC”) congratulates Dr. Kieran Moore on his official appointment as Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, effec...

The OCFP shared comments and recommendations on CPSO’s proposed policy “Planning for and Providing Quality End-of-Life Care”.

The OCFP shared feedback on the CPSO’s proposed policy for medical assistance in dying.

The Primary Care Collaborative welcomes the Ontario Government’s announcement of new provincial measures to stop the alarming spread of COVID-19. While the vaccine rollout continues across the ...

TORONTO – April 6, 2021 – Amid an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the Primary Care Collaborative shares concerns expressed by the Ontario Hospital Association, Ontar...

TORONTO, March 29, 2021 - During COVID-19, we see again and again across Ontario that communities – from people living in large urban centres to smaller cities to towns and rural areas – ...

March 23, 2021 (TORONTO) – The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) is calling for the increased involvement of Ontario’s family doctors in vaccination efforts. The call comes afte...

An open letter was released today regarding PPE in Primary Care during COVID-19 from the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) and ...

The groups on a path towards becoming an Ontario Health Team (OHT) have now been announced. The Ministry of Health has identified 31 teams invited to 'full submission', with another 41 'in developmen...

On Feb. 26, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Christine Elliott announced upcoming changes to our healthcare system. How family doctors will fit in to these reforms is not yet clear. What is clea...

With the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada exploring the possibility of national licensure, the OCFP has reached out to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) -...

Includes new working groups to address pressing issues Following the conclusion of the first phase of the arbitration process between the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and the Ministry of Health ...

Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, section 203(1), and Ontario Regulation 340/94 Starting July 1, 2018, physicians have been required to report every person 16 years and older who, in the physician's opi...

Members have asked the OCFP to increase our advocacy efforts to further champion the role of family physicians in healthcare and lead much-needed health system changes - and for good reason. It is we...

Tax changes for physicians with incorporated practices On November 15, 2018, the government presented its 2018 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review (fall economic statement). Of note, Ontario h...

Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 On October 23, 2018, the Ontario government introduced Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act, which is now law as of November 21, 2018. Wha...

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) has concluded consultations on its draft umbrella Continuity of Care Policy, comprised of policies regarding availability and coverage, managi...

Effective Nov. 1, 2018, the Government of Canada will implement new reporting requirements for physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists around medical assistance in dying (MAID) requests. Unde...

Family medicine is the bedrock of great health systems. And family physicians are the trusted entry point for patients to get the care they need. Without family doctors, the system will not function....

Following the rollout of OHIP+ on January 1, a drug coverage transition strategy was implemented, where insurers have assisted with coverage for some drugs that may otherwise be considered under the ...

No July 1 implementation required by family physicians Implementation of proposed changes to the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) and regulations are on hold. The changes would have required ...

After working closely with the CFPC, and hearing from many family physicians, the CPSO is amending its document: Expectations of Physicians Not Certified in Emergency Medicine Intending to Include Em...

Family physicians play a critical role in protecting individual health and the health of their communities. Together you and your staff and teams work hard to help patients, especially children, to a...

In April 2018, the OCFP and CFPC published a Letter to Members about the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) document: Expectations of Physicians Not Certified in Emergency Medicine ...

On June 7, 2018, Ontarians head to the polls to elect the next provincial government. The OCFP - in partnership with the College of Family Physicians of Canada - asked Ontario's three political parti...

OCFP/CFPC Letter to Members: CPSO's Guidance for Emergency Medicine in Rural Practice - April 24, 2018 Members have expressed concerns about the recently released College of Physicians and Surgeons o...

Under OHIP+ Children and Youth Pharmacare, OHIP-insured children and youth aged 24 years and under in Ontario will be able to get their prescription medications at no cost when they visit an Ontario ...

The OCFP's 2017 Members' Forum focused on supports for family physicians in Managing Pain and Addressing Opioids. Taking place in Toronto on Nov. 24, the event featured a panel of leading experts fro...

Effective January 1, 2018, children and youth in Ontario will be able to get their prescription medications for free. Coverage will be automatic, with no upfront costs. Here are answers to some commo...

On July 21, 2017, the OCFP presented to the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) Negotiations Committee - at the invitation of the Committee - to help inform Physician Services Agreement discussions wit...

The OCFP is disheartened that the framework for Patients First implementation is now law through the passage of Bill 41, Patients First Act, 2016 when there is a deep and growing impasse between the ...

Please note, the following does not represent a legal opinion about Bill 41, but is an initial internal analysis of the reintroduced bill. The Patients First Act, 2016, Bill 41 (formerly Bill 210),...

"As health advocates, family physicians responsibly use their expertise and influence to advance the health and well-being of individual patients, communities, and populations." - CanMEDS FM Family p...

Ontario Government Throne Speech Commits to Re-Introducing Legislation for Primary Care Transformation Premier Kathleen Wynne delivered a Speech from the Throne on Monday, September 12 entitled "A Ba...

We, as individuals on the Board of Directors of the Ontario College of Family Physicians, reflect practising family physicians from across the province in various practice models, ages and stages of ...

The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) have reached a tentative four-year Physician Services Agreement (PSA). The Ontario College of Family Physician...

Physicians and nurse practitioners are legally permitted to assist in the death of a competent and consenting adult with a grievous and irremediable medical condition who is suffering intolerably and...

Re: Bill 210, Patients First Act, 2016 Dear Minister Hoskins, Over the past year, you have asserted on numerous occasions the importance of strong primary care as the foundation of the health system ...

On June 6, 2016, the Carter v. Canada (Attorney General) decision comes into full effect, which means physicians are legally permitted to assist in the death of a competent and consenting adult with ...

Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care launched the next phase of Patients First, with a proposal to strengthen health care in the province. The paper, Patients First: A Pr...

Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care released Patients First: A Proposal to Strengthen Patient-Centred Health Care in Ontario describing the need to improve several aspec...

In 2011, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) presented the Patient's Medical Home (PMH) as a vision for primary care in Canada. The goal of the PMH is for every family practice in every...

On Friday, Nov. 13, the Ontario College of Family Physicians welcomed Deputy Minister Dr. Bob Bell, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), to an Ontario Members' Forum. This year's Forum, he...

The New Graduate Entry Program was launched by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) on October 23 through an INFOBulletin, and is receiving swift and vocal feedback from family physicia...

Family physicians are angry, confused and discouraged. Sadly, many of our colleagues are stepping away from their leadership roles and others are disengaging. This does not bode well for any primary ...

Building on five position papers developed by the Primary Health Care Planning Group, the Expert Advisory Committee on Strengthening Primary Health Care in Ontario provided the Ministry of Health and...