Dr. Barbara Starfield was a pioneer in identifying why primary care was so foundational to the health system – we know this as the 4Cs of primary care:

• CONTINUITY through better relationships,
• COORDINATION of better transitions,
• first point of CONTACT into the health care system, and
• COMPREHENSIVENESS by providing a wide range of services that deal with a broad range of patient problems and needs (‘womb to tomb’ care of the WHOLE person).

Clinical innovations, the latest medical advances… these won’t make a lasting difference unless we foster, maintain and deepen relationships at all levels.

This year’s AFHTO conference refocuses on the importance in investing in robust primary health care if we truly want to see a high performing health system – and that is investing in interprofessional team-based care for #EveryCommunityEveryPatient in Ontario.

The AFHTO 2018 Conference program will be built around 6 core themes:

1. Mental health and addictions
2. Healthy relationships, healthy teams
3. Expanding your reach
4. The “How to” stream
5. Why hasn’t this expanded: scalable pilot programs
6. The future of the regional approach to healthcare

Accreditation will be sought for this program. Further details will be announced closer to the conference.