The Opportunity

To ensure you have a primary care provider such as a family doctor or nurse practitioner and that your primary care provider is well connected with other health service providers. 

A strong relationship between you and your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other primary care provider is the foundation of an effective healthcare system – one that achieves better health, better care and better value for you.

Evidence shows that comprehensive, accessible care with a focus on chronic disease prevention and management reduces avoidable Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations, improving your overall health.

The Vision

• We will be a healthier community.
• If you want a primary care provider, you will have one.
• You will only need to go to the Emergency Department for emergency care and not for care that should be provided elsewhere.
• If you have complex health needs you will have the information, support, and care that you need to be as healthy and independent as possible.
• Doctors and nurse practitioners will have access, as appropriate, to all the information about their patients’ healthcare.

By 2016 We Will See

• More Waterloo Wellington residents report their health is very good or excellent.
• More Waterloo Wellington residents report their mental health is very good or excellent.
• More residents have a primary care provider.
• Fewer Emergency Department visits for non-urgent cases that could have been seen in a primary care setting.
• Improved health in the population of Waterloo Wellington.

How We Will Get There

Establish family healthcare as the hub of the healthcare system to improve your access to services and positive health outcomes.

Improve timely access to primary care through:

• Connecting more people with a primary care provider.
• Working with primary care providers to help improve appropriate, timely access to care.

Develop and implement a model for community based chronic disease prevention and management including:

• Building on the success of our approach to regional diabetes services and applying that model for other chronic
  diseases.
• Providing coordinated support for frail seniors with complex
  conditions.
• Improving timely information sharing between primary care
  and all other providers.

Links and Information

• Health Care Connect

• Health Links in Waterloo Wellington