The City of Lakes Family Health Team has received $68,721 in funding from Ontario Health’s COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Recovery program for Virtual Primary Care.

The funding will be used to optimize access to virtual care for patients at all City of Lakes Family Health Team’s clinics in Sudbury, Chelmsford, Walden and Val Caron. Virtual care is the use of video, phone and messaging to give patients access to their provider without having to physically go to the clinic. It improves both the patient and caregiver experience by facilitating more convenient, timely, and equitable access to care. The provider and patient determine if an appointment is virtual or in-person.

Since the onset of the pandemic virtual care has enabled patients to see their provider even when public health restrictions limited the number of patients that could congregate at a primary care clinic. It also gave both providers and patients an opportunity to experience virtual care and, as a result, has accelerated the adoption of virtual care technologies for delivering primary care. Going forward, virtual care will be available for providers and patients who choose to use the technology while still providing the full range of in-person services and appointments. “Our patients love the option of being able to connect with their provider by phone or video” said Executive Director, Dave Courtemanche, “Especially this time of year when it can be very difficult for some people to leave their homes and drive through hazardous winter road conditions.”

The funds will help the City of Lakes Family Health Team to implement, expand, and sustain a hybrid solution of virtual care including virtual video appointments, phone appointments and home visits. It will also enable patients to book an appointment online at www.YourFHT.com  And it will let them connect with their provider by sending safe and secure messages directly from our website homepage.