Email, Internet and Phone Systems

Chinook Primary Care Network -Lethbridge Family Medical Practice, Pincher Creek Medical Clinic, Taber Associate Medical Centre (site visit)

All are part of the Chinook Health Region and are located in the mixed rural and urban area of southwestern Alberta, adjacent to British Columbia and the northern boundary of the United States. They each serve different communities with diverse ethnic, religious and cultural profiles. The specific needs and expectations of each community directly affect health service planning and delivery. This is the link to their web site, which presents general information about the network. http://www.chr.ab.ca/Default.htm

Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Care Centre (site visit)

is a multi-functional district health centre located in the town of Port aux Basques on Newfoundland's southwest coast. It is a 44-bed, fully accredited, nondenominational district health centre that provides inpatient and outpatient acute care and community services. This is the link to their web site, which presents general information about their services. http://www.healthwest.nf.ca/ourservices-facilities-legrow-main.htm

Guide for Telephone Health Advisory Service for Family Health Teams

This is a resource for those that have been approved to form a family health team in Ontario to guide them in creating localized plans for service. The Telephone Health Advisory Service (THAS) is an after hours telephone advice and triage service for enrolled patients. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/fht/fht_guides.html

Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Breakthrough Model

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a not-for-profit organization driving the improvement of health by advancing the quality and value of health care. Founded in 1991 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI offers comprehensive products and services. It has extensive set of tools for working collaboratively through a quality improvement approach including a large amount of tools downloadable from tips on emails with patients, telephone consultations, advanced access and scheduling appointments, and more. IHI uses the advanced access model to reduce the waiting times and delays in primary health care. http://www.ihi.org/ihi

Mid-Main Community Health Centre (site visit)

is a non-profit community health centre located in central Vancouver. The medical clinic is partnered with a dentistry clinic. It started in 1988 with a group of people who wanted to make a difference. The physicians had a vision of, and believed in, community health care. The mission of the Mid-Main Community Health Centre is: "to improve the health of our clients by delivering comprehensive, accessible and high quality health services according to individual and family needs." This is the link to their web site, which presents general information about the centre. http://www.midmaincommunityhealth.net/index.htm

Nor'West Co-op Community Health Centre (site visit)

It is a non-profit accredited health agency located in north Winnipeg. Nor'West centre was established in 1972 by community members as part of a co-operative community health centre. The vision, which was inspired by Scandinavian models, was: "At Nor'West centre preventative care will be a fact, not a concept; the physician will become a member of a health care team, not the leader; the patient will become an individual, not an illness; and health care will involve the dentist, the nurse, the nutritionist, the social worker, the pharmacist, the community worker and the community working together, not in isolation from each other. This is the link to their web site, which presents general information about the centre. http://www.norwesthealth.ca/