East End Family Health Team Embarks on Modernization Plan, Increases Access

November 5, 2021

TIMMINS, ON:  Northern College is pleased to announce the implementation of an innovative Modernization Plan at the East End Family Health Team (EEFHT) located at its Timmins Campus that will increase efficiencies, serve a greater number of patients, and create seamless processes for consistently high quality and professional care for the area’s residents.

After 17 years of operation, the organization is undergoing a review of services to provide increased access to care for existing and new patients and better align with Ministry mandates. The retirement of some members of the existing health care staff provided the opportunity to implement changes designed to provide and expand care for the Porcupine and South Porcupine communities.

As new medical professionals continue to join the team at the EEFHT, there will be no gaps in service as the team works to add new and expanded services designed to improve patient care and increase the number of those served. These process improvements will more closely align with Ministry mandates with regard to the number of patients serviced and other improvements driven by a pandemic that has seen transformation across the field of healthcare provincially and nationally. 

The EEFHT has recently partnered with Life Labs at the College’s Timmins Campus as a resource for the community twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.) that is available to anyone who requires testing, in addition to EEFHT clients. The team will also be adding emergency care openings that give patients same day care for such things as sore throats and other ailments, creating the ability for them to forgo a trip to the Emergency Department at the hospital in Timmins.

Northern College and the EEFHT are committed to ensuring residents of the East End continue to have local access to health care, understanding the importance of maintaining much-needed services in the community we call home and creating adjustments to provide for the long-term sustainability of the facility in the region.

With growing demands for care seen across a system taxed by the pressures of Covid-19, the Family Health Team seeks to double the number of patients it sees, engaging in additional staffing to accomplish this.

The EEFHT will be consulting with patients and community members for feedback and wholesome communications via Planning Days, a series of Open House style events designed to connect staff directly with patients and clients to identify gaps in care, areas requiring improvement and to provide general overview of changes being made at the clinic.

Beyond these events, the EEFHT is working to create a Patient Advisory Committee that is designed to ensure that the concerns of patients are heard regularly, allowing for the kinds of progressive and active changes that ensure the highest quality of care for those requiring it. 

Patients and community members are encouraged to participate in these events, to reach out and tell us what they think, how they feel, and to outline their ideas and concerns for the future. The health of a community is the heart of a community, and both Northern College and the East End Family Health Team are actively committed to the well-being of those we are fortunate to call neighbours.

Please feel free to reach out and connect with the East End Family Health Team at:  705-618-4175.

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Media Contact: 
Kyle Gennings (he/him)
Communications & Government Relations Officer 
Marketing, Communications, and External Relations
P. 705-235-3211 ext. 2276
F. 705-235-6888
C. 705-288-1101 

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