These Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually.
VISION
A network of professionals providing primary care in St. Thomas and Elgin County, leading toward optimal health of our communities and our colleagues, with a strong collective voice.
MISSION
>> Connect and support each other to make practice easier and more efficient
>> Link primary care with other health, social and community sectors
>> Advocate for patients, working toward integrated care for our community
>> Strive for equity across geography, practice models, social determinants of health and our diverse patient and provider populations.
FUNCTIONS
The Elgin Primary Care Alliance will:
>> Advance a culture where primary care functions as a cohesive sector, fostering an environment of shared responsibility.
>> Empower and encourage any member of the primary care sector to identify and raise issues, challenges and opportunities from within the sector to any member of the Primary Care Alliance including the co-chairs.
>> Identify/confirm and address gaps in care, process and/or resources, working to reduce duplication and increase integration of services.
>> Be accountable to ensure that issues, challenges and opportunities are discussed, and a best course of action is identified (even if the best course of action is no action).
>> Consider different models of practice and how all primary care providers may be impacted by decisions at the alliance or system level.
>> Act as one of the communication/feedback conduits for issues requiring primary care input from other health or social/community service sectors and back to those partners from primary care.
>> Collectively participate in decision making at the health system level.
>> Support and serve as a resource to local primary care providers in their day-to-day practice.
>> Influence, inform and guide evidence-based practice change.
>> Leadership of formal Primary Care Organizations (Family Health Team [FHT], Family Health Organization [FHO], Community Health Centre [CHC], Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic [NPLC], Aboriginal Health Access Centre [AHAC], etc.)
>> Family Physicians providing comprehensive primary care (in any practice model)
>> Family Physicians providing focused-practice care, but in a community-based setting (i.e., palliative care, addiction care, FP-Obstetrics)
>> Community-based specialists providing primary care to a segment of the population (i.e., Pediatricians, Geriatricians)
>> Nurse Practitioners providing primary care (in any practice model)
>> Community Pharmacists
Executive Council
The Executive Council will be representative of primary care providers, comprising members from the following perspectives:
>> Geographic:
> East Elgin
> West Elgin
> St. Thomas
>> Primary Care Organization Leadership (CHC, FHT, NPLC, AHAC)
>> Physician Leaders from each practice/group including all practice models:
> FHO Physicians
> Fee-For Service (FFS) Physicians
> CHC Physicians
> FHT Physicians
>> Nurse Practitioners
>> Community Pharmacists
The Executive Council will:
>> Provide advice and strategic direction on the planning, development, and implementation of specific primary health care initiatives.
>> Provide advice and strategic direction on the alignment of primary care providers and organizations to improve system integration and enhance patient care.
>> Communicate and engage with local primary care colleagues to gather feedback through formal and informal mechanisms, such as rounds, meetings, electronic updates, practice visits etc. to advise the Alliance and to share key messages back to the primary care community.
>> Serve as a resource to the local primary care community.
CO-CHAIRS
Members will elect 2 Co-Chairs to actively coordinate the activities of the Elgin PCA and bring the primary care perspective to other sectors and health system tables. Co-Chairs will:
>> Serve a staggered 2-year term, with maximum of 3 consecutive terms.
> Lead meetings to advance agenda within the timelines for specific agenda items.
> Facilitate meetings to ensure input is solicited from members and each member has an equal voice.
> Organize the structure and function of the LMPCA, ensuring responsiveness and effectiveness.
MEETINGS
>> Primary Care Rounds will be the regular meeting of all members.
>> Executive Council and Co-Chairs will meet quarterly or as needed.
>> Meetings can be called by the Chair at any time, as needed for decision-making.
>> Meetings can be in person or virtual.
>> Decisions will generally be made by consensus (see Appendix 1). When voting is necessary, voting may be in person or virtual.
>> Working Groups may be formed as needed to achieve particular goals and objectives.
>> Quorum will be 50% + 1 of Membership (for Members’ Meetings) or of Executive Council (for Executive Council Meetings).
>> Support of meetings and the Elgin PCA activities will be from members and health system partners.