This is the culmination of more than six years of collaboration between physicians, the Ministry of Health and other partners to develop a unique and effective inter-disciplinary and inter-professional model of care for patients. What began in 2007 as three family health teams and three cardiologists caring for 5,600 individuals has now grown to a team of 20 physicians and a larger staff of allied health professionals caring for more than 18,000 people.

“We believe that with this model of care our patients will enjoy improved access to care with better health outcomes,” says Dr. Petroff, on behalf of the West Durham Family Health Team. “Each member of our team brings a wealth of knowledge and most importantly shares a vision of improving patient care through collaboration.”

“The benefits of collaboration are already tangible, adds Dr. Ricci, on behalf of CorCare. “We have begun planning for joint education, interdisciplinary support and patient care initiatives. Our concept of subspecialty medical support has grown to include not just cardiovascular, but diabetic and neurologic specialty support.”

The West Durham Family Health Team - The West Durham Family Health Team (WDFHT) was established in 2007 as part of the third wave of Family Health Teams announced by the Ontario Ministry of Health.  The Team was incorporated as a non-profit organization in June 2007.  Since that time, we have worked towards building a collaborative, multidisciplinary team to meet patient’s health care needs in the West Durham region.  Our team, which became operational in April 2008, is dedicated to the delivery of care that is in the best interests of patients.

Since the inception of the West Durham Family Health Team, we have grown from one site with an initial group of three physicians, to 11 physicians in two sites. We are using state of the art information technology in order to give all our healthcare providers access to patient health information and test results. This capability helps facilitate our collaborative team approach to providing patient care and enables timely communication between our sites.  The Electronic Medical Record provides a vital tool in disease prevention and chronic disease management initiatives.

Our team now comprises Registered Nurses, a Registered Practical Nurse, Nurse Practitioners, a Registered Dietitian, and a Social Worker.

In addition to providing patient care, some members of the team are also regularly involved with training Family Practice Medical Residents, Medical students, student Nurse Practitioners, and Dietitian Intern Students within our clinic locations. See: http://www.westdurhamfht.com

CorCare

As trusted healthcare partners, the doctor’s and staff at CorCare are committed to the prevention, identification and management of heart disease. CorCare is a trusted healthcare partner, providing advanced cardiac and nuclear medicine testing. We work closely with general practitioners and healthcare facilities to provide seamless, responsive and effective care for our patients.

From your doctor’s office to our clinic to the Rouge Valley Health System, CorCare delivers high quality, compassionate care. We pride ourselves on being an integrated and dedicated community partnership http://www.corcare.net

Contact

Dr. Howard Petroff | The West Durham Family Health Team | Email:  h-petroff@rogers.com | Phone:  905-420-9999 or Dr. Joseph Ricci | CorCare Cardiac and Medical Specialist | Email: jricci@corcare.net | Phone:  416-587-3233