Local Family Physician joins LHIN Team

Primary Care Lead collaborates to improve access to health care for South West LHIN residents

LONDON, ON, Feb. 3, 2012 /CNW/ -

NEWS

The South West LHIN today took another major step in strengthening and further integrating primary care into local health planning by naming Dr. Rob Annis as the Primary Care Lead for the South West LHIN.

Dr. Annis, family physician with the North Perth Family Health Team in Listowel, will work with the South West LHIN to ensure that primary care services are better integrated with the work of other health sectors. By working together, the LHIN and local health service providers continue to implement strategies to improve access to quality care for local residents.

Across the province, LHINs have been building great partnerships with local primary care providers. The introduction of a Primary Care Lead in each of the province's 14 LHINs is endorsed by both the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ontario Medical Association and is in line with the government's Action Plan commitment to bring planning for the full patient journey under the LHINs. Through this collaborative work, local primary care providers can strengthen these partnerships and focus on implementing system initiatives identified locally by the LHIN through extensive community consultation to address local health care challenges.

Dr. Annis was instrumental in establishing the South West Primary Care Network to ensure primary care physicians and nurse practitioners are engaged in regional health system planning and to encourage quality and access improvements in the southwest. This network includes 12 primary care providers from across the LHIN. He has worked closely with the South West LHIN over the years including co-chairing the Health System Leadership Council, and sitting on the Chronic Disease and Strategic Advisory Committees. His own practice was part of the South West LHIN's Partnership for Health initiative, and he has advocated for Open Access Scheduling on behalf of the LHIN for a number of years. He was also Chief of Staff of the Listowel Memorial Hospital from 2005-2010, and was the lead physician for the North Perth Family Health Team. 

QUOTES

"Having Primary Care Leads in each LHIN shows the government's commitment to improving access to health care. This is good news for Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care.  Patients - especially seniors - will benefit from the earlier intervention and case management that our primary care physicians and their teams provide."

- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

"Ontario's doctors know that progress has been made in improving and strengthening the health care system but believe there is more work to be done.  By appointing Primary Care Leads in each of the LHINs, and building on existing partnerships and successes, local family physicians can work more closely with other health care providers to improve access and find innovative ways to save the system money that can be re-invested into patient care."

- Dr. Stewart Kennedy, President, Ontario Medical Association

I have been consistently and repeatedly impressed by the sincere desire of many of the talented physicians and nurse practitioners in our LHIN to want to be a part of regional health system planning. They are a great resource, and have been underutilized with the absence of a mechanism to give them a voice at the table. It is my hope that the Primary Care Lead role, and the South West Primary Care Network, will help bring that voice to the table, and I sincerely believe that will be a great thing for the patients we are all here to serve. 

- Dr. Rob Annis, South West LHIN Primary Care Lead

"Dr. Annis has provided strong leadership in many different capacities across the South West LHIN over the last several years, and we are pleased that he will now continue that leadership in the new Primary Care Lead role. Dr. Annis will be instrumental in connecting with the primary care providers in the LHIN to ensure these providers are well integrated with the other components of the health care system including hospitals, home care, long-term care homes, and mental health and addictions."

- Michael Barrett, CEO, South West LHIN

QUICK FACTS

Below are some highlights from Dr. Annis' career which will serve him well in his new role as Primary Care Lead for the South West LHIN

• Family physician since 1990
• Co-Chair, South West Primary Care Network
• Primary care lead for the South West Regional Cancer Program
• Co-Chair, South West LHIN Health System Leadership Council
• Member of various LHIN advisory committees
• Chair, North Perth Family Health Team
• Chief of Staff, Listowel Memorial Hospital
• Lead Physician, North Perth Family Health Team

For further information:

Annabelle Mackey
519 672-0445, ext. 2573
an[email protected]

Toll-free: 1 866 294-5446
www.southwestlhin.on.ca