All governments must take a closer look at how health care teams are impacting primary care in Canada.

Progress has already been made in British Columbia, with new integrated health networks located throughout the province. This shift will eventually mean lower average costs per patients. Additionally, patients in an integrated health network can expect fewer repetitions of their medical history and tests. Furthermore, team-based diabetes management has contributed to a drop in diabetes complications and therefore fewer emergency visits and hospital stays. These are just a couple examples of team-based care, the future of primary health care delivery in Canada. With chronic conditions affecting one in three Canadians, health care teams are showing great potential for treatment and prevention. As the Canadian healthcare system deals with an aging population and chronic care, the issue of collaborative care is one that Canadians may not know about, but they should – both as taxpayers and people who use health care services.

To help Canadians learn more, on Wednesday, April 29 the Health Council of Canada released Teams in Action: Primary Health Care Teams for Canadians.

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