Patient-Centered Medical Homes in Ontario

As the United States debates health care reform, the concept of "patient-centered medical homes" is receiving increasing attention.1 Many experts believe that medical homes with multidisciplinary teams and financial incentives for providing comprehensive care will lead to improvements in health, increase efficiency, and reduce costs of care while making practice more attractive for primary care physicians. Lessons regarding the implementation of medical homes and their ability to accomplish these goals can be gleaned from Ontario's experience with Family Health Teams (FHTs).Back in 1969, Canada adopted a universal health insurance program. The federal government provided partial funding, and each province . . .