The West Parry Sound Ontario Health Team works with partners across the region to improve access to care, strengthen services, and better support the health and well-being of our community.
Our work focuses on improving access to care, strengthening coordination between providers, supporting patients and care teams, and advancing more equitable and connected services across West Parry Sound. Below are some of the initiatives we are currently working on or have recently completed.
Improving Access to Care
CareBridge Clinic
CareBridge was a temporary primary care attachment clinic created to support people in West Parry Sound who did not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner. The clinic provided access to care, including routine health services, screening, and support to help patients connect to ongoing care.
Over five months, more than 200 patients received care through CareBridge, and 196 were successfully attached to a primary care provider. The clinic has now closed and is being evaluated to help inform next steps.
CareBridge Clinic
CareBridge was a temporary primary care attachment clinic created to support people in West Parry Sound who did not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner. The clinic provided access to care, including routine health services, screening, and support to help patients connect to ongoing care.
Over five months, more than 200 patients received care through CareBridge, and 196 were successfully attached to a primary care provider. The clinic has now closed and is being evaluated to help inform next steps.
Connecting People to Primary Care
The OHT worked with partners across the region to connect people on the Health Care Connect waitlist to primary care providers, supporting access to ongoing, comprehensive care.
All patients registered prior to January 2025 have now been attached to primary care, ahead of the provincial timeline. Work is continuing in partnership with Ontario Health atHome to connect more recent registrants.
Diagnostic Imaging Central Intake
The OHT is supporting the rollout of centralized intake for MRI and CT referrals across the region.
Centralized intake helps streamline referrals, improve coordination between providers, and support more timely and consistent access to diagnostic imaging services.
Strengthening Care and Supporting Providers
BestCare (Chronic Disease Support)
BestCare supports people living with chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, and asthma through coordinated, team-based care.
Between April and December 2025, the program supported 221 patients through 318 visits, helping patients better manage their conditions and stay well in the community.
COPD Integrated Care Pathway
The OHT is working with partners to develop an integrated care pathway for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This work is focused on improving how COPD is identified, managed, and treated across the system, supporting more consistent and coordinated care.
AI Scribe
An Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribe is a tool being used in primary care visits across West Parry Sound. It works like a smart assistant, listening during appointments and creating accurate, complete medical notes in real time.
This means healthcare providers can spend more time focusing on patients instead of paperwork. Early reports show providers can see up to 20% more patients when they use AI Scribe. This helps family doctors and nurse practitioners take on more patients and see people faster, improving access to care for everyone in the community. Accurate notes also make it easier for providers to track patient health over time and coordinate care.
The West Parry Sound Ontario Health Team coordinated the rollout of AI Scribe across primary care settings and continues to support its ongoing use. This includes funding licenses, expanding access to additional sites, and supporting training and evaluation to ensure the tool is used effectively.