10/27/2025
Prescott FHT Shines at AFHTO 2025 Conference 🌟
This year, our small but mighty team, Dr. Dinny Mathew (our Executive Director), Tim Mack (our Social Worker and Counselor), and Melanie Couperus (our nurse), proudly represented Prescott Family Health Team at the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) 2025 Conference, presenting two timely sessions.
In our first session, Dr. Dinny Mathew and Mayor Rod Ward of the Township of Armour led an inspiring discussion on governance in Family Health Teams (FHTs), highlighting the importance of including stronger community voices alongside clinical voices in primary care decision-making.
Dr. Mathew has long championed equal community representation, emphasizing the importance of both clinical and community voices in shaping healthcare. Under her leadership, PFHT has achieved 50% community representation on its Board, ensuring community members are active, empowered participants in shaping local care.
Mayor Ward has championed this approach at the municipal level, encouraging other FHTs to adopt balanced governance models with at least 50% community representation on their boards. His efforts highlight that, as some municipalities invest significant public resources, from physician recruitment to healthcare facilities, strong community representation is essential for accountability, transparency, and people-centered care.
Both leaders emphasized that effective governance requires representation, transparency, and safeguards against conflicts of interest.
As they put it:
"This initiative is not against any healthcare sector or professional, but it is for the community—the people affected by board decisions and those who fund the system."
With initiatives like the province’s Primary Care Action Team (PCAT), led by Dr. Jane Philpott, advancing connected and convenient care, strong governance with equal community representation is key to achieving this vision.
With Dr. Mathew and Mayor Ward joining forces, we can only imagine wonderful things ahead for primary care!
Stay tuned for details about our second session—coming soon!
Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Ontario Health Team
Augusta Township
Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal
Prescott, Ontario (Official)
