Events

Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) is pleased to introduce our 2026–2027 Strategic Plan Refresh, marking an important milestone as Ontario Health Teams reach the end of their three-year confirmed base funding period.

To build our priorities, we set out to gather many voices through in-person, virtual, and survey options, leveraging our working group memberships (who sits at the planning tables) and broader member reach (partners across the community).

In the refreshed plan, these priorities are described in plain language to make them easy to understand and to support shared action across our partners.

Together, we look forward to continuing advancing connected care with you.

Key Messages for Healthcare Providers:

• Healthcare providers should continue to administer immunizations to eligible infants and children until the ministry circulates communication to mark the end of the 2025/26 program.
• The decision to administer maternal vaccination should take into consideration the timing of administration during pregnancy (i.e. between 32-36 weeks gestation) and the upcoming timing for the end of the season.

·       Guidance for the 2026/27 program will be provided leading up to the fall and will include recommendations for those infants and children who receive RSV protection late this season.

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Principaux messages aux fournisseurs de soins de santé :

·       Les fournisseurs de soins de santé devraient continuer d’administrer des vaccins aux nourrissons et aux enfants admissibles jusqu’à ce que le Ministère transmette une communication annonçant la fin du programme de 2025-2026.

·       Pour prendre la décision d’administrer un vaccin à une femme enceinte, il faut tenir compte du moment de l’administration du vaccin pendant la grossesse (entre 32 et 36 semaines) et du moment auquel la saison prendra fin.

·       Les lignes directrices concernant le programme de 2026-2027 seront fournies d’ici l’automne et comprendront des recommandations pour les nourrissons et les enfants immunisés tardivement contre le VRS au cours de cette saison.

Prepared for: Family Physicians and Primary Care Providers

As part of our commitment to building a more connected health care system, Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) and the Primary Care Network (PCN) invite you to participate in the 2026 OHT Primary Care Provider Experience Survey.

While the PCN has only recently been established, your feedback is especially valuable in helping to shape its development and guide its future direction. Some questions in the survey ask you to specifically consider the work of the PCN. As the PCN is still in its early stages of formation, please consider the activities of the CCHOHT and HPA, such as Primary Care Day and SCOPE webinars, when responding to those questions. Your input will support CCHOHT and the PCN in assessing our progress toward building a strong network that engages and supports family physicians and other primary care providers, while advancing our shared goal of a more connected and integrated health care system. As this survey is being conducted across the province, it will also allow us to compare our progress with that of our peers.

Ontario Health developed this survey in consultation with primary care clinical leads, scientific advisors, and the initial 12 OHTs/PCNs. This survey seeks to gather insights from family physicians and other primary care providers on their:

• practice settings,
• engagement with PCNs,
• experience with integrated care, and
• demographic information (e.g., background and identity)

Survey Details:

This survey will take approximately 5 to 7 minutes to complete.

All responses will remain anonymous and will be aggregated at an OHT- and provincial level to ensure no individual responses are identifiable.

Your insights will help improve primary care planning, support equity-focused initiatives, and ensure meaningful quality improvements for family physicians, other providers and patients alike.

How to participate?

Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. Your voice is essential in shaping the future of healthcare in Ontario.

For additional information, please select one of the options below to explore available resources:

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact prm@ontariohealth.ca.

If you have any questions about the new PCN in our area, please contact primarycare@cchoht.ca.

eReferral Ontario is the updated provincial platform designed to streamline and optimize the referral process. It launched with a limited rollout in August 2025, allowing select users and sites to onboard. Starting in December 2025, onboarding was open to all clinicians and providers. eReferral Ontario will work in conjunction with Central Intake to improve coordination and efficiency across the system. As per the Operational Direction: Local Delivery Group (LDG) Expansion to Support Spread and Scale of Digital Priorities, hospitals will be working with their local LDG Lead Organization and Ontario Health regional teams to onboard providers to eReferral. All other providers are requested to visit eReferral Ontario and follow the steps to get started. If you are on the referral network managed by Amplify Care, you will not experience any change.

A key feature of eReferral Ontario is Standardized Referral Forms (SRFs) – digital forms developed with clinician input to facilitate triaging and scheduling based on urgency, appropriateness and
patient/clinician preference. SRFs ensure consistency in the information collected and include the right level of clinical detail to support timely care. These forms are built directly into the platform, making them accessible to all users and supporting smooth onboarding and adoption. See Appendix for list of SRFs that are currently available. The next group of SRFs, as part of Phase 2, will become available in January.

Central Intake
Central Intake will serve as a single-entry point for referrals across primary care, and the availability of CI for all specialties is the mature future state we’re working towards, starting with MRI/CT, cataracts and orthopedics, and mental health and addictions. Referrals will be distributed efficiently and transparently, balancing patient and provider preferences. This streamlined process reduces provider burden and offers clear referral information and wait-time visibility to support better care planning.

Hubs Selection
As part of Ontario Health’s central intake expansion, the following organizations have been designated as central intake hubs for diagnostic imaging (MRI/CT) and surgery (cataract/orthopedics). These organizations will be working closely with the LDG lead organizations in their region and with Ontario Health to implement provincial strategic direction on central intake. Sectors are asked to work with their hubs and Central Intake lead organizations to implement central intake across the province.

Appendix
Currently available Standardized Referral Forms (SRFs):

1. Cardiology
2. Cataract
3. Dermatology
4. Gastroenterology
5. Hematology
6. Medical Imaging (including MRI, CT, Radiology, Ultrasound, Bone Mineral Density)
7. Nephrology
8. Neurology
9. Obstetrics and Gynecology
10. Orthopedics
11. Otolaryngology
12. Respirology
13. Rheumatology
14. Urology
15. Universal Template (provides a standardized option for referrals for any specialist)

Phase 2 SRFs (available in the forms library of eReferral Ontario in January)

1. Bariatrics
2. Endocrinology
3. Infectious Disease
4. Mental Health and Addictions
5. Plastic Surgery
6. Psychiatry

Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) is delighted to announce the formation of the inaugural Primary Care Network Leadership Council (PCLC)

The establishment of the Primary Care Network Leadership Council (PCLC) marks an important step in strengthening collaboration and strategic leadership across the Primary Care Network (PCN). As the network continues to evolve, the PCLC will serve as a key advisory and leadership body, bringing together representatives from across the primary care landscape to help guide priorities, and support initiatives that enhance care for our communities. The formation of this council reflects a shared commitment to building a coordinated, responsive, and sustainable primary care system.

The strong response to the call for Expressions of Interest to join the PCLC, both in terms of the level of interest and the quality of submissions, was extremely encouraging.

The PCLC Council Members will play a vital role in shaping the future of the Primary Care Network (PCN) during this pivotal one-year term. Representing a diverse range of sectors, experiences, and affiliations, the council members bring valuable perspectives and expertise to the table. Together, they will support the development of a strong PCN for the communities of Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville.

Congratulations to the New 2026 PCLC Council Members:

1. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Adriana Dragan
2. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Jane Charters
3. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Justin McNish
4. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Kiran Cherla
5. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Kris Martiniuk
6. Primary Care Physician/NP, Dr. Manisha Verma
7. Primary Care Physician/NP, Meghann Foley
8. Patient, Family, Caregiver Advisor, Mary Rose van Kesteren
9. Patient, Family, Caregiver Advisor, Sangeeta Chopra-Charron
10. Allied Health, Christina Pacheco
11. Social & Community Services, Christine Harrison
12. Public Health, Dr. Joanna Oda
13. Home & Community Care, Trish Maxwell

Not a member of the Primary Care Network (PCN) yet?

Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) invites expressions of interest for tri-chair positions in three new working groups:

•  Primary Care Access, Attachment and Enablement
•  Integrated Clinical Priorities
•  OHT Capacity Building

Background:

The Tri-Chair Model has been designed with the involvement of past CCHOHT Working Group membership and Co-Chairs to evolve to ensure that there is balanced leadership voice inclusive of patient, family, caregiver advisors, administrative leadership and clinical voice/expertise to effectively define and deliver focused projects to advance connecting care within our communities.

These Working Groups have been established through engagement focused virtual and in person sessions to develop the CCHOHT Operating Plan and Strategic Plan refresh and took place over the late summer/Fall of 2025. The working groups have been developed to be task focused and membership representative of those who are excited and have capacity to do task focused work. These are not Governance, advocacy or information update focused structures.

Are you interested in becoming a Tri-Chair? See below for what this involves: 

The Ask: We are seeking interest for 9 roles in total (3 per working group).
Term: March 2026 – April 2028
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per month inclusive of meeting prep, working group sessions and tasks.

Renumeration:

• Patient, Family, Caregiver Advisor Tri-Chair roles compensation as per the CCHOHT Patient, Family, Caregiver Advisor Recognition and Renumeration Policy for 2026-27
• Administrative Roles: in kind/ organizational supported
• Primary Care Network (PCN) Clinician Roles: in kind/organizational supported or CCHOHT Physician/ Nurse Practitioner Renumeration Policy Rates for 2026-27

Responsibilities of Tri-Chairs: Set the annual workplan and priority projects that result in advancement within the objectives of each working group noted below.

Decision and Accountability Structure:

Tri‑Chairs: Accountable for prioritization and timelines for defined initiatives within the scope of the working group mandates (To be set once tri-chairs selected). 

CCHOHT Staff Secretariat/Program Support: Responsible for working group meeting coordination, agenda/action notes, risk log, document management, and meeting logistics.

Working group members: Responsible for delivery of assigned work outputs (max 12 per working group).

Sponsors/Executive: Accountable for final approvals where required; consulted on significant changes, risks, resourcing.

Interested individuals are asked to complete the EOI form by March 9, at 5pm and send to info@cchoht.ca.

The following notification pathway is to be used when a potential special pathogen case is identified in a human.

A special pathogen (SP) is a term applied to encompass Risk Group 4 pathogens and unknown emerging pathogens that are highly infectious, involve human-to-human transmission, likely cause severe disease and high mortality, and when effective prevention and treatment measures may not be available.

Footnotes and Additional Resources

1. Public Health Ontario Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) Symptom and Exposure Risk Assessment Tool: Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) Symptom and Exposure Risk Assessment
2. Public Health Ontario IPAC Resources for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers:
   https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/Diseases-and-Conditions/Infectious-Diseases/Vector-Borne-Zoonotic-Diseases/Ebola
3. Locate your Public Health Unit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/public-health-unit-locations.
4. Public Health Ontario Laboratory Customer Service Centre: 416-235-6556/1-877-604-4567 during normal business hours; 416-605-3113 after-hours.
5. Public Health Ontario Diagnostic Serology for Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers:
   https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/Laboratory-Services/Test-Information-Index/VHF-Diagnostic-Serology

For Ministry of Health guidance regarding special pathogens, refer to:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-health-emergency-management-plans-and-strategies

Why Join the PCN? 

• Free Membership: Membership is free and open to all eligible participants. 
• Shape the Future:  Members will help shape the future of primary care in our region.
• System Leadership: The PCN will have a seat on the CCHOHT Collaborative Committee, the OHT’s governing body.  
• Targeted Communications: Receive communications directly relevant to primary care and the PCN’s mandate.  
• Click here to join the PCN today – registration is free and easy and takes less than 2 minutes! 

Shape Your PCN’s Future: Join the PCN Leadership Council!

Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) by February 13, 2026, to join the inaugural PCN Leadership Council (PCLC). An appointment panel will review all EOIs and select the first council, which will serve a 12-month term. Future councils will be elected by PCN members. Eligible council members will receive stipends or honoraria for approved activities. Seats available: 7 Family Physicians/Nurse Practitioners with representation from within Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville, 1 Allied Health practitioner, 1 Public Health representative, 1 Social & Community Services representative, 1 Home & Community Care representative, 2 Patient, Family & Caregiver Advisors.

Next Steps 

• Join the PCN – registration is free and takes less than 2 minutes! 
• Get the PCLC Expression of Interest (EOI) template & submission details—due by 4:00pm February 13, 2026, to primarycare@cchoht.ca, subject line: EOI for PCLC 2026! Submitting an EOI automatically signs you up as a member of the PCN – so no need to complete the registration form! 
• Have questions? Join one of our Virtual Q & A sessions on February 3rd at 5:00pm or February 5th at 7:30am to ask any questions you may have about PCNs or submitting an EOI for the PCN Leadership Council. Simply click on the date above to join the meeting or click here to register!

For questions or additional information, please contact primarycare@cchoht.ca.

Dear Halton Physicians,

Ontario Health Central Region has released an update regarding eReferral Ontario, an initiative designed to significantly reduce the administrative burden associated with patient referrals.

For family physicians, referrals—particularly to underserved specialties—are among the most time-consuming administrative tasks. Referrals are frequently declined, and with limited information beyond past experience or word-of-mouth, multiple referral attempts are often required before a patient is seen. This challenge is further compounded for patients who, out of necessity, receive care from family physicians outside their geographic region, making it difficult to identify specialists who will accept out-of-region referrals.

eReferral Ontario aims to address these challenges by streamlining referrals, increasing transparency, and improving access to care.

OceanMD has been selected as the eReferral platform for the Central Region—a welcome choice, as many physicians already use Ocean for secure messaging and online appointment booking.  No action required for existing users of OceanMD.

Standardized Referral Forms

The first phase of eReferral expansion has focused on developing standardized eReferral forms. Over the past year, Amplify Care has engaged physicians to inform this work. Standardized forms have now been completed for 11 specialties, with draft forms for an additional five currently in development.

Central Intake Expansion

The next phase—expected to have the greatest impact—is the expansion of Central Intake for eReferrals across all specialties, as well as for diagnostic imaging and mental health services.

• In the Central Region, Orthopedics is currently live through Central Intake.
• Mental Health and Addictions, Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI), and Cataract Surgery are next to launch.

This approach will improve wait-time visibility, enhance transparency, and support more equitable access to care for our patients.

Self-Serve Onboarding Pilot

Ontario Health and Amplify Care are also testing a self-serve onboarding and training model for eReferral Ontario, allowing providers to onboard at their own pace, with support available as needed.

• Eligibility: Up to 50 primary care clinicians or community-based specialists (MDs, NPs) using an EMR and new to Ocean eReferral or onboarding new users
• Benefits: Early access to onboarding and training and the opportunity to help shape future eReferral adoption processes
• Timeframe: December 2025 – January 2026
• Commitment: Completion of self-directed onboarding, 4–6 hours of administrative time, 1–3 hours of clinician time over ~2 weeks, and 1–2 hours of feedback via interviews, focus groups, or surveys

How to Apply
Please refer to the attached information package for additional details The link to apply is below:

eReferral Opportunity: Testing Self-Serve Onboarding (Page 1 of 4)

Regards,

Dr. Kris Martiniuk, Clinical Lead PCN Advancement CCHOHT Dr. Yasar Razvi, Clinical Lead Digital Projects CCHOHT

December 12^th 2025

To our valued CCHOHT Partners and core members,

We are writing to advise of a recent mutual decision of the Burlington Ontario Health Team (BOHT) Board of Directors and Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team (CCHOHT) Collaborative Committee. At our most recent meetings, both the BOHT Board and CCH OHT Collaborative Committee approved respective motions to advance planning for integration of the two OHT entities.

This decision builds on a shared history of successful collaboration and synergy between the two Ontario Health Teams (OHTs), which has included projects such as development of a Halton Health Home model, the Community Wellness Hub, and what we hope will be our flagship initiative – the Integrated Health Services Centre campus.

Beyond successful partnerships on targeted initiatives, this decision reflects a recognition that Burlington should not be separate and apart from its upper tier municipality of Halton Region. There are significant and real alignments to the region culturally, as well as from a long-term planning perspective. 

Through the process of a voluntary integration, we expect to be able to make significant gains in the efficiency and delivery not only of our OHT priorities but to greatly ease the administrative burden on many of our partners supporting multiple OHTs. This will allow our partners to focus on what matters most – front line care.

At this time, we are engaging in this work with the expectation that we will have recommendations to our respective governing bodies within six months. We are committed to providing our partners with regular updates as this work progresses.

Please do not hesitate to be in touch if you have any comments or would like to connect further in the interim.

Sincerely,

Kathy Peters, Executive Director BOHT                               Zoe Dawe, Executive Director CCHOHT