It's a new name and a new identity for the Timmins Family Health Team

**TIMMINS ACADEMIC FAMILY HEALTH TEAM NEWS RELEASE**

The Timmins Family Health Team / Équipe de Santé Familiale unveiled it’s new name and logo today. Now known as the Timmins Academic Family Health Team/Équipe de Santé Familiale Académique, (TAFHT), the new brand will help tell the story of the impact this organization has on providing sustainable quality healthcare in the Timmins region.

TAFHT is a primary care teaching centre that provides primary care clinical training to medical residents, medical students, nurse practitioner students, nursing students and many other students in the health professions.  As an Academic Family Health Team, the organization must meet rigorous standards for excellence in healthcare set by the Ministry of Health, and has continued to uphold this standard for the last 20 years.

The new name brand reflects what the organization and it’s partners have always done: play a vital role in attracting and retaining high quality healthcare professionals in the north and provide primary care training in a rich northern learning environment.

 “It is very important for physicians to become involved in a primary care healthcare team. This provides a great opportunity for physicians/preceptors to be able to teach to us what they’ve learned through patient interaction.” said Dr. Kyle Harper, TAFHT Medical Resident.

The Timmins AFHT has been effective in the recruitment and retention of many Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses and Dietitians at the Family Health Team, adding stability and sustainability to the primary care team-based services and programs accessed by our community. Patients can continue to expect high quality healthcare from their provider team, knowing that they are a part of an organization that is crucial to the continued sustainability of healthcare in the north. 

“It’s gratifying to see the good work the organization has been doing over the last 20 years reflected in the new name and logo.” said Dr. Julie Samson, TAFHT Family Physician.

Celebration will take place in all clinical offices during the week of December 2nd, beginning with a staff celebration and video viewing on November 29th, 2019. Learn more by watching the new ‘Academic FHT’ video is available at VIMEO. And you can also download the new logo here – DOWNLOAD.

Founded by Timmins Family Physicians, and incorporated in 2006, the Timmins Academic Family Health Team/Équipe de Santé Familiale Académique (TAFHT) is a not-for-profit primary health care organization. Through a volunteer physician/community member Board of Directors, this mixed governance Family Health Team ensures that primary care team-based services continue to meet the needs of its patients.  The TAFHT serves approximately 30,000 rostered and non-rostered patients through 35 physicians associated with the White Pines Family Health Network and 5 TAFHT nurse practitioners.  Services are provided in both English and French.  

Over the past 13 years since the FHT’s inception, the FHT has expanded to 7 clinical sites across the City of Timmins that include 5 primary care clinics, a geriatric & memory clinic, an integrated palliative care team, a minor surgery clinic and a musculoskeletal clinic. The TAFHT has established many collaborative care relationships and partnerships with its many health partners and has been recognized as a leader for the implementation of integrated care models in Timmins.