| "Health is the extent
to which an individual is able, on the one hand, to realize aspirations and satisfy needs;
and on the other hand, to change or cope with the environment. Health is therefore seen as
a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living; it is a positive concept
emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacity." -- WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) |
A Blueprint For Effective Primary Health Care
Effective primary health care addresses factors that directly and indirectly affect the
health and lives of the people in the community. It encourages people to be self-reliant
and to share responsibility for their health with the health provider. Health and
well-being are determined by many factors such as employment, education, income, housing,
caring and supportive relationships, and good nutrition. These factors are recognized as
determinants of health. Effective primary health care recognizes the direct impact of
these factors on the health of individuals, families and communities. The following are
elements of effective primary health care. These elements guide the work of Community
Health Centres in Ontario:
- Community Direction & Accountability,
- Range of Services & Approaches,
- Team Approach, and
- Partnership & Collaboration.
For a full explanation, see BUILDING ON
SUCCESS: A Blueprint For Effective Primary Health Care, A Proposal from the
Association of Ontario Health Centres, 1995.
Why Community Health Centres are Different
1 |
CHCs focus on groups that have difficulty
gaining access to existing health care services because of linguistic, cultural,
geographic, physical or other barriers. |
2 |
Multi-disciplinary teams of professionals are
used to provide health care. This primary care team includes, nurses, doctors,
chiropodists, nutritionists and social workers. |
3 |
All CHC staff -- including physicians -- are
paid on salary. |
4 |
To improve the health status of individuals,
families and communities, CHCs address not only medical needs but also the broader social
needs that affect the well-being of their clients. |
5 |
CHCs focus on wellness and illness prevention.
Health Promotion programs work with both individuals and communities to encourage and
support wellness for all. |
6 |
CHCs place great emphasis on helping people to
take control of their health and the factors that affect their health and well-being.
Clients consistently note that they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own
health and that of their families, and that they receive concrete advice and assistance in
how to accomplish this. |
7 |
Each CHC is governed by a community board of
directors, which is elected by fellow members of the non-profit corporation. The community
board structure is one of the most important ways in which CHCs demonstrate their
accountability to the community they serve. |
8 |
All CHCs actively engage the community in the
planning and delivery of services and regularly obtain its input into strategic planning
and needs assessment activities. |
9 |
CHCs also fulfill their commitment to
community empowerment by encouraging and supporting political advocacy for the development
of healthy public policies. |
10 |
Support for the program comes through the CHC
Program at the Ontario Ministry of Health, Community Health Branch and from the
Association of Ontario Health Centres. |
Health Links
Association of Ontario Health Centres
Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse
Health Canada
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and
Safety
The Canadian Council on Social Development
Ontario Government Ministry
of Health
Sympatico's Healthyway
Medical Information Search Site
Medsite - Medical Search Engine
Wellness Interactive Network, Health
Information Highway
Drug Infonet - Information on
Pharmaceuticals
World Health Organization
National
Adult Literacy Database Inc.
Le
carrefour de la promotion de la santé
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