The Family Practice of the Year Nomination Form

The essence of family practice is the integration of a broad knowledge of health and illness with the knowledge and skills in dealing with the psychosocial response of individuals and families to both stress and illness focusing on the person and their context. In addition to a family physician(s) and office staff, the practice may be comprised of many different professionals who are skilled clinicians. Describe how the practice delivers a comprehensive basket of services, maintains continuity of care, supports the continuing professional development of the physician(s), other healthcare professionals and staff and implements evidence-based best practices, quality improvement initiatives and research.

Family practices promote health and provide care to a defined group of people and their families. They take into account the health determinants of their practice population, provide evidence-based health promotion and illness prevention, education and support for self-care amongst their practice population. Provide comments on the way the practice monitors disease prevention screening programs, chronic disease prevention and management programs and encourages patients to participate and/or provides self-management programs. Describe how the practice manages patients with complex problems and those requiring hospital or long-term care. Comment on the relationships with other organizations and how information flows from and to the practice so that clinicians have the right information at their fingertips.

Family physicians and practice team members have an understanding of the healthcare system and of community needs. They care for patients in their offices, hospitals, other care facilities and in their patients’ homes and see themselves as part of a community network of care providers who are skilled at collaborating as team members and team leaders. Please comment on how the practice is affiliated with other health organizations and works in a collaborative model to address patient care or community needs. As well, discuss how the practice has participated in other activities that demonstrate a commitment to community, such as ways the practice identifies a population need.

The patient-physician relationship has the qualities of a covenant, a promise by physicians to be faithful to their commitment to their patients’ well-being, whether or not the patients are able to follow through on their commitments. Family physicians provide continuity of care through their relational, managerial and informational contact with their patients. They use repeated visits to build on the patient-physician relationship and to promote the healing power of positive interactions. The trust that develops with the physician enables trust with the members of the team and vice versa. Please describe the way in which the practice demonstrates that it values the patientdoctor relationship and continuity of care, including the ways in which the relationship is strengthened between patients and the other members of the practice. Finally, discuss the ways in which the practice enhances access to the physician and healthcare team.

Quality of care is providing the right service (evidence-based best practices/processes) at the right time (accessibility) for the right effect (outcome) at the right price (cost-effectiveness with high levels of patient and provider satisfaction (acceptability). Please comment on the way in which quality improvement activities are conducted within the practice to support initiatives within the four categories above (including things like service delivery, accessibility, preventive health, etc). Describe a situation in which the practice members identified a problem and solved it together to improve the quality of the service provided.