Membership Requirements and Categories

Great River Ontario Health (GR OHT) partners are health, mental health, social or other relevant providers/entities within the GR OHT geography.

The Ministry requires that all OHTs commit to:

• The vision, goals and objectives of Ontario Health Teams as stated by the Province;
• Enter into a Collaborative Decision-Making Agreement (CDMA);
• Work towards a single governance structure and shared pool of funds;
• Work with patients/clients, families and caregivers, clinicians and with one another to plan, organize and deliver a full continuum of integrated and coordinated healthcare services;
• Participate (including staff participation) as appropriate, in projects and initiatives of the OHT;
• Contribute in-kind or human resources (e.g., IT, marketing, communications) and/or financial resources as appropriate to advance the work of the OHT.

In addition to the above noted Ministry requirements, the following criteria are also required to become a GR OHT Partner:

• Provide services and have a designated area or satellite office in the GR OHT geography;
• Commit to the GR OHT vision, values and principles;
• Agree to sign and adhere to the principles of the CDMA, Conflict of Interest, Privacy and Confidentiality and Rules of Engagement policies;
• Be an incorporated organization or hold status as a legal authority, not an individual provider (with the exception of physicians) and have no outstanding corrective actions or active disciplinary processes.
• Be able to commit time and resources as a core or supportive member as per the established membership categories below;
• Be willing to collaborate at the system level to develop a strategic plan and work plans, integrate services and processes, innovate, offer new services, share information, data, performance indicators and expertise to improve services to the GR OHT population.

The Great River Ontario Health Team (GR OHT) will have two categories of membership for partners.  Each partner participant is identified in one of these categories and their role and responsibilities to the GR OHT are governed accordingly.

The two membership categories are:

Category 1:  Core Partners

This category includes sector-based partners and individual physician partners who will play a central, consistent, and continuing role in, and are accountable for the functioning of the GR OHT. Partners will be engaged in their sector(s) and their sector’s contribution to the GR OHT.  In addition to the Collaboration Council, Core Partners will participate in at least one of our system transformation support tables, expert co-design tables and/or project teams. Core Partners are voting members and can be elected as a member of the Steering Committee.  It is expected that Core Partners participate in the facilitation and implementation of collaborative initiatives and projects that support the GR OHT’s vision and priorities.

Criteria to become a Core Partner:

• Represent an organization whose mandate and/or strategic direction is aligned with the work of the GR OHT;
• Comprehensively engage in the overall GR OHT strategy and ultimately accountable for the success of the OHT;
• Disseminate communication materials as appropriate to the organization’s board, patients/clients, councils and staff members (both staff who participate in OHT work and all other staff);
• Engage in delivering improvements to healthcare at multiple levels and across multiple organizations and health sectors;
• Provide human resources /in-kind supports to projects and initiatives.

Category 2: Supportive Partners

This category includes sector partners and individual physician partners who will support the work of the GR OHT by attending our Collaborative Council quarterly meetings, providing strategic direction to the Steering Committee, and responding to requests for feedback and information for the purpose of planning projects and specific initiatives.  Supportive partners are not involved in the work of the GR OHT’s system transformation support tables, co-design expert tables or project teams.  Supportive Partners are not voting members and cannot be elected as a member of the Steering Committee  (unless appointed by the Primary Care Network).

Criteria to become a Supportive Partner:

• Represent an organization whose mandate and/or strategic direction is aligned with the work of the GR OHT;
• Support organizational alignment to the GR OHT strategy and initiatives/projects by remaining informed on the progress of OHT work and disseminating communication material as appropriate to the organization’s board, patients/clients and staff members (both staff who participate in OHT working groups and all other staff);
• Serve, where capacity permits, as a subject matter expert and contributes to requests for input and consultations;
• Periodically engage in specific initiatives or goals as a member of a working group;
• Attend as a guest at the Steering Committee, System Transformation Support and Expert Co-Design Tables or Project Teams;
• Engage in fostering improvement in your organization’s sector of care.