'It's the difference between sick care and health care'

While public health and primary care have partnered in many communities on a project-by-project basis, this agreement is the first of its kind in the country to establish a solid link between a community health centre and a public health unit, with goals to reduce duplication, and encourage consolidation of infrastructure and shared services.

“This partnership opens up incredible opportunities for both the Group Health Centre and Algoma Public Health when it comes to managing population health,” said Dr. Brian Mitchell, chair of the Group Health Centre Board and a practicing physician with the Group Health Centre.

“It’s the difference between sick care, and health care,” he said to Algoma Public Health Board Chair Marchy Bruni, after they signed the affiliation agreements Wednesday night.

“With the health unit and the local doctors working together, we can get to the population before they get sick.”

Algoma Public Health’s Dr. Kim Barker, is equally enthusiastic about the partnership.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity,” she said. “The big question in healthcare delivery has always been, ‘how do you integrate primary health care and public health services to better support the health and wellness of a community?’.

With this affiliation, public health will be able to work with over 80 physicians at the Group Health Centre that have access to tens of thousands of patients – and that