Family Medicine

Within the scope of the WRHA Family Medicine – Primary Care Program team, those activities associated with inpatient care and academic teaching are designated as “Family Medicine”

Because our care providers support patients and their families throughout their lifespan and across the continuum of care, Family Medicine is able to be a vital part of both the larger primary health system and the acute care system.

Components of Family Medicine

• Family Medicine supports family physicians and midwives in the provision of low-risk obstetrical services including intrapartum care at St. Boniface General Hospital, Health Sciences Centre and the Birth Centre. From January to June 2012, these providers performed 371 deliveries.
• The Family Medicine Obstetrics Network (FMON) is a network of collaborating family physicians committed to the principles of family medicine and comprehensive maternity care, including intrapartum care. FMON improves care options for low-risk women and creates a sustainable referral base for family physicians providing obstetric care. FMON doctors practice in a variety of clinic settings across Winnipeg, accept obstetrical referrals from others, and supervise learners. Presently, FMON has over 20 participating family physicians. There are two call groups, one for deliveries at St. Boniface General Hospital and one at Women's Pavilion, Health Sciences Centre.
• Family Medicine delivers acute care medical in-patient services in 290 medical beds across four sites within the WRHA:

• • St. Boniface General Hospital
  • Victoria General Hospital
  • Concordia Hospital
  • Seven Oaks General Hospital

• Through these dedicated in-patient Family Medicine units, the Family Medicine Program facilitates the provision of full-scope family medicine services by community family physicians in Winnipeg.
• These units also foster interprofessional collaboration, consistent with the principles of Family Medicine.
• Family Medicine also operates three Academic Teaching Clinics through the WRHA FM-PC Program, in partnership with the University of Manitoba's Department of Family Medicine and acute care facilities:

• • Family Medical Centre (St. Boniface General Hospital)
  • Kildonan Medical Centre (Seven Oaks General Hospital)
  • Northern Connection Medical Centre (Health Sciences Centre)

• These teaching clinics are a key component of the Family Medicine Residency Training Program, providing valuable opportunities for Family Medicine Residents (graduate physicians specializing in Family Medicine) to become confident, skilled and accountable physicians, capable of delivering full scope family practice anywhere in Manitoba or Canada.
• Teaching Clinics also provide opportunities for undergraduate medical students and other undergraduate and graduate learners, such as pharmacy and nurse practitioner students to learn in an interprofessional family practice setting.
• In keeping with the principles of Family Medicine, Family Medicine Residents work in the Teaching Clinics, providing full-scope family medicine services to clinic populations.  Residents provide primary care services, after hours call, admit clinic patients onto Family Medicine In-Patient Units, in addition to providing service to other in-patients, and providing low-risk obstetrical and newborn follow-up services to clinic patients.
• The teaching clinics are managed via a blended management structure, called Teaching Clinic Council (TCC).  This structure facilitates shared decision making through the engagement of hospital, clinic, FM-PC Program and Department of Family Medicine leadership, as well as coordination of initiatives between the FM teaching clinics, FM inpatient units, and our Primary Care partners.

Standards and Quality Improvement

Due to the strong partnership between the WRHA Family Medicine program and the University of Manitoba's Department of Family Medicine, Family Medicine participates in two accreditation processes: The WRHA's process with Accreditation Canada and The College of Family Physicians of Canada Accreditation for FM Residency Programs. The WRHA in-patient Family Medicine Units follow Accreditation Canada's Medicine Standards; and the Teaching Clinics follow the Primary Care Services Standards.

This site is currently under development. Please check back for more details on our program.