Abstract
Purpose – For over 40 years, Canadian and international bodies have endorsed comprehensive primary
health care (PHC), yet very little work has been done to describe how services and programs are delivered
within these organizations. Because health equity is now of greater interest to policy makers and the public, it
is important to describe an evidence-informed framework for the delivery of integrated and equitable PHC.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a “Model of Health and Well-being” (MHWB) that
provides a roadmap to the delivery of PHC in a successful network of community-governed PHC
organizations in Ontario, Canada.
Design/methodology/approach – The MHWB was developed through an iterative process that
involved members of community-governed PHC organizations in Ontario and key stakeholders. This
included literature review and consultation to ensure that the model was evidence informed and reflected
actual practice.
Findings – The MHWB has three guiding principles: highest quality health and well-being for people and
communities; health equity and social justice; and community vitality and belonging. In addition, there are
eight attributes that describe how services are provided. There is a reasonable evidence base underpinning
the all principles and attributes.