A Family Health Team is a collaborative model of primary care that centers on the patient. By bringing together a variety of healthcare professionals, we ensure you receive the highest standard of care through health promotion, disease prevention, chronic disease management, and a wide range of primary care services. Working alongside your family physician, our team of Allied Health Professionals support your well-being and deliver the care you need, when you need it.

Ancient Rivers Family Health Team formed in July 2024 and is affiliated with the Ancient Rivers Family Health Organization. The Ancient Rivers Family Health Organization includes Family Physicians from Calabogie Medical Centre, Renfrew Health Village, Renfrew Medical Associates, and Renfrew Medical Group. Together, we currently serve approximately 13,500 patients in the Renfrew and Calabogie regions.

Our Clinical Team Includes:

Nurse Practitioners | Currently Vacant

Registered Practical Nurses | Alyssa Misener (online booking available here)

Dietitian | Morag Townsend (online booking available here)

Kinesiologist | John Buffam (online booking available here)

Mental Health Workers | Casey Mosco, Kristie Goulet, Stephanie Belaire (online booking available here)

Respiratory Therapists | Anita Stitt, Maggie McGrath 

Our Admin Team Includes:

Executive Director | Kate Jones

Medical Receptionists | Amy, Jess, Layla, Pepper

Our Lead Physician is Dr. Candice Cybulskie.

Our Affiliated Family Physicians Include:

Calabogie Medical Centre
Address: 1101 Francis St, Calabogie ON K0J 1H0

Phone: 613-752-2323

Dr. Tara Avelino

Dr. Benjamin Blaine

Dr. Sarah Penney

Renfrew Health Village 
Address: 100 Health Village Lane, Suite 101, Renfrew ON K7V 0C3

Phone: 613-432-2222

Dr. Candice Cybulskie (online booking available here)

Dr. Amanda Low (online booking available here)

Dr. Johnny Mendoza (online booking available here)

Dr. Corey Nixon (online booking available here)

Renfrew Medical Associates 
Address: 510 Raglan St No, Renfrew ON K7V 1P5

Phone: 613-433-5712

Dr. Jessica Bodig (online booking available here)

Dr. Allison Clarke (online booking availabe here)

Dr. Andrea Di Paolo (online booking availabe here)

Dr. Philippe Pinard (online booking available here)

Renfrew Medical Group 
Address: 510 Raglan St No, Renfrew ON K7V 1P5

Phone: 613-433-9152

Dr. Jennifer Arcand (online booking available here)

Dr. Brianne Clouthier (online booking available here)

Dr. Stephanie Langlois (online booking available here)

Dr. Steve Radke

Dr. Angela Varrin (online booking available here)

Dr. Noreen Wang (online booking available here)

Dr. Saeed Taghavifar 
Address: 100 Health Village Lane, Suite 101B, Renfrew ON K7V 0C3 (Within Ancient Rivers Family Health Team Office) 

Phone: 613-554-9551 or 1-866-972-5549

Our team of nurses offer a variety of services, including:

• Ear flushing
• Injections (allergy shots, B12, certain medications etc)
• Staple/suture removal
• Tb testing
• Vaccines (routine vaccinations, shingles, pneumonia, flu etc - no travel vaccines).
• And more!

Who can access our services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew

You do not need a referral to access these services and they are available free of charge.

Book an appointment online (preferred) or contact us at 1-866-972-5549.

Source url: https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news/how-renfrews-first-family-health-team-is-transforming-patient-care-in-its-first-year-as/article_bbf2c9f7-1bfe-5855-91a4-6a24ec64a345.html

Ancient Rivers Family Health Team offers comprehensive health care with interdisciplinary providers to improve patient outcomes and access in the Renfrew area.

When Ancient Rivers Family Health Team opened its doors in October 2024, it became the first family health team in town. Now, one year in, it is looking to expand its reach.

“Initially, most of our programs started as only for rostered patients … that’s a typical way that a family health team functions,” said Kate Jones, the clinic’s executive director. “We are a little bit different in that part of our intention was never just to offer services to only the affiliated physician group’s patients.”

This fall, the clinic will be accepting self-referrals from eligible patients to access one-on-one services in addition to the available workshops, including the mental health and nutrition groups. Residents in the Renfrew, Greater Madawaska, Admaston-Bromley and surrounding areas will be allowed to access the clinic’s services.

The Ancient Rivers Family Health Team consists of 18 family doctors across five clinics to create a team of interdisciplinary health-care providers, Jones said, adding the roles were selected based on data about the needs in the area.

“It’s data-driven with countywide information,” she said, explaining the data provides information on chronic diseases, hospital admissions and emergency department visits.

“We know that there’s very high rates of difficulties with mental health, we know that there’s high rates of chronic lung conditions, a variety of chronic diseases, diabetes, heart diseases,” Jones said.

For Judy Stewart, the family health team has helped her be more in control of her health.

Stewart’s doctor referred her to the clinic’s dietitian because of high blood pressure and high sugar levels.

“I would eat correctly most of the day, but at night, I had a really hard time,” she said.

Dietitian Morag Townsend gave her helpful suggestions, including to snack with more fruits and vegetables in the evening to avoid reaching for things high in sugar and sodium.

Stewart said Townsend helped to keep her motivated.

“She said if you have a bad day, that’s OK. Just start over the next day. Don’t get discouraged,” Stewart said.

“I think I’m in a good place now,” Stewart added. “I read (food) labels now, which I never read before.”

Stewart said the family health team is great for the community.

“It’s wonderful to have any medical services at all. We’re lucky to have that service close,” she said. “We’re not having to drive to Pembroke or Ottawa, and it makes a big difference.”

In addition to a dietitian and family doctors, the clinic’s team includes nurses, a kinesiologist, mental health counsellors and respiratory therapists. They serve about 13,900 patients in Renfrew and surrounding areas, including Greater Madawaska, Admaston/Bromley and Horton.

“If you look at our baseline before the family health team was added, the roster was 12,881, and in May, before a new doctor joined, we were up at 13,584,” Jones said, explaining that having an interdisciplinary team helps increase a doctor’s capacity. “Since then, a new physician has joined, so it’s continuing to grow.”

Despite not being fully staffed, the Ancient Rivers Family Health Team has had more than 2,250 patient encounters in its first year of operating in Renfrew, Jones said. Once the remaining nurse practitioner positions are filled, the clinic can add between 1,200 and 1,600 patients.

Providing more comprehensive care is where they “really shine,” Jones said.

“We know that patients with access to team-based primary care, they get more comprehensive support, and they’re more satisfied with their care,” Jones added. “We can connect them to what they actually need.”

Having a family health team also helps reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and delays in care, she said. Jones explained the clinic’s team “helps spread the load” more effectively within the health-care system by providing patients with care beyond what a family doctor can do.

“We know that doctors are the cornerstone of primary care, and our team builds on that foundation,” she said.

The Ancient Rivers FHO (our group of local providers) continues to use Health Care Connect to connect with residents in need of a primary care provider.  Please add your name to this list if you are in need of a primary care provider.

Thank you,

Ancient Rivers Family Health Team

Benefits of Regular Foot Care

• Prevents infections from ingrown nails, fungal conditions, and untreated wounds
• Improves comfort and mobility
• Supports early detection of issues such as ulcers, neuropathy, or skin breakdown
• Reduces pain and helps keep people active
• Lowers fall risk by ensuring feet are properly maintained

We Provide

• Nail trimming and filing
• Foot inspections and skin assessments
• Gentle filing of rough, intact skin
• Moisturizing and light massage to promote circulation
• Education on foot hygiene and at-home care

We DO NOT Provide

• Nail debridement
• Corn or callus removal
• Foreign object removal
• Wound care

Who can access our services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew

• Individuals who cannot safely or independently perform their own foot care
• Individuals who do not already have access to other foot care services
• Individuals who do not have extended health benefits that cover community foot care services

How to access services:

You can access our services by asking your physician for a referral, submitting a self-referral request online (preferred), or calling us at 1-866-972-5549.

Services are available free of charge.

Dietitians help individuals with:

• Diabetes and prediabetes
• Heart heath including cholesterol and blood pressure
• Digestive disorders including celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases
• Malnutrition including nutrient deficiencies
• Weight concerns
• Picky eating
• Vegetarian and vegan diets
• And more!

In Ontario, dietitians are your best source of nutrition information as they are the only regulated nutrition professional. The term 'nutritionist' is not legally regulated in Ontario, there are no educational or ethical requirements for its use.

Who can access our services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew
• No extended health benefits available (individuals must use available extended health benefits prior to accessing ARFHT services)

How to access services:

You can access our services by asking your physician for a referral, submitting a self-referral request online (preferred), or calling us at 1-866-972-5549.

Services are available free of charge.

Types of challenges addressed by our Mental Health Counsellors include:

• Depression and/or anxiety
• Parenting related issues
• Personality Disorder Symptoms
• Relationship struggles
• Self-esteem difficulties
• Stress/burnout
• Trauma
• Work related problems

Who should access other services:

• Individuals managing grief or bereavement should access services through Renfrew Hospice.
• Individuals managing addiction should access services through Addiction Treatment Services.
• Individuals under the age of 18 should seek support from the Phoenix Centre.

Who can access our services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew
• Age 18+ with mild to moderate mental health concerns
• No extended health benefits or EAP available (individuals must use available extended health benefits or EAP prior to accessing ARFHT services)

How to access our services

You can access our services by asking your physician for a referral, submitting a self-referral request online (preferred), or calling us at 1-866-972-5549.

Services are available free of charge.

CRISIS NOTICE: Please be aware that this is not a crisis service. If you need immediate emotional support, please call or text 9-8-8 to reach Canada’s 24/7 Suicide Crisis Helpline. The Renfrew County Crisis Line can be reached by calling 1-866-996-0991. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911 or present to your nearest Emergency Department. We do not monitor the waitlist link daily and are not able to respond to urgent needs.

Kinesiologists are regulated healthcare professionals who utilize evidence-based research to work with people of all ages and physical abilities in many settings. The practice of kinesiology incorporates biomechanics, anatomy and physiology while including many other disciplines and considerations such as health promotion, psychosocial factors, and neuroscience. Kinesiology is the science of human movement, performance and function. Kinesiologists help people achieve their health and wellness goals, encourage movement and exercise, and improve quality of life. 

Kinesiologists can help with:

• Balance, Falls Prevention
• Exercise Prescription and Goal Setting to Prevent & Manage Chronic Conditions (including but not limited to): Heart Disease, Diabetes, Neurological Conditions, Chronic Pain, Mental Health 
• General Exercise Prescription & Goal Setting  
• Health Promotion and Education 
• Lifestyle Intervention and Weight Management  
• Injury Prevention, Treatment and Physical Rehabilitation 
• And more!

Who can access these services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew
• No extended health benefits available (individuals must use available extended health benefits prior to accessing ARFHT services)

How to Access Services

You can access our services by asking your physician for a referral, submitting a self-referral request online (preferred), or calling us at 1-866-972-5549.

Services are available free of charge.

Breastfeeding can be challenging and does not come easily for every new parent. It can also be a wonderful bonding experience with your baby.

At ARFHT, our nurses offer free breastfeeding support for parents who may have questions or who are looking for assistance. From proper positioning to latching and ensuring your baby is getting enough breastmilk, we provide a calm, welcoming atmosphere to help give you and your baby a healthy start.

Who can access these services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew

Book an appointment online (preferred) or contact us at 1-866-972-5549.

“Breastfeeding isn’t just about milk; it’s also about love.”

Allied Health and Nursing Services

We offer free one-on-one allied health services (kinesiology, nutrition counselling, mental health counselling, respiratory therapy) and nursing services (ear flushing, injections, staple/suture removal, TB testing, routine vaccines, breastfeeding support, and basic preventive foot care).

Who can access these services?

• Ontarians with a family physician in our affiliated physician group
  OR
• Ontarians living in one of the following communities:
  • Admaston/Bromley
  • Burnstown
  • Calabogie
  • Dacre
  • Douglas
  • Greater Madawaska
  • Griffith
  • Haley Station
  • Horton
  • Renfrew
• Please review the specific service page for any additional eligibility requirements before making a self-referral.

How to access services:

• If your family physician is in our affiliated physician group, you may ask them for a referral.
• Self-referrals are also accepted (with or without a family physician) both online (preferred) through Ocean or by phone at 1 (866) 972-5549.
• Self referrals for respiratory therapy can be made by calling ConnectWell at (613) 259-2182 x2324.

Phone: (613) 554-9551 
Toll-Free: 1 (866) 972-5549
Fax: (613) 655-2573

Email: reception@arfht.ca 

Our current hours of operation are:
Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm

Address/Location

100 Health Village Lane, Renfrew ON K7V 0C3

At Ancient Rivers Family Health Team, your experience matters.

We invite you to share your thoughts about the care you received, whether it’s recognizing a team member who made a difference or suggesting ways we can improve. Your feedback helps us grow, encourages our team, and helps us ensure we are providing the best possible care to our community.

To share feedback, please email: info@arfht.ca.

Note: Please do not send personal health information to this address. Questions about your health should be shared with your healthcare provider.

If you would like to file a complaint to ARFHT, please review our complaint procedure and submit a completed complaint form either in person, by mail, or by email to:

The Executive Director Ancient Rivers Family Health Team
100 Health Village Lane, Suite 101B
Renfrew, Ontario
K7V 0C3
info@arfht.ca

Visit our Career Opportunities page to see current job postings.

Click here to join the waitlist. This is our preferred registration method, but you can also call our reception team at (613) 554-9551 or 1-866-972-5549 to be added to the waitlist.

Please note: Joining the waitlist does not guarantee enrollment. We will contact you to confirm your spot.

Our groups and workshops are available to Ontarians who have a physician in our affiliated physician group 

OR

Who have a home address in one of the following communities:

• Admaston/Bromley
• Burnstown
• Calabogie
• Dacre
• Douglas
• Greater Madawaska
• Griffith
• Haley Station
• Horton
• Renfrew

Each group and workshop may have additional eligibility criteria, please review them carefully before joining the waitlist to ensure the program you would like to enroll in will be a good fit for you.

The Ancient Rivers Family Health Team is committed to improving access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require a specific accommodation during the application, interview, or recruitment stage, please contact Kate Jones by phone at 613-554-9551 ext101 or by email at info@arfht.ca noting "Accessibility Inquiry" in the subject line, for appropriate accommodations to be made.

We are stilll looking to fill some positions on our Team.  Come join us at this exciting time as we build our FHT!

Current Vacancies:

- Administrative Job Postings -

Board of Directors Community Member

Board of Directors FHO Member

- Clinical Job Postings -

Nurse Practitioner (FT/PT)

We are committed to promoting privacy and protecting the confidentiality of the health information we hold about you.

For our full privacy policy and privacy breach management procedure, click here.

We encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have about our privacy practices.

You can contact our Privacy Officer at:

Kate Jones

kjones@arfht.ca

613-554-9551

Programming includes:

• Assessment
• Spirometry (breathing test)
• Education
• Developing a client-centered action plan
• Follow-up care for clients with chronic lung disease (COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis)

When you are referred to the lung health program, you will be seen by a Registered Respiratory Therapist and/or Certified Respiratory Educator (CRE).

Together, they will work with you to create a plan to help you manage your symptoms.

Ask your physician if you would like to be referred to the lung health program.

Alternatively, if you would like to self-refer, you can contact ConnectWell at 613-259-2182 x 2324

Additional Resources:

Lung Health Facebook

ConnectWell Chronic Disease Rehabilitation Youtube

Lung Health Toolkit

Living Well with COPD

Living Well with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Lung Health Foundation

Book this appointment if:

• You have a cervix
• You have had any type of sexual activity
• You are 25-70 years of age
• It has been 3 years or longer since your last pap test
• You DO NOT have a family doctor or nurse practitioner

Free testing is available at Ancient Rivers Family Health Team:

100 Health Village Lane, Suite 101B, Renfrew, ON K7V 0C3

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

From: MPP John Yakabuski, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke

Ontario Connecting More People to Primary Care Team in Renfrew and Area

April 29, 2024

There is great healthcare news for Renfrew and area residents – funding to establish a new Family Health Team (FHT) has been approved.

This is part of Ontario’s $110 million investment to connect up to 328,000 people to primary care teams, bringing the province one step closer to connecting everyone in Ontario to primary care.

An Expression of Interest (EOI) was drafted by the 17 family doctors of the Ancient Rivers Family Health Organization (FHO) who have offices in Renfrew and Calabogie; a group of family physicians who work collaboratively to give their patients best access to personalized care and quality services, with a focus on illness prevention (Renfrew Medical Associates, 2021).

As outlined in the application submitted to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health in June 2023, the goal of the FHT is to provide direct care to vulnerable and marginalized people and those without a family doctor.

Renfrew and Calabogie and surrounding areas are the only areas in Renfrew County that do not have an interprofessional care team that serves their region, so this announcement is a step towards filling the gap and improving equity.

“This is tremendous news for residents of Renfrew and the surrounding area, particularly to those who currently do not have a primary care physician. Giving more patients access to a family doctor, will go a long way in easing strain and overcrowding in our emergency departments, and to those who staff them. I am most grateful to all those involved with the Ancient Rivers Family Health Team, and for their leadership in this initiative. I am also grateful to our government for providing the necessary funding,” said MPP John Yakabuski.

The new Family Health Team will serve residents of the town of Renfrew and the surrounding catchment area, attach many orphan patients and aim to provide care services to approximately 6,600 Renfrew and area patients.

Dr. Candice Cybulskie, Lead Applicant for the FHT, stated: “This funding will substantially improve patient access to allied health professionals, which will help the family doctors in Renfrew, Calabogie and area deliver better care. Family doctors are the foundation of our health care system and investing in them is essential. We are excited to be bringing more resources to our community for both attached and unattached patients.

In addition to attaching more residents to primary care, the establishment of an FHT will help to prevent ER overcrowding due to emergency room visits for non-emergency issues and, as the desired model of physicians, may also help to attract much-needed doctors to our area to build their practices.

The new FHT also proposes to recruit other healthcare professionals over time, in addition to the 17 doctors who belong to the Ancient Rivers FHO, to create an interprofessional primary care team. The team approach will help make care more convenient for people, and wrap supports which are currently not available to our local residents.

Those healthcare professionals could include a nurse practitioner, nurse, and counsellors who can provide short- and long-term mental health support, as well as dietitians and physiotherapists.

The FHT would address conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, smoking cessation, diabetes, obesity, falls prevention and mobility, nutritional counselling and care coordination.

Rather than creating a new governance structure, the FHT will leverage the structure and experience of the existing Board of Directors of Renfrew Victoria Hospital, and the main site of the FHT will be located on the RVH campus.

The EOI was endorsed by many partners and individuals who make up a network of support across our region, as well as local municipalities.

______

“I would like to express our gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and all those who supported our proposal. This project will build upon our strong relationship with our local physicians to address a critical need in our area, providing access to primary care so more patients receive the right care at the right time in the right place,” stated Julia Boudreau, RVH President & CEO.

______

The Ancient Rivers Family Health Team’s Board of Directors provides essential leadership in promoting community health and delivering high-quality care. As a skills-based board with diverse professional backgrounds, board members guide strategic planning, ensure financial responsibility, and uphold regulatory standards.

Current Board Members

Dr. Candice Cybulskie, Chair

Dr. Corey Nixon, Treasurer

John Church, Board Member

Dr. Brianne Clouthier, Board Member

Matt Cruchet, Board Member