The Arthritis Program (TAP) at Southlake Regional Health Centre was closed on January 15, 2021 due to budget constraints. Since the announcement of TAP closure, a group consisting of former TAP Medical Director and staff and Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) Co-Chairs, gained the support of the Ministry of Health to establish a community based arthritis program under the not-for-profit governance model. This was accomplished with the support of participating Rheumatologists and advocacy by local and national groups including patient groups, colleagues, academics and researchers.
The new Center of Arthritis Excellence (CArE) is a not-for-profit corporation supporting a portal of care for arthritis and associated conditions to provide patients timely assessment, effective treatment, and patient education grounded in self-management principles. Our services are delivered by an interprofessional team that includes Rheumatologists and healthcare professionals (Pharmacist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Kinesiologist and others). We expect to open our new facility in Newmarket, Ontario in the 4th quarter of 2021.
