PRESS RELEASE – HAMILTON, Ontario (January 26, 2026) – The Hamilton Family Health Team (HFHT) is offering a free service that connects residents of the Greater Hamilton Area to family doctors accepting new patients.
This service is part of the Ontario government’s vision of attaching every person in the province to primary care by 2029. It is only available for individuals and families who do not currently have a family doctor in their area.
To sign up, first register with Health Care Connect – the Ontario Government’s online portal for requesting a family doctor. Then, reach out to the Hamilton Family Health Team via phone (365-317-8117) or email (attach@hamiltonfht.ca) and they’ll help you get connected.
According to Dr. Ziad Beithoon and Dr. Mazin Rassam, two HFHT family doctors in the East Hamilton Mountain/Upper Stoney Creek area, having a family doctor is all about having someone who knows you, your family, and your medical history.
“I always tell my patients, the reason you call it family medicine is because you become part of the family,” says Rassam. “You can feel the difference you make in their lives.”
Family medicine is also about being the caretaker of your patient’s health throughout their life. “We’ve been in practice at this location for over 10 years, and I have seen some of my patients since they were born,” says Beithoon. “You see them when they have their first vaccine, when they go to kindergarten and then to school. It’s a journey, and you’re part of their journey. It’s not just about dealing with disease, it’s about maintaining your mental and physical wellbeing,” he explains.
This program is in partnership with the Greater Hamilton Health Network (GHHN) and the GHHN Primary Care Network.
For more information about the HFHT, this service, and other free services for the community like health education workshops, visit hamiltonfht.ca.
About the Hamilton Family Health Team
The Hamilton Family Health Team, established in 2006, is a team of interdisciplinary health care providers working closely with family doctors to provide accessible, comprehensive and collaborative primary health care to residents of the Greater Hamilton Area. Our vision: Leading the way to a healthier community through team-based primary health care. Learn more at hamiltonfht.ca.