The AFHTO Leadership Council met on September 9, 2020. Below are the highlights from the summer 2020 council meeting; updates on last week’s meetings with the Ministry, Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health; and links to useful resources for triad members.
AFHTO “Summer in Review”
- Highlights of the work that has kept AFHTO busy this summer were shared with the council. Research on capturing the primary care journey during COVID-19, as well as governance, leadership, and advocacy highlights can be read here.
- The first virtual AFHTO conference is fast approaching! All triad members have been sent the registration information and are asked to share this with their teams and encourage they attend.
- The conference has a great agenda, including conversations with Helen Bevan and Jane Philpott. There will also be an on-demand Q&A with Matt Anderson, who will speak about his vision for health system integration and the critical role primary care plays in that. If you have not yet done so, please register for the conference so you can hear more!
- If you missed them, here are the recordings and presentations from two recent webcasts:
COVID-19 and OHTs
- The Fall Preparedness Guidance Document, which includes the Ministry/OH’s strategy for planning for the second wave of COVID-19 and the roll-out of the flu vaccine, is expected at the end of this week/early next week. The Ministry expects to receive the flu vaccines in late September, and the roll-out to the community through Public Health will start in mid-October. This includes high dose vaccines. With a larger demand for the flu vaccine expected this year, shipments will continue into November.
- Guidance for Ontario Health Teams: Collaborative Decision-Making Arrangements for a Connected Health Care System was released by the Ministry of Health in July 2020. As noted in the document, all approved OHTs must establish and document a collaborative decision-making arrangement between members. Four agreement templates have been posted to assist OHTs. The templates and more information are here.
- The OHT webinar with the Ministry on August 5, which includes discussion on CDMAs, can be watched here.
- On September 3, 2020, the government suspended the September 4, 2020, reinstatement date for layoffs and constructive dismissals. The new date is January 2, 2021. This is when the time periods for temporary layoffs will start and constructive dismissal claims under the ESA will be permitted. More information is here.
- AFHTO has heard loud and clear that many teams need better virtual connectivity, including access to a larger suite of integrated virtual care tools, increased access to better internet, and WiFi and digital equity for all. This is something we will continue to advocate for in collaboration with our primary care partners.
Moving toward the next ministry contract
- The FHT-Ministry contracts will expire in 2022, so now is the time to think about what policy or contractual requirements may need to be revisited to effect long-term positive change, taking into account learnings through COVID-19 and OHT developments.
- The council discussed opportunities to modernize the FHT contract with a focus on contract objectives, population-based primary care, governance, and health equity.
- This was just the start of this conversation. AFHTO will arrange discussions with physicians, executive directors, governors, and other leaders in primary care. Your input is critical. Please stay tuned!
Meetings with the Primary Health Care Branch, the Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health
Last week, AFHTO had the opportunity to meet with the Ministry, the Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health. These were great opportunities to highlight, once again, the great work teams are doing to help with the COVID-19 response.
Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch, Ministry of Health
We had our quarterly meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch last Friday and discussed a number of operational issues. Some highlights:
- FHT contract: The FHT contract is expiring in March 2022 and work has started to reimagine what that contract could look like. As that work is just starting, the Ministry is not entertaining changes to the current FHT contract at the moment. However, for teams interested in integration, there is a formal process that your senior program consultant can walk you through.
- Governance attestation review: Over the summer, the Ministry reviewed documents that were noted in the teams’ governance attestation, where many teams submitted copies of governance policies and procedures. The Ministry will be sharing results of that review in the fall, and we will be working with them to support teams with governance.
- AOPs: While AOPs had a soft deadline of mid- to late-September, there is recognition that EDs are busy as we head into flu season and in preparation for a possible second wave. Talk to your senior program consultant if you need more time. If you are a new ED, you may find the webinar on how to complete an AOP and Schedule A helpful: click here for the recording.
- Operational funding: Although there is not a pool of operational funding to support teams right now, there are COVID-19 related dollars coming from the federal government to the province. If you have operational requests as a result of COVID-19 that you need funded (e.g. upgrades of IT for virtual care, licenses for virtual care modalities, IPAC in your teams), you can include that in your AOP as a request for the next fiscal year.
- Quarterly financial statements: It is obligatory that you submit your quarterly financial statements. It is crucial to report Q1 and Q2 accurately and to forecast for year-end to capture any COVID-related costs. The ministry will be using this data to understand the additional cost pressures facing teams, which will be the basis used for additional funding requests in the new fiscal year. To help with forecasting the impact of the pandemic on your year-end budget, you can adapt and use the COVID-19 Expense Forecast Checklist.
- IPAC supports: Conversations have started to see how we can support the development of a robust IPAC suite of supports and tools for primary care. We are exploring what that could look like. We will keep teams posted.
Meeting with the Minister’s Office
- Along with the OCFP, NPAO, and SGFP, we met with the Minister’s Director of Policy and Director of Stakeholder Relations. It was a good opportunity to highlight how primary care stepped up during the COVID-19 response and the critical role our teams played in staffing assessment centres, providing virtual care, and continuing to provide in-person care despite challenges getting PPE.
- As we move towards integration in Ontario Health Teams, we discussed the importance of making primary care the foundation of the health system integration agenda and the need to expand team-based care, so that every Ontarian can get the care they need.
Meeting with Ontario Health
- Along with our primary care colleagues, we had our quarterly meeting with Matt Anderson, CEO and President of Ontario Health.
- As most of primary care is not under Ontario Health’s purview for planning, these meetings are critical in providing updates to OH about the challenges and opportunities in primary care that can be leveraged to support the transformation agenda – both within the agency and external in the health system.
- Similar to the meeting with the Minister’s Office, it was an opportunity to highlight the sector’s work and the critical role primary care has played in the COVID-19 response.
- A few highlights:
- Ontario Health is undergoing significant transformation as it continues its massive integration of 20 organizations. On September 9, the CEO released Ontario Health’s Operating Model: Patient Perspective and Integrated Top-Line Organizational Structure, which speaks the changes that are underway.
- With a lens towards health equity, OH has also initiated a project to complete an equity assessment and develop an action plan to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to address anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. Although FHT and NPLC contracts are currently not managed by OH, we encourage members to fill in the Survey on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism for Health Service Providers. This will help advance the vision of a more integrated health system that eliminates health disparities, addresses the social determinants of health, and delivers excellent and equitable access, experience, and outcomes for all Ontarians.
- For any teams that are interested in starting an assessment centre in their organization, please speak to your local OH regional representatives and start the paperwork to help increase testing capacity in your community. If you need assistance in being connected, please email us at info@afhto.ca so we can help.
A reminder to register for the webinar on September 29 with Optimus. On the Ontario Trillium Fund Resilient Communities Fund webinar, you’ll learn about supports and funding grants you can get to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Register today!
And on a final note, don’t forget to check out the AFHTO website, which is updated regularly with COVID-19 tools and supports: