Bits & Pieces: Bright Lights now open and more


Your Biweekly News & Updates


In This Issue  
  • Spotlight primary care excellence – AFHTO Bright Lights Awards nominations now open
  • Ontario makes preliminary announcement on the results of the call for primary care expansion
  • Get an additional 10% discount off UpToDate until July 15
  • Measles memo to health care providers & FAQ
     
  • Canada Health Infoway Connected Care Innovation Grant
  • FREE TEACH course – addressing nicotine use in youth and young adults                   
  • Upcoming events including Joint Assessment Made Easy: A Musculoskeletal (MSK) Education Course

Spotlight primary care excellence – AFHTO Bright Lights Awards nominations now open

The AFHTO Bright Lights Awards Are Here and Bigger Than Ever!

AFHTO’s Bright Lights Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions that help advance team-based primary care in Ontario. This year, we’ve expanded our awards to recognize MORE of our members.

Now is your chance to recognize the individuals and teams who go above and beyond to strengthen team-based primary care across Ontario.

  1. NEW! Bright Lights Individual Impact Awards
  2. Board Awards
  3. Bright Lights Conference Theme Awards

Deadline: Friday, July 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM EDT

Submit your nominations today: https://www.primarycareproud.ca/awards

Nominate a colleague and share this opportunity with your teams.  

Join the Bright Lights Review Committee

Join the Committee and help us select this year’s award recipients. You can also volunteer in other ways to support the conference.

Click here to sign up. Deadline July 8, 2025.


Ontario makes preliminary announcement on the results of the call for primary care expansion

On June 23 the Ontario government “announced a $235 million investment to support over 130 new and expanded primary care teams that will connect 300,000 people to primary care this year.”

They also announced they are “providing primary care teams with $142 million in operational funding over three years to recruit and retain health-care workers. Funding can be used for non-physician team members such as nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists.”

While this is a promising and important step forward, it is a preliminary announcement. We are still awaiting further details, including which applications have been successful. We will share more information as soon as it becomes available. Congratulations in advance to all our members who have been successful in their applications.


Get an additional 10% discount off UpToDate until July 15

Thanks to our partnership with Wolters Kluwer, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) members will receive an extra 10% off their already discounted member rates on UpToDate®.

AFHTO member savings on an annual (or longer) personal UpToDate subscription:*

  • Professional members save over 20% (CODE: SOCANP10)
  • Student members save over 50% (CODE: SOCANP10)

Simply apply the appropriate promo code at checkout to take advantage of this special member offer.

This limited-time offer is only available until July 15, 2025. Subscribe by then to save an extra 10% on your UpToDate subscription! EDs, lead NP/MDs and board members can log in and click here for the store links.


Measles memo to health care providers & FAQ

Thank you for your continued efforts to support the response to the measles outbreak in Ontario.

Below are the Memorandum and Frequently Asked Questions prepared by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding measles in Ontario. Please share this broadly with healthcare providers within your regions.

For any questions, please contact your local Public Health Unit.


Canada Health Infoway Connected Care Innovation Grant

“The 2025 Connected Care Innovation Grant is an initiative from the Infoway Centre for Clinical Innovation in Digital Health (CIDH), which supports national efforts to accelerate the adoption of healthcare interoperability. Through the CIDH, Infoway continues to drive initiatives that encourage engagement with clinical leaders and learners, supporting the adoption of Connected Care solutions.”

Eligible applicants include AFHTO members and their partners. Deadline July 18, 2025. Learn more


FREE TEACH course – addressing nicotine use in youth and young adults                   

TEACH is launching a new specialty course titled Addressing Nicotine Use in Youth and Young AdultsPlease see the flyer for more information about the course objective. This course will be offered free to a limited number of learners and will be available during the following dates:

  • Cohort 1: July 7 – August 3, 2025
  • Cohort 2: August 4 – August 31, 2025

To help us prepare for the launch, we are inviting interested practitioners to complete a short expression of interest form. Please note that completing this form does not guarantee a spot in the course, as space is limited. This course is not accredited at this time and priority will be given to practitioners who work directly with youth in their practice.

Expression of Interest Form: https://edc.camhx.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=FXL7R9PDNDK7F3W9

If you have any questions, please reach out to the TEACH Project at: teach@camh.ca


Joint Assessment Made Easy: A Musculoskeletal (MSK) Education Course

Self-paced and accessible online through NPAO’s learning platform. Learn more.


Counselling and Psychotherapy in Family Medicine, Sep. 19, 2025 – May 3, 2026

Hosted by University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine. Find out more.


Skin Basics for Primary Care, Sep. 27, 2025

This conference is designed to provide all primary care practitioners, especially family physicians, with essential knowledge and skills for diagnosing and managing common skin diseases. Find out more. 


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