AFHTO is forwarding a series of important items for providers and patients:

• Cancer Care Ontario to send letters to patients to remind them about screening
• Memo from Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health: Travel related illnesses in Ontario and Canada
• 24/7 Breastfeeding Supports now available from Telehealth Ontario
• RNAO best practice guidelines on Transitions in Care and Interprofessional Care
• Survey for family physicians: Canadian Cardiovascular Society heart failure research

Cancer Care Ontario to send letters to patients to remind them about screening

Starting March 31, CCO is sending letters inviting people to begin screening for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer, reminding them when it’s time to get screened again and informing them of their screening test results. Letters will be sent to the following patient groups from these programs:

• Eligible women turning 50, see sample letter and learn more from the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP)
• Eligible women aged 30 to 69, see sample letters and learn more from the Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)
• All people aged 50 to 74 who have never been screened for colorectal cancer or are due for colorectal cancer screening, see sample letters and learn more from ColonCancerCheck (CCC)

This is a continuation of the Integrated Cancer Screening campaign, launched by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), in partnership with Cancer Care Ontario (CCO). Click here for the Feb. 12 notice to members.

Memo from Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding travel related illnesses in Ontario and Canada

Click here to read the memo which includes a summary of recent infectious disease activity of measles and viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), in addition to clinical features, laboratory testing procedures and infection, prevention and control (IPC) practices for measles which will assist in mitigating further transmission.

24/7 breastfeeding supports now available from Telehealth Ontario

Starting April 1, 2014, expectant and breastfeeding moms will have 24-hour access to Registered Nurses with training in breastfeeding and lactation support, as well as lactation experts through a telephone advisory service provided by Telehealth Ontario. Healthcare providers are asked to share this service with patients. Click below for an informational brochure with details about the new service and how patients can access it:

• English brochure
• French brochure

RNAO best practice guidelines on Transitions in Care and Interprofessional Care

The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) has launched the following best practice guidelines that may be of interest:

• Transitions in Care: This BPG focuses on building on the core competencies and concepts known to facilitate safe and effective care transitions including best practices to support the client, their family and caregivers through transitions in care and in any environment across all health-care and community settings.
• Interprofessional Care: This best practice guideline is intended to foster healthy work environments. The focus in developing this guideline was identifying attributes of interprofessional care that will optimize quality outcomes for patients/clients, providers, teams, the organization and the system.

Survey for family physicians: Canadian Cardiovascular Society heart failure research

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society is launching a study to assess knowledge of heart failure guidelines among physicians and residents. The results from this work will inform the development and refinement of heart failure educational initiatives for residency training as well as for established physicians. The survey is for practicing family physicians and residents in family medicine programs, please share this with physicians.  Click here for more information on the project and to access the survey.