Bits & Pieces: improving vaccination rates is as easy as 1 2 3 and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

Improving vaccination rates is as easy as 1 2 3: helping teams excel

We know that respiratory infection can cause severe infections and can lead to significant mortality and morbidity with lifelong complications and that immunization is the most effective way to prevent these infections. There is an ongoing need to provide timely, evidence-based education to our physicians and allied health care providers to help meet Health Canada’s 2025 goal of achieving 80% vaccination coverage (one dose) of respiratory vaccine among adults 65 years of age and older.

Join us for an engaging 1-hour session featuring three clinical experts in respiratory vaccination and primary care EMRs. The webinar will provide a simple summary of NACI respiratory recommendations, tools for identifying patients within team-based primary care settings, and guidance on next-steps following the identification of target patients. All presented EMR tools (searches and reminders) will be made available following the webinar. Tools will be available for Telus PSS, OSCAR, and Accuro, and a demonstration of their usage in a clinical workflow will be provided.    

Register here.

Expansion of the Ontario Breast Screening Program to people ages 40 to 49

Content provided by Ontario Health

Yesterday, the Government of Ontario announced that the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) will be expanding to include people ages 40 to 49 in fall 2024. Over the coming months, Ontario Health will be providing resources to support OBSP sites and health care providers with this expansion.

Key messages regarding the expansion:

• The OBSP is a province-wide organized breast screening program managed by Ontario Health. The program is designed to encourage people in Ontario to get screened, which can lower their chances of dying from breast cancer.
• Starting in fall 2024, people ages 40 to 49 will be able to get screened through the OBSP at one of the 241 program sites across Ontario. A referral from a primary care provider will not be required.  
• To make an informed decision about breast cancer screening, people ages 40 to 49 are encouraged to discuss the benefits and risks of screening, as well as their breast cancer risk, values, and preferences with a health care provider.
• Ontario Health will be working with partners, including Regional Cancer Programs, OBSP sites and providers, to support expansion of the OBSP to people ages 40 to 49.

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document about the OBSP expansion is attached for your information.

News and updates including updated OCFP vaccine resources and IPAC guidance

• Respiratory and Flu Season: Counselling Kids and Balancing Workload materials – “Changing The Way We Work” Community of Practice session, OCFP and UofT, Oct. 27, 2023
• Updated vaccine and patient-facing vaccine resources- OCFP, October 2023
• Updated IPAC guidance for 2023-24 Respiratory Illness Season– OCFP, October 2023
• Free Flu Shot and New COVID-19 Vaccines Available for All Ontarians Six Months of Age and Older – Ministry of Health, Oct. 29, 2023
• Supporting alternate level of care (ALC) patients with a dual diagnosis to transition from hospital to home – CAMH and HCARDD, Oct. 16, 2023

Seeking contribution to the design of an AI-Enabled encounter module within an EMR

“There is an opportunity to participate in research contributing to the design of an AI-Enabled encounter module within an EMR. This research is being conducted by a PhD student Krizia Francisco from the department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, in partnership with TELUS Health. The time commitment is approximately 60 minutes, and a $20 Visa gift card will be provided in exchange for your valuable time and input. Please e-mail k8franci@uwaterloo.ca if you’re interested in participating.”

VHA Home Healthcare partnership survey

To help ensure positive working relationships and successful partnerships, VHA Home Healthcare (VHA) is conducting their OHT/Hospital Partners’ Feedback Survey.

The survey is anonymous and should take only 5-10 minutes to complete. Please respond by November 13th.

For further information about this survey you may contact Samira Shams, Quality Improvement & Analytics Specialist by email at sshams@vha.ca. 

Canadian Caregiving Summit, Nov. 6 – 8, 2023
Hosted by the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. Register here.

Navigating the HHR Crisis: Learning to Lead Differently to Retain Talent Using the LEADS Framework, Nov. 9, 2023
LeaderShift symposium in partnership with LEADS Canada. Register here.

Sinai Health/UHN Toronto Geriatrics Update Course, Nov. 10, 2023
You are all invited to attend the 11th Annual CME Course, which has been designed to provide primary care providers and other professionals with the latest practical and evidence-based knowledge in providing geriatric care.Find out more.

23rd Annual Mood & Anxiety Disorders Conference, Nov. 11, 2023
Hosted by Providence Care and Queens University in Kingston. Find out more.

Caring for persons on methadone in primary care: Toward safer, more inclusive care, Nov. 14, 2023
Interactive virtual workshop hosted by CAMH. Find out more.

Learn more about E2P point-of-care EMR tools, Nov. 17, 2023
Join E2P during Digital Health Week for a 60-minute webinar on November 17 (12:30-1:30 p.m. ET) to learn how these free point-of-care EMR tools can enable integrated patient care.
Register here.