Member news: recruitment and retention, patient story from a team member and more

AFHTO News

• Recruitment and retention campaign: thank you to all our member boards and staff who have written letters, signed petitions, met with their MPPs and made their voices heard on social media. AOHC, AFHTO and NPAO are now working with the Ministry to figure out the details of this funding, and there is more work ahead with the 2017 market refresh. You can read Ontario’s news release here.

Patient Story from a Fellow Team Member

• Journey through cancer: Barb Lather, Program Manager at Thamesview FHT shares her experience in this video.

News Relevant to Primary Care

• University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy has launched Primary Care Residency program: developed in cooperation with the Centre for Family Medicine FHT, it’s the first primary-care residency based outside of a hospital in Canada.

• Update on NPs Gaining Authority to Prescribe Controlled Drugs and Substances: the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) has released a new Practice Standard: Nurse Practitioner along with other resources

• Medical Assistance in Dying Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017:  the province has now passed this Act which amends several statutes including the Excellent Care For All Act. Among other measures, it provides immunity to physicians, nurse practitioners and persons assisting them, as well as care provider institutions, from civil actions or proceedings for damages, when lawfully providing MAID. You can find out more here.

• Patients First – latest updates available here, including news on the first CCAC transfers to LHINs.

Resources, Reports and Requests for Input

• Health Quality Ontario (HQO):

o  9 Million Prescriptions: report showing total number of opioid prescriptions filled continues to increase, and the opioids being prescribed have shifted toward stronger types

•  Fact-Finder’s Guide to Local & Regional Data: released by Rural Ontario Institute to help find statistics for rural communities and small towns

Conferences and Events

• “Physician Assistants”: FHT’s Best Kept Secret, May 24, 2017: webinar co-hosted by AFHTO and the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants

• QIDSS KTE on program planning, June 13, 2017: registration now open. Travel support is available if needed.

• Trillium Primary Health Care Research Day, May 31, 2017: featuring panel with policy, research, clinical and patient representation on using EMR data for quality care and research and skill based workshops.

• Creating Integrated Addiction Services in Hospitals and Primary Care, May 24, 2017: attend next Quality Rounds Ontario in person or via webinar

• Family Health Team Mental Health Networking & Education Event 2017, May 25 & 26, 2017: post-conference with Dr. Gabor Maté on Saturday, May 27^th.

• Improving Care for Elderly Patients with Depression, June 8, 2017: webinar presented by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), including an introduction to a new research project on the subject.

• Understanding the Healing Brain, May 24, 2017: exploring treatments for brain injury survivors with Dr. Norman Doidge

• Association of Ontario Health Centres 2017 Conference, June 7-8, 2017: registration open until May 19.