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  • Bits & Pieces: last chance for Bright Lights, member stories and more

    Bits & Pieces: last chance for Bright Lights, member stories and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 27
    • Member stories
    • Memo re unused doses, tracking COVID-19 through race-based data and more
    • Call for the government to implement vaccine certificates
    • ECHO Ontario Autism registration open
    • Upcoming events regarding election strategy and more

    Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 27

    Don’t wait until the last minute to shine a light on your team’s achievements. You can nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award even if:

    1. You’re a small, rural, or Northern team- we have an award dedicated to you.
    2. Your team has already won a Bright Lights Award- you just need to nominate a new program or individual
    3. You’re not sure if it’s eligible- just ask! Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x1200. We’re here to help!

    Two awards also have education grants! The deadline is this Friday, August 27, 2021. Find out more here.

    Health For All c19-vaccines Mar-Jul 2021

     

     

     

    Member stories

    Health For All FHT– COVID-19 vaccines March- July 2021 infographic

    North York FHT- ‘Getting to the last 20 per cent is challenging.’ Why a mobile health team is bringing COVID-19 vaccines to the hidden unvaccinated

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Memo re unused doses, tracking COVID-19 through race-based data and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Call for the government to implement vaccine certificates

    The Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, and the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association strongly encourage all Ontarians to protect themselves and others against COVID-19 by getting the vaccine and call on the government to implement vaccine certificates. Read the full news release here.

    ECHO Ontario Autism registration open

    The ECHO Autism program, at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, is now registering paediatricans, family physicians and nurse practitioners for their September 2021 to June 2022 sessions. Funded by the Ministry of Health, this free online program provides training that will help screen, diagnose, and manage children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MOC credits awarded.

    Other health team members, including occupational therapists and psychologists, are also welcome to attend sessions as observers. For more information, visit their site or email Salina Eldon seldon@hollandbloorview.ca.

    Member Consultation Forum on Election Strategy, Sep. 15, 2021

    The 2022 provincial election is fast approaching, and we need to hear from you! Register here.

    The Canadian/Global COVID-19 Policy Response, Sep. 1, 2021
    Lung Health Foundation & McMaster’s Global Nexus Policy Forum, moderated by Heather Bakken, Deputy Publisher and VP, Business Development, iPolitics.ca Register here.

    COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care Connecting Call, Sep. 8, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health, the webinar will cover some thoughts on the QI evaluation to date, review any new or emerging evidence and discuss the groups needs moving forward. Find out more here.

    ECHO Care of the Elderly (COE): Community series, Sep. 15- Dec. 15, 2021
    Hosted by Baycrest Health Sciences, in partnership with North East Specialized Geriatric Centre. Apply here.

    ECHO UHN FALL Programs, starting Sep. 2, 2021
    Multiple weekly series include Chronic Pain & Opioid Stewardship, Rheumatology, Liver, Concussion and Managing COVID-19. Register here

    Mood Disorders: Comprehensive and Realistic Strategies for Primary Care, Sep. 13 and 17
    Hosted by OCFP. Register here.

  • Bits & Pieces: election consultation, last chance for board award and more

    Bits & Pieces: election consultation, last chance for board award and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • It’s election time! Please register for AFHTO’s member consultation forum
    • Board Award nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 20
    • Ontario makes COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory for high-risk settings and more
    • Federal Holiday on September 30, 2021 – Does NOT impact health care and other provincial employers
    • Seeking family physicians’ input regarding routine screening of patients for poverty
    • Upcoming events regarding caregivers, COVID-19 CoP and more

    It’s election time! Please register for AFHTO’s member consultation forum

    The 2022 provincial election is fast approaching, and we need to hear from you! We’re asking all members in all professions to join our member consultation forum with our government relations firm, Enterprise Canada, on Wednesday, September 15, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM.

    Enterprise will present the election material they’ve drafted, and then we’d like your input. Is the proposed messaging effective? What would you change? What tools do you need for successful local advocacy that we may be missing?

    Please register here to receive your individual join info.

    We ask leaders to circulate this important invitation across your teams.

    If you have any questions, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Board Award nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 20

    Bright Lights logo

    For the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award. Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    And don’t forget to shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by August 27, 2021. Find out more here.

    Ontario makes COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory for high-risk settings and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Federal Holiday on September 30, 2021 – Does NOT impact health care and other provincial employers

    Per Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law regarding the new Sep. 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

    “The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is ONLY for FEDERAL workplaces, such as banks, Canada Post, Federal public servants, etc.

    It is NOT a holiday for provincial employees, such as those working in healthcare.

    Here’s a tip to determine if you are federal employer or not. If you are governed by the Ontario Employment Standards Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code, or the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act; then you are NOT a federal employer and the September 30, 2021 holiday does NOT apply to your workplace.”

    Seeking family physicians’ input regarding routine screening of patients for poverty

    Queen’s University researchers are conducting an online survey study titled, ‘Identifying barriers and facilitators for family physicians in Ontario around routine screening of patients for poverty’.

    Poverty has been recognized as a risk factor for many health conditions, and family physicians may be well-positioned to identify poverty among their patients. They are seeking participants who are licensed family physicians currently involved in or previously have been involved in office-based primary care in Ontario.  

    Participation in the study involves completing a 15-minute online anonymous survey; participants can be entered into a draw for a $100 gift card, as a token of appreciation. For more information, please contact Ashvini Yogarajah at ashvini.yogarajah@queensu.ca or Dr. Amrita Roy at amrita.roy@queensu.ca.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Caregivers And Puppets: The Perfect Pair, Aug. 19, 2021
    Hosted by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Find out more here.

    COVID-19 CoP- OCFP, Aug. 20, 2021
    “The vaccine, virus and in-person visits as we head into Fall”. Register here.

    Health Law: A primer for family caregivers in the mental health and addictions sector, Aug. 26, 2021
    Hosted by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Find out more here.

    ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health, starting Sep. 7, 2021
    Limited spots available. The next cycle begins on September 7, 2021.  These weekly sessions take place via Zoom from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST every Tuesday for 24 weeks. Register here.

    COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care Connecting Call, Sep. 8, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health, the webinar will cover some thoughts on the QI evaluation to date, review any new or emerging evidence and discuss the groups needs moving forward. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: tapering opioids, Bright Lights and more

    Bits & Pieces: tapering opioids, Bright Lights and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Tapering and stopping opioids, Oct. 19
    • AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – nominations now open
    • Updates on aggregate primary care vaccination reports and more
    • Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) changes
    • Seeking input from healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice  
    • Upcoming events regarding asthma and more

    Tapering and stopping opioids, Oct. 19

    Cohosted with ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain and Opioid Stewardship (UHN).

    There is evidence that chronic opioid therapy has a negative impact on patients’ quality of life and increasing the risk of serious complications like opioid use disorder, unintentional overdose, and death.

    Tapering opioids can be challenging to the prescriber and to the patient, and there is not a lot of guidance on how to do it safely, comfortably, and effectively. In this webinar, Dr. Furlan will summarize the 10 years of experience of the pain clinic at Toronto Rehab UHN where she works with an interprofessional team to help patients come off long term opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain. Find out more and register here.

    AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – nominations now open

    Bright Lights logo

    Shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by August 27, 2021. Five awards will be presented this year:

    1. Demonstrating a community response to COVID-19
    2. Small, rural, and Northern teams that have taken care of their communities during COVID-19
    3. Local-level research
    4. Reducing unnecessary care *
    5. Integrated care for older adults living with complex health conditions**

    * Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Choosing Wisely Canada.
     
    ** Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario.

    Find out more here.

    And don’t forget- for the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award. Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    Updates on aggregate primary care vaccination reports and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) changes

    The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has revised the Disability Determination Package (DDP) for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) applicants and developed a new Medical Review Package (MRP) Self Report for recipients.

    The objective is to improve the ODSP adjudication process by introducing updated forms which will be easier for health care professionals (HCPs) and ODSP applicants and recipients to complete. Relevant documents include:

    Seeking input from healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice 

    Laval University researchers would like to assess training and education among Canadian healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice in their clinical practice.
     
    Participants are asked to complete a short online survey of 14 questions, which takes about 10 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed here. Anyone who chooses to participate can provide their email address at the end of the survey (optional), for a chance to win one of three $50 grocery store gift cards. If you have any questions/concerns, please email justine.horne.1@ulaval.ca.

    OHT Virtual Engagement Series: collaborative Quality Improvement Plans, Aug. 11, 2021

    Hosted by the Ministry and Ontario health, this Information Session will be focused on the development and planning of collaborative Quality Improvement Plans (cQIPs). Find out more.

    Applying the Ontario Health Asthma Quality Standards for Children and Adolescents in your practice, August 12, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    NPAO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference, Sep. 23-24, 2021
    This years’ Conference theme is Nurse Practitioner: Innovative Influencers of Health and Wellness. Find out more.

    OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Sep. 30, 2021
    This virtual day will focus on leveraging digital health and virtual care tools to complement the in-person delivery of patient care. Find out more here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #110: COVID-19 Vaccination Reports, Cancer Screening Summary and Quality Standard Placemat

    QI in Action eBulletin #110: COVID-19 Vaccination Reports, Cancer Screening Summary and Quality Standard Placemat

    In this Issue:

    • COVID-19 Vaccination Reports
    • Resuming Cancer Screening During COVID-19
    • Quality Standard Placemat
    • Share your Thoughts on Addressing Patients’ Mental Health Needs as a Pharmacist
    • Upcoming Webinars

    COVID-19 Vaccination Reports
    Currently COVID-19 Vaccination Reports are available to Primary Care Providers in a few ways that are summarized below:

    • Health Report Manager (HRM®):
      • As of May 18, 2021, and onwards, physicians/NPs with access to HRM will receive HRM notifications with vaccination reports for patients for whom the Primary Care Provider (PCP) field was entered in at the time of vaccination. At the moment reports prior to May 18, 2021, will not be sent to the EMRs via HRM but work is being done to capture earlier vaccinations through HRM.
      • As of July 22, 2021, COVID-19 vaccination reports from the provincial COVaxON system are being enhanced with data from the Ministry of Health’s CAPE (Client Agency Program Enrolment) database to match patients to family physicians who practice in a Patient Enrollment Model (PEM). Patients are not always asked to identify their family physician for entry into COVaxON so the addition of CAPE data enables more reports to reach family physicians. If you practice in a PEM, you will now receive many more vaccination reports via HRM. The next improvement OntarioMD (OMD) is working on is a solution to send historical COVID-19 vaccination reports to family physicians.
      • To automate the process of entering these HRM reports into the immunization list of patients, eCE has created a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) (aka bot), which is currently compatible with the Telus PSS EMR. The bot is currently being offered at no cost and with supports from eCE. eCE will run the bot for you so no additional administrative supports will be required on your end. To see a demo of the bot in action, click here. To request more information or express interest in adding this bot to your workflow, please click here.
    • COVaxON Aggregate Primary Care Vaccination Reports              
      • As of July 15, 2021, PEM physicians/clinicians with access to ONEID have access to aggregate eReports from the same portal as the Cancer SAR reports to download a complete list of patients vaccinated up to July 15, 2021. After this date, the report will be updated on a monthly basis.
      • EMR-eReport Patient Vaccination Reconciliation Toolkit were designed to be used with the Ontario Health’s COVaxON Aggregate Primary Care Vaccination Report and are designed for Microsoft Excel, Open Office, and Mac Numbers. These toolkits are designed for TELUS PSS, QHR Accuro and OSCAR EMRs. An FAQ on the aggregate reports can be found here. In addition, an information session slide deck and FAQ document can be found here.
      • Please note, a ONE-ID is required to access these reports. For instructions on completing a ONE® ID self-registration, refer to the ONE® ID CPSO Registration Guide. To assign a delegate further information can be found in the FAQ document here.
    • Clinical Viewers (ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer and Clinical Connect):
      • These reports are available for physicians/clinicians for any time period, however on a per patient basis. For step by step instructions on how to access ClinicalViewers please refer to this reference document.
    • COVaxON:
      • For physicians/clinicians with access to COVaxON, patients can be queried on a per patient basis to inquire on vaccination status.

    For more information and updates on COVID-19 Vaccination Reports, please refer to the OMD page here.

    Resuming Cancer Screening During COVID-19

    Missed the last ebulletin? Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) has created a summary page for your reference on the resumption of cancer screening during the pandemic.

    Content below developed by Ontario Health (Health Quality Ontario)

    Quality Standard Placemat

    Ontario Health wants your input on the quality standard placemats!

    Ontario Health has recently developed a tool called the Quality Standard (QS) Placemat that is a resource for primary care practitioners. The placemat highlights key elements of care for a condition and is an evidence-based, quick-reference tool that concisely summarizes key information from the quality standard and includes links to resources and tools. To facilitate use at point of care, the placemat can be uploaded and used within EMRs for easy access. We have developed step-by-step user guides to help you add the QS placemats into Accuro, PS Suite and OSCAR EMR systems.

    They are looking for clinicians willing to review and use any of the QS Placemats for approximately 2 weeks. After that they would like you to complete a short survey (link below) that will give you the opportunity to provide feedback on the usefulness of the tool.

    Currently, there are seven quality standard placemats available:

    Would you or one of your colleagues be willing to help them test and provide feedback on the placemats?

    If so, please complete the following survey by clicking on the link below.  They would appreciate it if you can complete the survey by August 25th, 2021.

    Survey Link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6387602/Quality-Standards-Placemat-Evaluation

    If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please email Jorge Ginieniewicz at: jorge.ginieniewicz@ontariohealth.ca

    A new Quality standard placemat has been developed:

    Early Pregnancy Complications and Loss QS Placemat—summarizes content from the Early Pregnancy

    Illustration of a woman with long wavy hair in profile, holding plants in her arms

    Complications and Loss Quality Standard, focusing on care for people experiencing complications, such as pain and vaginal bleeding, and/or the loss of their pregnancy in the first 13 weeks.

    Share your Thoughts on Addressing Patients’ Mental Health Needs as a Pharmacist
    If you are a primary care pharmacist, the research team wants to hear from you! This study seeks to examine primary care team pharmacist contributions to patient mental health care and understand pharmacists’ experiences with collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 15 to 20 min survey includes a mix of multiple choice and open response questions.

    This study from the University of Toronto is co-led by Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft, Assistant Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, and Dr. Lisa Dolovich, Professor & Dean at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

    To take the survey, please click on this link: https://bit.ly/SplPharm.

    Upcoming Webinars:

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #109 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – nominations now open! Only until August 27

    Shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by August 27, 2021.

    AFHTO’s “Bright Lights” Awards recognize AFHTO members’ leadership, outstanding work and the significant progress being made to improve the value interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario deliver.

    There’s no better time to show what you can do. Select award recipients will receive an education grant.

    “Bright Lights” Award recipients are:

    • Innovators – making small changes for maximum impact to improve patient experience and outcomes
    • Team Players – interprofessional teams, collaborators and relationship builders
    • Demonstrating Impact – can show how their work is benefitting the health care system

    Awards will be presented at the AFHTO 2021 Conference Awards ceremony, which will be held on October 27th, 2021.

    Not sure if your team’s achievements merit recognition? Never submitted a nomination before?  You can watch this 2016 webinar or view the slides for an overview of what reviewers are looking for and tips for writing a nomination.

    Award Categories

    Five awards will be presented this year:
    1.    Demonstrating a community response to COVID-19
    2.    Small, rural, and Northern teams that have taken care of their communities during COVID-19
    3.    Local-level research
    4.    Reducing unnecessary care *
    5.    Integrated care for older adults living with complex health conditions**
     

    * Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Choosing Wisely Canada.
     
    ** Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario.

    Shine a light on your team – Make a nomination today:

    • Review the nomination categories in advance (see nomination guide pg. 3 for descriptions).
    • Review the nomination evaluation criteria (see nomination guide pg. 2 for details).
    • Complete the online nomination form and send all supporting materials before August 27, 2021.
    • Submit supporting documents to info@afhto.ca:
      • 1-4 high-quality photos of nominees in png. or jpg. format to be featured at the Awards Ceremony on October 27th (Photos should be at least 500 KB in size.)
      • Take a video (30-90 seconds long) with your smartphone and share with info@afhto.ca. We’ll be promoting nominations before the conference, so please consider providing an overview of your initiative as part of your nomination(optional).
      • Signed statement of attestation to release photos for AFHTO use.
      • Any supporting evidence and materials as appropriate.
      • Deadline to submit photos and video is September 9, 2021.

    We look forward to seeing your nominations and recognizing ALL the excellent work being done!

  • AFHTO 2021 Conference: If you have submitted an abstract, please make sure you have received confirmation

    AFHTO 2021 Conference: If you have submitted an abstract, please make sure you have received confirmation

    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild

    We received over 40 poster abstracts for the AFHTO 2021 Conference. Thank you to all those who applied!

    A confirmation email has been sent to the contact person for each abstract.

    If you are part of a group that has prepared a submission, please ensure your group contact has received the email with the subject: “Thank you for your AFHTO 2021 Conference Submission!”. (Please have them check their junk mail as well.)

    If your contact person has NOT received this confirmation, please contact info@afhto.ca by August 6.

    The confirmation email is your assurance that your submission has been received and will be reviewed by volunteers for participation at the conference.

    Final posters will be selected later this month and notifications of acceptance sent by early September.

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2021 Conference!
    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild
    October 27 & 28, 2021

     

  • Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

    Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

     

    Primary Care Collaborative logos

     

    To: Hon. Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health
    Hon. Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General

    Cc: Hon. Greg Rickford, Minister, Indigenous Affairs
    Matthew Anderson, CEO, Ontario Health
    Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health
    Helen Angus, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health

    Re: Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

    August 3, 2021

    Dear Deputy Premier Elliott and Minister Jones,

    The leaders representing the Ontario Primary Care Collaborative across the province write to you today urgently about the ongoing crisis facing Indigenous people and communities due to systemic racism and trauma rooted in colonization. Throughout the pandemic, the challenges of COVID-19 have intersected with other public health challenges and emergencies and we’ve seen that racism can create and maintain barriers – to vaccinations, to people getting the services and care they need, and to healing. The impacts of racism, intolerance and lack of understanding contribute to ongoing trauma experienced by Indigenous people and communities.

    Deputy Premier and Minister, we all know systemic racism is itself an emergency that impacts health. It’s why we’ve seen governments at all levels talking the talk on addressing anti-Indigenous racism in the last several months, particularly as Canada has started to reckon with the full truth and ongoing trauma of residential schools. Walking the walk of addressing anti-Indigenous racism requires bold leadership and courage, however, and taking practical steps with foundational policy shifts that can truly change the systems, organizational structures, cultures and actions that perpetuate and sustain systemic racism against Indigenous people and communities.

    We need to work together to create truly safe spaces (physical and virtual), environments, and the ability for Indigenous people to interact with Ontario’s systems with a reduced risk of racism and violence, and to increase access to health and social care and services across the board. To do it, Ontario needs to mandate and fund Indigenous cultural safety training for all decision-makers and all branches of government whose services and programs interact with and serve Indigenous communities. We need meaningful training opportunities that are created and led by Indigenous people and communities, and which broker the conversations and connections needed to create conditions for healing, safe spaces and active reconciliation. It is also essential – while we support behavioural changes for individuals through Indigenous cultural safety training opportunities – that we also simultaneously work to create change at organizational levels, so the health system not only supports, but encourages and fosters change of practices and policies.

    The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) is in the process of modernizing a made in Ontario Indigenous Cultural Safety approach to health care that will aim for individual behavioural change through Foundational ICS, but which will also work to support organizations within the health system on their journey towards creating culturally safe spaces through implementation of culturally appropriate policies, procedures and practices. The IPHCC Indigenous Cultural Safety approach is focused on supporting Indigenous Health transformation as part of the overall health and social service systems transformation underway in Ontario. We are strongly recommending that you learn more about this program and make this available to your staff.

    By now, we are all acquainted with the stories of Joyce Echaquan, Brian Sinclair, and many others, which speak to the worst-case scenario of racism seen in Canada’s health systems. At that higher level, we also see through occurrences with the recent evacuation efforts in Northern Ontario and reported living conditions that the need for Indigenous cultural safety is as great as ever. Ontario has the capacity to improve how all of the province engages with Indigenous leaders, organizations and populations when action and coordination are needed to help people. We can and must do better, and we know you agree we can.

    Changing minds, hearts and attitudes long term is what many governments have professed to in the wake of the discovery of mass and unmarked graves across Canada. We believe the Ontario government has an opportunity to lead with concrete actions that will truly change behaviours and make an impact with safer, fairer and more just spaces, services and organizations serving Indigenous peoples. Together, we can make a tangible impact in addressing systemic anti-Indigenous racism and showing others the path forward, but we need your support to do it.

    We look forward to hearing from you very soon, and we’re available to meet or answer any questions you might have on next steps.

    Sincerely,
    Leanne Clarke, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians
    Katie Hogue, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association
    Sarah Hobbs, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities
    Caroline Lidstone-Jones, CEO, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    Allie Kinnaird, Executive Director, Ontario Medical Association, Section on General & Family Practice

    See the pdf version here.

  • Bits & Pieces: youth grants, updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Bits & Pieces: youth grants, updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Youth Opportunities Fund- applications open
    • LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!
    • Updated primary care guidance, back to school and more
    • Call for interest- BORN’s Health Equity Advisory Group
    • Free furniture donation – Ottawa
    • Upcoming events regarding collaborative Quality Improvement Plans and more

     

    Youth Opportunities Fund- applications open

    AFHTO members and their partners may be eligible to apply for the Systems Innovation Stream of Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Youth Opportunities Fund, a grant worth up to $250,000 per year for  2 to 6 years.

    • The System Innovations Stream supports collaboratives that are strengthening the quality and responsiveness of systems so they work better for youth facing systemic barriers.
    • Organization Registration Deadline: September 1, 2021
    • Grant Application Deadline: September 29, 2021
    • Information Sessions: August 12 and 17, 2021

    Shocked emoji- top of head exploding

     

     

    LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!

    Today is the deadline! Submit your poster abstract by 5:00 pm!

    Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x1200 if you have any questions. We’re here to help.

     

     

     

    Updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Call for interest- BORN’s Health Equity Advisory Group

    Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario is looking for members of equity-seeking groups with lived experience to join their Health Equity Advisory Group (HEAG). “Equity-seeking groups are communities that face significant collective challenges in participating in society. This marginalization can be created by attitudinal, historic, social, institutional, and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender status, etc.”
     
    The group will provide guidance and recommendations to BORN with a lens on equity. If you have questions about HEAG or this application process, please email Meron Berhe, Health Equity Advisory Group Chair at equity@bornontario.ca. Deadline August 18, 2021.

    Free furniture donation – Ottawa

    Any teams in the Ottawa area looking for free furniture and equipment donations from corporations to improve your office and working spaces? You can join Green Standards’ Charitable Network to receive notifications when furniture and equipment becomes available near you.

    How to Speak with Loved Ones About Getting Vaccinated, Aug. 4, 2021

    Join Dr. Danyaal Raza, Rexdale Vaccine Ambassador Terrence Rodriguez, and Behavioural Neuroscientist Olga Rodríguez-Sierra on having conversations with vaccine hesitant community members. Sign up here.

    OHT Virtual Engagement Series: collaborative Quality Improvement Plans, Aug. 11, 2021

    Hosted by the Ministry and Ontario health, this Information Session will be focused on the development and planning of collaborative Quality Improvement Plans (cQIPs). Find out more.

    Applying the Ontario Health Asthma Quality Standards for Children and Adolescents in your practice, August 12, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    NPAO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference, Sep. 23-24, 2021
    This years’ Conference theme is Nurse Practitioner: Innovative Influencers of Health and Wellness. Find out more.

    OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Sep. 30, 2021
    This virtual day will focus on leveraging digital health and virtual care tools to complement the in-person delivery of patient care. Find out more here.

  • LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!

    LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!

    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild

     

    Shocked emoji- top of head exploding

     

    Today is the deadline! Submit your poster abstract by 5:00 pm!

    Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x1200 if you have any questions. We’re here to help.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Helpful links:

  • LESS THAN A WEEK to submit a poster abstract

    LESS THAN A WEEK to submit a poster abstract

    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild

    Submit your poster abstract- deadline August 3, 2021

    Scrabble pieces spelling 'equity'

    We want your insight on these topics:

    -Building sustainable programs for improved access

    -Navigating complex systems to lead effectively

    -Picking the right partners and integrating care around the patient

    -Innovations in digital health, especially for rural and remote communities

    -How to address challenges at the policy and system level

    -Digital equity

    -Indigenous health and creating care that is culturally safe

    -Treating the whole person in the context of their lived experience

    Colleagues from other health care sectors, non-profits, and the academic community will join, all eager to hear about these and more in our 5 core themes. The deadline to submit for an #AFHTO2021 presentation is August 3, 2021.

    Helpful links:

    All are welcome. Please pass this along to your peers, colleagues and network including those from other healthcare sectors, non-profits, and the academic and research communities.

    Nominate a partner for a Board award

    For the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award.

    Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    Other related updates: We’re currently in discussions with potential sponsors for AFHTO’s “Bright Lights” Awards, which recognize AFHTO members’ leadership, outstanding work and the significant progress being made to improve the value interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario deliver. Nominations will open soon, but members can get started by taking these things into consideration.

    For more information, you can contact us by phone (647-234-8605 x1200) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).