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  • A Joint Open Letter for stricter measures to address COVID-19

    September 29, 2020

    The Honourable Doug Ford
    Premier’s Office
    Room 281, Legislative Building, Queen’s Park
    Toronto, ON M7A 1A1

    Dear Premier,

    Ontario has now surpassed the highest number of daily cases that were identified during wave 1 in the spring. With 700 cases reported yesterday, it is time to look at stricter public health measures to curb the escalation of the pandemic this fall.

    Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and primary care teams are at the frontline of care and many of them were, and continue to be, redeployed to hospitals, long-term care facilities and assessment centres. We support the Ontario Hospital Association and multiple other health and community sector stakeholders with the call for stricter measures to address these escalating numbers before the situation becomes unmanageable. The measures announced on September 25th are not sufficient. Protecting the most vulnerable in the province and conserving the limited health care resources we have should be our number one priority.

    Increased support for schools to reduce class sizes and facilitating physical distancing is essential. Parents must feel safe sending their children to school and not worry about a child’s sickness possibly impacting their ability to work, especially those on the frontlines. To enable schools to stay open and to prevent an unmanageable demand on the healthcare system, temporary restrictions should also be in place for non-essential businesses, such as indoor dining and bars, movie theatres, gyms and places of worship. A return to Stage 2 in regions where numbers are increasing substantially such as Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa is necessary now in order to reduce what will be an overwhelming impact on not just acute care capacity but also congregate settings like Long-Term Care Homes that have already been hit with so much devastation and loss of lives this year.

    Stronger contact tracing and faster testing with increased lab capacity must be priorities, especially with expanded asymptomatic testing in pharmacies. Public communications need to be clearer with direct messaging about what each individual is responsible for if we are to combat this virus. COVID-19 can be managed if people act on physical distancing, practice proper hand washing, and wear a face covering when needed. Social bubbles have exploded and these need to be rolled back to smaller numbers. The health and economic wellbeing for all Ontarians rely on the actions taken by each one of us. Expectations must be understood and enforced across the province and by the province.
    The repercussions on businesses forced to close will be devastating and we all know that many businesses are still struggling today. Government supports at all levels will be needed to help, but right now there is an immediate need to act decisively and return to Stage 2 for those regions experiencing a high number of cases.

    Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and primary care teams stepped up to keep our communities and hospitals safe during the first wave and are prepared to continue to be the foundation, but the demand for that care must be manageable, and at this rate it will not be.

    Thank you for your continued work to battle this pandemic and to support the lives and wellbeing of every Ontarian.
    Sincerely,

    Dr. Tom Richard, President and Board Chair, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

    Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

    Shawn Dookie, President, Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario

    Dana Cooper, Executive Director, Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario

    Dr. Elizabeth Muggah, President and Board Chair, Ontario College of Family Physicians

    Leanne Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario College of Family Physicians

    Cc:
    Hon. Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
    Hon. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care
    Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health
    Mark Lawson, Deputy Chief of Staff, Policy, Office of the Premier
    Heather Watt, Chief of Staff, Minister of Health
    Laurel Brazill, Director of Stakeholder Relations, Minister of Health
    Anthony Dale, President & CEO, Ontario Hospital Association

    See the pdf version here.

  • Notice of the Annual General Meeting- Oct. 8, 2020

    Dear AFHTO Members:
     
    This Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is being e-mailed to the Board Chair, Executive Director, Lead Physician or Clinic Director Nurse Practitioner, of each organization who, according to the AFHTO by-law, is eligible to vote. The AGM will be held just before the official opening of the AFHTO 2020 Conference with our annual AFHTO Bright Lights Award winners.
     

    The Virtual Annual General Meeting takes place:

    Thursday, October 8, 2020
    9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

    Register here: https://events.myconferencesuite.com/AFHTO_2020_Registration/reg/landing
     
    Each AFHTO member team-based model of care is entitled to designate one voting representative for the AGM. The member Board Chair has the right to appoint any person associated with their organization as the voting delegate.
     
     Please e-mail sombo.saviye@afhto.ca to indicate who will be voting as representative of your organization before the Annual General Meeting as soon as possible. The AGM will take place as part of the virtual conference and voting delegates must register before the meeting to receive their package and log-in information. Conference registration is available hereand for those not attending the full conference, a free Thursday morning registration is offered. Please be sure to check the box to indicate attendance at the AGM.

    For individuals not able to attend the AGM, you will also find a proxy ballot which you can submit 48 hours before the meeting with your vote.
     
    The agenda and accompanying reports for this AGM are below. The AFHTO Board will present:

    • The Annual Report to the members;
    • AFHTO’s financial report including the audited statements for the fiscal year 2019/2020; and
    • The proposed acclamation of six Board of Directors.

    There will be an opportunity for you to ask questions and share ideas. You are also most welcome to send me your comments, questions, or ideas in advance.
     
    On behalf of the AFHTO Board, we look forward to virtually seeing you at the meeting.
     
    Sincerely,
    Kavita Mehta
    Chief Executive Officer
     
    AGM documents:

  • AFHTO 2020 Conference: just over one week left to register at the early bird rate

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: just over one week left to register at the early bird rate

    AFHTO 2020 Conference logo

    Register for the AFHTO 2020 Conference before Oct. 1!

     

    Register at the early bird rate to save on registration.  After Oct. 1, rates increase for both members and non-members.

    Group fist bump

    Group discount available until Oct. 1

    Starting today, when you register two or more people, you save 15%!

    Now’s a great time to invite your partners- whether you’re in OHTs or less formal networks, register together and take advantage of this offer. Good until Oct. 1.

     

     

    Register today!

     

    Conference Highlights:

    And don’t forget, members get a deep discount on registration. Email us if you haven’t gotten your access code! Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.  

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2020 Conference!

  • Bits & Pieces: OHT partners & #AFHTO2020, updated symptom reference & more

    Bits & Pieces: OHT partners & #AFHTO2020, updated symptom reference & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Just over 2 wks to the conference- invite your OHT partners
    • Electronic Asthma Management System demo slides and video available
    • BEACON iCBT provincial program – resources & demonstration Sep. 24
    • Updated symptoms reference and more
    • Member access to conference recordings
    • Learning and improvement collaboratives for Ontario Health Teams
    • Ontario Health survey on equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism
    • New quality standard for problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder
    • Submit a nomination for 2020 Canada’s volunteer awards
    • Upcoming events regarding the OTF Resilient Communities Fund and more

    Just over 2 wks to the conference- invite your OHT partners

    The AFHTO 2020 conference is an invaluable opportunity for all OHT partners to gain greater insight into your contributions to healthcare, so invite them to take part.

    With sessions like:

    There’s so much for them to learn.

     Don’t forget to register before Oct.1-use the member access code to get your discounted rate (sent to your team’s leadership)!

    Electronic Asthma Management System demo

     

    Electronic Asthma Management System demo slides and video available

    On Sep. 15 we held a live demonstration of the Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) tool. Video and slides for that demonstration are now available.

     

     

    BEACON iCBT provincial program – resources & demonstration Sep. 24

    BEACON is accessible and effective online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, guided by a registered Mental Health professional, and now funded by the Government of Ontario during COVID-19. Over 80% of participants have experienced symptom reduction and two-thirds have experienced clinically significant improvement.

    If you have any questions about BEACON, please feel free to contact colin.andersen@mindbeacon.com

    We will have a demonstration of BEACON, along with Togetherall and Bounceback Sep. 24.

    Togetherall (previously known as Big White Wall) is endorsed and paid for by the Government of Ontario and Ministry of Health. Bounceback is an evidence-based, skill-building program grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association and is FREE to all Ontarians aged 15+.Register here.

    Updated symptoms reference and more

    Updates recently released include:

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

    Member access to conference recordings

    After our in-person conference, available presentation slides are typically posted for members. This year, to help cover associated costs, we’re taking a somewhat different approach.

    Members will get access to individual session recordings and/or slides for a nominal fee of $15 compared to non-members for $25.

    In addition, all AFHTO members will get free access to recordings of keynote sessions, previously unavailable with our in-person event. Free member access includes:

    • Helen Bevan
    • Matt Anderson
    • Minister Elliott
    • Dr. Jane Philpott
    • And poster pdfs

    Presenters who decline to participate need to do so by contacting conference@afhto.ca by this Friday, Sep. 25.

    Learning and improvement collaboratives for Ontario Health Teams

    RISE & OH(Q) have created chat rooms/CoPs per priority population, patients & caregivers and digital health. Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) learning and improvement collaboratives bring together those actively participating in the development of OHTs with experts drawn from across the province, including system leaders, people with lived experience, and researchers.

    Learn more about how you can participate.

    Ontario Health survey on equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism
    With a lens towards health equity, OH has also initiated a project to complete an equity assessment and develop an action plan to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to address anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. Although FHT and NPLC contracts are currently not managed by OH, we encourage members to fill in the Survey on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism for Health Service Providers.

    This will help advance the vision of a more integrated health system that eliminates health disparities, addresses the social determinants of health, and delivers excellent and equitable access, experience, and outcomes for all Ontarians.

    New quality standard for problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder

    Ontario Health (Quality) has released a new quality standard for problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder.

    For more information contact OH-HQO_QualityStandards@ontariohealth.ca.

    Submit a nomination for 2020 Canada’s volunteer awards
    Nominate a not-for-profit organization, an individual, a group of volunteers, a social enterprise or a business that is making a difference in your community. Deadline Sep. 30.

    OTF Resilient Communities Fund Webinar with Optimus, Sep. 29, 2020
    Learn more about the supports your team can receive to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 through the Ontario Trillium Fund. Hosted by AFHTO.
    Register today!

    Youth and Cannabis Use Speaker Series: Part 2: Panel Discussion: Cannabis use amongst Diverse Youth, Sept. 29, 2020

    Explore considerations from experts working with diverse youth on considerations for health and service providers.
    Learn more here.

    BETTER Prevention Practitioner Training, Oct. 1-2, 2020
    Healthcare professionals can learn how to better prevent and screen chronic diseases in primary care through this 2-day workshop held by the Better Program (Women’s College Hospital).
    More details can be found here.

    AFHTO 2020 Conference, Oct. 8-9, 2020

    Registration has opened for Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world, our 2020 virtual conference! Members receive a significant discount so contact your administrator for your member access code. Early bird deadline Oct. 1. Find out more here.

    Special Interest Two-Part Series Infant And Early Childhood Mental Health In Primary Care, Oct. 14 & 21, 2020

    Attend this 2-part series covering infant and early child mental health case studies, held by CHEO (CAMH).
    Find out more here.

    Annual Toronto Geriatrics Update Virtual Course, Oct. 30, 2020
    The UHN’s annual geriatrics CPD course is now being offered online. Join this one day course for lectures and breakout sessions on geriatric issues and syndromes during the pandemic.
    Learn more here.

    Hearing Your Voices: A Virtual Conference on Compassion and Technology for Patients, Family and Caregivers, Nov. 3 and 4, 2020
    Listen to the experiences of patients, families and caregivers during COVID-19 and make recommendations for a more compassionate healthcare system.
    Find out more here

  • Summer Highlights 2020: AFHTO Leadership Council

    The AFHTO Leadership Council met on September 9, 2020. Below are the highlights from the summer 2020 council meeting; updates on last week’s meetings with the Ministry, Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health; and links to useful resources for triad members.

    AFHTO “Summer in Review”

    COVID-19 and OHTs

    • The Fall Preparedness Guidance Document, which includes the Ministry/OH’s strategy for planning for the second wave of COVID-19 and the roll-out of the flu vaccine, is expected at the end of this week/early next week. The Ministry expects to receive the flu vaccines in late September, and the roll-out to the community through Public Health will start in mid-October. This includes high dose vaccines. With a larger demand for the flu vaccine expected this year, shipments will continue into November.
    • Guidance for Ontario Health Teams: Collaborative Decision-Making Arrangements for a Connected Health Care System was released by the Ministry of Health in July 2020. As noted in the document, all approved OHTs must establish and document a collaborative decision-making arrangement between members. Four agreement templates have been posted to assist OHTs. The templates and more information are here.
    • The OHT webinar with the Ministry on August 5, which includes discussion on CDMAs, can be watched here.
    • On September 3, 2020, the government suspended the September 4, 2020, reinstatement date for layoffs and constructive dismissals. The new date is January 2, 2021. This is when the time periods for temporary layoffs will start and constructive dismissal claims under the ESA will be permitted. More information is here.
    • AFHTO has heard loud and clear that many teams need better virtual connectivity, including access to a larger suite of integrated virtual care tools, increased access to better internet, and WiFi and digital equity for all. This is something we will continue to advocate for in collaboration with our primary care partners.

    Moving toward the next ministry contract

    • The FHT-Ministry contracts will expire in 2022, so now is the time to think about what policy or contractual requirements may need to be revisited to effect long-term positive change, taking into account learnings through COVID-19 and OHT developments.
    • The council discussed opportunities to modernize the FHT contract with a focus on contract objectives, population-based primary care, governance, and health equity.
    • This was just the start of this conversation. AFHTO will arrange discussions with physicians, executive directors, governors, and other leaders in primary care. Your input is critical. Please stay tuned!

    Meetings with the Primary Health Care Branch, the Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health
    Last week, AFHTO had the opportunity to meet with the Ministry, the Minister’s Office, and Ontario Health. These were great opportunities to highlight, once again, the great work teams are doing to help with the COVID-19 response.

    Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch, Ministry of Health
    We had our quarterly meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch last Friday and discussed a number of operational issues. Some highlights:

    • FHT contract: The FHT contract is expiring in March 2022 and work has started to reimagine what that contract could look like. As that work is just starting, the Ministry is not entertaining changes to the current FHT contract at the moment. However, for teams interested in integration, there is a formal process that your senior program consultant can walk you through.
    • Governance attestation review: Over the summer, the Ministry reviewed documents that were noted in the teams’ governance attestation, where many teams submitted copies of governance policies and procedures. The Ministry will be sharing results of that review in the fall, and we will be working with them to support teams with governance.
    • AOPs: While AOPs had a soft deadline of mid- to late-September, there is recognition that EDs are busy as we head into flu season and in preparation for a possible second wave. Talk to your senior program consultant if you need more time. If you are a new ED, you may find the webinar on how to complete an AOP and Schedule A helpful: click here for the recording.
    • Operational funding: Although there is not a pool of operational funding to support teams right now, there are COVID-19 related dollars coming from the federal government to the province. If you have operational requests as a result of COVID-19 that you need funded (e.g. upgrades of IT for virtual care, licenses for virtual care modalities, IPAC in your teams), you can include that in your AOP as a request for the next fiscal year.
    • Quarterly financial statements: It is obligatory that you submit your quarterly financial statements. It is crucial to report Q1 and Q2 accurately and to forecast for year-end to capture any COVID-related costs. The ministry will be using this data to understand the additional cost pressures facing teams, which will be the basis used for additional funding requests in the new fiscal year. To help with forecasting the impact of the pandemic on your year-end budget, you can adapt and use the COVID-19 Expense Forecast Checklist.
    • IPAC supports: Conversations have started to see how we can support the development of a robust IPAC suite of supports and tools for primary care. We are exploring what that could look like. We will keep teams posted.

    Meeting with the Minister’s Office

    • Along with the OCFP, NPAO, and SGFP, we met with the Minister’s Director of Policy and Director of Stakeholder Relations. It was a good opportunity to highlight how primary care stepped up during the COVID-19 response and the critical role our teams played in staffing assessment centres, providing virtual care, and continuing to provide in-person care despite challenges getting PPE.
    • As we move towards integration in Ontario Health Teams, we discussed the importance of making primary care the foundation of the health system integration agenda and the need to expand team-based care, so that every Ontarian can get the care they need.

    Meeting with Ontario Health

    • Along with our primary care colleagues, we had our quarterly meeting with Matt Anderson, CEO and President of Ontario Health.
    • As most of primary care is not under Ontario Health’s purview for planning, these meetings are critical in providing updates to OH about the challenges and opportunities in primary care that can be leveraged to support the transformation agenda – both within the agency and external in the health system.
    • Similar to the meeting with the Minister’s Office, it was an opportunity to highlight the sector’s work and the critical role primary care has played in the COVID-19 response.
    • A few highlights:
      • Ontario Health is undergoing significant transformation as it continues its massive integration of 20 organizations. On September 9, the CEO released Ontario Health’s Operating Model: Patient Perspective and Integrated Top-Line Organizational Structure, which speaks the changes that are underway.
      • With a lens towards health equity, OH has also initiated a project to complete an equity assessment and develop an action plan to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to address anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. Although FHT and NPLC contracts are currently not managed by OH, we encourage members to fill in the Survey on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism for Health Service Providers. This will help advance the vision of a more integrated health system that eliminates health disparities, addresses the social determinants of health, and delivers excellent and equitable access, experience, and outcomes for all Ontarians.
      • For any teams that are interested in starting an assessment centre in their organization, please speak to your local OH regional representatives and start the paperwork to help increase testing capacity in your community. If you need assistance in being connected, please email us at info@afhto.ca so we can help.

    A reminder to register for the webinar on September 29 with Optimus. On the Ontario Trillium Fund Resilient Communities Fund webinar, you’ll learn about supports and funding grants you can get to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Register today!

    And on a final note, don’t forget to check out the AFHTO website, which is updated regularly with COVID-19 tools and supports:

  • AFHTO 2020 Conference: just two weeks left to register at the early bird rate

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: just two weeks left to register at the early bird rate

    AFHTO 2020 Conference logo

    Register for the AFHTO 2020 Conference before Oct. 1!

     

    Register at the early bird rate to save on registration.  After Oct. 1, rates increase for both members and non-members.

    New and updated sessions

    Egret bending its neck to clean its wing

     

    Built-in Flexibility

    Because the AFHTO 2020 conference is virtual, we no longer need to consider room capacity as we would for an in-person event.

    If you have registered for the relevant day, you’re welcome to attend any concurrent session taking place.

    Feel free to switch from one session to another if you discover a topic you’d like to learn more about instead.

     

    Register today!

     

     

     

     

     

    Conference Highlights:

    And don’t forget, members get a deep discount on registration. Email us if you haven’t gotten your access code! Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.  

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2020 Conference!

  • Bits & Pieces: conference panels and on-demand sessions, Kids In Crisis Town Hall & more

    Bits & Pieces: conference panels and on-demand sessions, Kids In Crisis Town Hall & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • AFHTO 2020 Conference: panels and on-demand sessions
    • Kids In Crisis Town Hall, September 17
    • Reminder: COVID-19 ED Surveys end soon
    • Virtual mental health tools – Togetherall and Bounceback demonstrations, Sep. 24
    • Flu vaccine guidance and more
    • Recently published PHO resources
    • Two new quality standards on asthma
    • Reminder-engagement of patients with diabetes via virtual health apps survey
    • Upcoming events regarding the OTF Resilient Communities Fund and more

    Matt Anderson

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: panels and on-demand sessions

    On both days we’ll launch concurrent session panels  to kick off each theme.

    We’re also happy to announce we’ll release an on-demand webcast Q&A with Matthew Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health as part of our free Thursday morning programming.  

    Matt will speak to his vision for primary care and how interprofessional primary care teams fit in Ontario Health’s mandate.

    And we have even more on-demand sessions for you to enjoy, available to anyone who has registered for that day!*

     Register before Oct.1-use the member access code to get your discounted rate (sent to your team’s leadership)!

    *Does not apply to those who have solely registered for the free programming on Thursday morning.

    Kids In Crisis Town Hall, September 17

    Kids In Crisis Town Hall

    The Children’s Health Coalition, a growing collective of Ontario’s children’s health organizations, including AFHTO are sounding the alarm on the crisis facing children’s health care. We are warning the Ontario government that a generation of lives is at stake if we don’t act now.
     
    On behalf of the Children’s Health Coalition, we’d like to invite you to attend the Kids In Crisis Town Hall on September 17, 2020, at 7 p.m. ET. The telephone town hall will provide a forum for mental health professionals, pediatric physicians, front line providers and families to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on our already strained children’s health care sector.

    Even before the pandemic began, 28,000 children in Ontario were on waiting lists for mental health services, 80,000 children are currently on a waitlist for rehabilitation services and over 30,000 pediatric procedures and appointments at children’s hospitals have been cancelled. The challenges brought on by COVID-19 have made a difficult situation even worse.  
     
    We are calling on the Ontario government immediately make substantive investments in children’s health care to alleviate the suffering of more than 160,000 children and families who are desperately waiting for mental health treatment, hospital surgeries and procedures, child development and rehabilitation services, and pediatric home care services.   

    Register today, and help us spread the word on Twitter and Facebook. We hope you can join us for this important conversation.

    Reminder: COVID-19 ED Surveys end soon

    AFHTO, in partnership with the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, wants to understand the initiatives your team has taken on to continue to provide comprehensive primary care during this pandemic. Surveys will end Sept 19th.
    Please fill out the survey here.

    Virtual mental health tools – Togetherall and Bounceback demonstrations, Sep. 24

    Togetherall (previously known as Big White Wall) is endorsed and paid for by the Government of Ontario and Ministry of Health. Bounceback is an evidence-based, skill-building program grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association and is FREE to all Ontarians aged 15+. Register here.

    Flu vaccine guidance and more

    Updates recently released include:

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

    Recently published PHO resources

    Two new quality standards on asthma

    Ontario Health (Quality) has released two new quality standards:

    For more information contact OH-HQO_QualityStandards@ontariohealth.ca.

    Reminder-engagement of patients with diabetes via virtual health apps survey

    A York University researcher is seeking input from family physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners. The aim of their research is to improve practice and policy about the potential of Virtual Health Apps use in primary care settings with a special focus on vulnerable and marginalized patient populations. To provide your input, please fill out this survey. Deadline today, Sep. 15.

    OTF Resilient Communities Fund Webinar with Optimus, Sep. 29, 2020
    Learn more about the supports your team can receive to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 through the Ontario Trillium Fund. Hosted by AFHTO.
    Register today!

    Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Oct 1. 2020

    Join OMD’s virtual care day for providers and administrative staff. Experience the same educational experience as their EMR: Every Step conference. Learn more here.

    AFHTO 2020 Conference, Oct. 8-9, 2020

    Registration has opened for Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world, our 2020 virtual conference! Members receive a significant discount so contact your administrator for your member access code. Early bird deadline Oct. 1. Find out more here.

    Paediatric Advance Care Planning and the Uniqueness of Paediatric Palliative Care, Oct. 7 & 14, 2020

    This two-part webinar series is hosted by the HPCO and intended for healthcare providers.
    Learn more here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #100- Rx: Social Prescribing

    QI in Action eBulletin #100- Rx: Social Prescribing

    In collaboration with the Alliance for Healthier Communities

    In this Issue:

    • What is Social Prescribing?
    • What does Social Prescribing look like in practice?
    • Social prescribing: tools for equitable healthcare
    • Reminders
    • Upcoming Virtual Events

    What is Social Prescribing?

    Social prescribing is an evidence-based plan to address the social determinants of health, with focus on social isolation and loneliness. Importantly, social prescribing reduces reliance on expensive and inappropriate medical interventions and gives patients the confidence to manage their own health.

    Social Prescribing is:

    • A structured means of referring people who visit their doctor or nurse practitioner to a range of local, non-clinical services that seek to address people’s needs in a holistic way.
    • An asset-based approach that goes beyond treating illnesses, recognizing clients as people with a range of talents and non-medical needs.
    • A way to support individuals in taking greater control of their own health and enable them to engage with and contribute back to the community.
    		 A survey conducted with providers from the Alliance for Healthier Communities (n=31), identified 42% of participating providers report social prescribing has decreased the number of repeat visits by patients, and 84% of believe social prescriptions have improved their patient’s health.

    What does Social Prescribing look like in practice?

    Throughout the pandemic, many teams stayed open to meet the ongoing healthcare and social needs of their communities and clients. From your interviews and surveys (still open until Sept 18th!) we heard that the majority of teams reached out to vulnerable patients and made proactive check-in calls to screen for and support health and social needs. Humber River FHT conducted telephone outreach to assess social determinants of health and domestic safety. Central Lambton and Delhi FHTs worked directly with migrant workers to deliver trusted health and social care.
    Social prescribing is a way to capture, formalize and continue this work. It looks different in different communities, depending on local needs and capacity, but generally includes these 5 components:

    Social prescribing components

    How are you using Social Prescribing in your team – let us know! Interested in learning more and implementing in your team? Join us at the AFHTO conference or drop us a line at improve@afhto.ca.

    Social prescribing: tools for equitable healthcare:

    Reminders:
    Responding to COVID-19: Understanding How Primary Care Teams Stepped up to Help Support Their Communities and Patients
    AFHTO in collaboration with Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft and Dr. Catherine Donnelly are conducting a research study to capture the efforts of all our members to ensure no story is left untold. This information will help influence and shape how teams will continue to adapt virtual care after the pandemic, as well as to meet patient needs.

    September 18th, 2020 is the last day to participate in a survey, don’t miss your chance to participate! Please click here to share your team’s story.

    Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey
    The Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey was created to help fill informational gaps to inform future planning and further support the implementation of virtual care in primary care. We also highly recommend you report back to AFHTO to support AFHTO’s Provincial Initiative. To further support practices in expanding and solidifying virtual care in primary health at a provincial-level, AFHTO will be collecting the practice-level aggregate responses to the survey.

    Upcoming Events

    Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – Tool Demonstration Webinar
    Tuesday September 15, 2020 – 12:00 – 1:00 pm EDT
    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma. Learn more about the tool by registering here.

    AFHTO 2020 Conference Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world
    Thursday, October 8, 2020 – Friday, October 9, 2020
    Before 2020, anyone with experience in Ontario’s healthcare system thought they knew what change meant. Now such changes seem almost a lifetime ago. COVID-19 has shifted our priorities with a focus on how to support our patients and our teams in new ways of delivering care. Primary care has risen to the challenge, but the ground is still shifting, and the future is uncertain. In short, we need to rebuild primary care for this new world.

    Register an individual or team for the conference here. Early-bird registration closes October 1, 2020.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #99 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

     

  • AFHTO 2020 Conference: announcing panels and on-demand sessions

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: announcing panels and on-demand sessions

    AFHTO 2020 Conference logo

    Announcing our 2020 Concurrent Session Panels

     

    On both days we’ll launch concurrent session panels to kick off each theme, featuring experts and colleagues focused on helping you cross the chasms inherent in practising primary care in 2020.

    Panel sessions

    Register before Oct.1!

    Matt Anderson

     

    Matt Anderson On-Demand – Thursday, Oct. 8

    We’re also happy to announce we’ll release an on-demand webcast Q&A with Matthew Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health as part of our free Thursday morning programming.  

    Matt will speak to his vision for primary care and how interprofessional primary care teams fit in Ontario Health’s mandate.

    And we have even more on-demand sessions for you to enjoy, available to anyone who has registered for that day!*

     Register today!

     

     

    See the Conference Schedule for the updated agenda.

    Members still get a significant discount with your member access code, sent to teams’ leadership. Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.  

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2020 Conference!

    *Does not apply to those who have solely registered for the free programming on Thursday morning.

  • Bits & Pieces: Updated primary care guidance, governing through COVID-19 & more

    Bits & Pieces: Updated primary care guidance, governing through COVID-19 & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Governing through COVID-19 and beyond slides and video available
    • AFHTO 2020 Conference: concurrent sessions and Minister Elliott
    • IHP Sessions: last call for leads
    • In a time of need: a grassroots initiative in response to PPE shortage in the COVID-19 pandemic
    • Updated primary care guidance, sick notes and more
    • GoodLife reopening- existing rates extended until November 14
    • Upcoming events regarding the Electronic Asthma Management System tool and more

    Governing through COVID-19

    Governing through COVID-19 and beyond slides and video available

    On August 25, we held a webinar on “Governing through COVID-19 and Beyond” to discuss governance at this time of uncertainty and change. It included guidance and advice to board members on resumption of services; what governors should know about OHTs; and where we can go from here to continue to strengthen organizational governance practices and prioritise board efforts.

    Slides and video are now available in our members only section. Please share with your board members.

    Additional tools that may be of interest include:

    Minister Christine Elliott

     

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: concurrent sessions and Minister Elliott

    Concurrent session descriptions are now available– we have diverse topics all relevant to Ontario primary care.

    We’re also happy to announce Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Hon. Christine Elliott will join us Thursday afternoon to provide remarks to our members and speak about the role of primary care in the pandemic response.  Register before Oct.1-use the member access code to get your discounted rate (sent to your team’s leadership)!

     

    IHP Sessions: last call for leads

    We now have leads for most of the popular break-out sessions at the AFHTO 2020 Conference

    but still need volunteers for the following professions:

    • Psychologists
    • Physician assistants
    • Administrative
    • Health promoters

     If you’re interested, please contact Beth MacKinnon today. The lead will receive a $20 discount on their conference fee.

    In a time of need: a grassroots initiative in response to PPE shortage in the COVID-19 pandemic

    Article in the July edition of Healthcare Quarterly about the initiative to address a critical shortage of personal protective equipment in the London–Middlesex region. It involved the London–Middlesex Primary Care Alliance, volunteer administrators, Thames Valley FHT and medical students. Read more here (log in needed for full article).

    Updated primary care guidance, sick notes and more

    Updates released within the last week include:

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

    GoodLife reopening- existing rates extended until November 14
    GoodLife rates for AFHTO members were due to increase at the end of May, but because of closures due to COVID, existing – annual (paid in full) rates of $519 and biweekly rates of $24- have been extended until November 14. Those with existing GoodLife memberships should have already received emails from GoodLife. Phasing updates by region are available on their site here.

    To take advantage of discounted rates, you need a membership ID assigned by AFHTO. Automatically assigned to those on the ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list, these are sent to GoodLife monthly near the end of the month. To get your ID or be put on the list for one, please email info@afhto.ca.

    As of November 15, annual (paid in full) rates will be $619 and biweekly rates $25.

    Treatable Rare Diseases In The Generalists Clinic, Sep. 10 & 17, 2020
    Join Sanofi Genzyme for this webinar on rare diseases such as Pompe disease and hATTR. Two dates are offered for your convenience. Find out more here.

    Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – tool demonstration, Sep. 15

    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma. Find out more here.

    OTF Resilient Communities Fund Webinar with Optimus, Sep. 29, 2020
    Learn more about the supports your team can receive to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 through the Ontario Trillium Fund. Hosted by AFHTO.
    Register today!

    Keeping Pace: A Virtual Conference on Cyber Security in the Public Sector, Oct 1. 2020

    The Ontario Government is hosting its first-ever, full-day cyber-security conference. You will explore current and future cyber risks to Ontario’s broader public sector and more.
    Learn more here.

    Osgoode Professional Development, Oct. 5, 2020 – Apr 28, 2021

    AFHTO is partnering with York University’s OPD to provide members 10% off a variety of health law programs for professional development. For discount code and course offerings, click here.

    AFHTO 2020 Conference, Oct. 8-9, 2020

    Registration has opened for Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world, our 2020 virtual conference! Members receive a significant discount so contact your administrator for your member access code. Early bird deadline Oct. 1. Find out more here.