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  • Bits & Pieces: join the IHP Advisory Council, free conference registration & more

    Bits & Pieces: join the IHP Advisory Council, free conference registration & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Join our IHP Advisory Council!
    • Call for applications: patient digital identity, access and authorization
    • How to come to the conference for free
    • IHP Session Leads needed
    • Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17
    • Senior Friendly Care Learning Series
    • Ebola Virus Disease readiness memo
    • Upcoming events including BoneFit and more

    Join our IHP Advisory Council!
    There are two vacancies on AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council, which was established in May 2018 to provide input on team-based care matters related to IHP issues; to give advice and input to the AFHTO board, staff, and leadership council; and to foster leadership across the IHP community within team-based models of care.
     
    We’re inviting all AFHTO-member IHPs to apply! More information and the Terms of Reference are here. One vacancy is a regular two-year term and the other is a one-year term for a maternity leave.
     
    Interested members are asked to complete this application by Wednesday, July 31. Any questions, please contact Beth MacKinnon.

    Call for applications: patient digital identity, access and authorization
    The Ministry of Health invites AFHTO members to submit applications for establishing a public-facing digital identity, authentication and authorization (IAA) service for patients in Ontario’s health system.

    Interdisciplinary and collaborative project teams made up of health care providers, technology providers and community-based associations and advocacy groups are encouraged to submit applications.

    Full details on the eligibility requirements, the submission and review process, and project requirements and deliverables can be found in the Call for Applications document.

    The closing date for submissions is August 9, 2019 at 12pm EST. There will be an information conference call during the week of July 22-26. Please RSVP your interest to attend by July 19.

    Please send any questions to digitalhealthsecretariat@ontario.ca.

    How to come to the conference for free

    Woman jumping over gap

    We have several openings for program hosts. These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca  if you’re interested by Thursday, July 18, 2019.

    We also have a new referral program. All non-members have to do is say who recommended them during registration and the organization with the most referrals wins a complimentary registration! This offer is good until Friday, August 9, 2019. Find out more here.

     

    IHP Session Leads needed
    Other volunteer opportunities exist with the IHP Sessions- we still need leads for these individual sessions:

    • Administrative
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Social workers

    All IHP session leads get a $50 discount on conference registration. Email us for more information.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17
    Presented by Melanie Dugard, CPA, CA, Principal, Grant Thornton LLP, the second webinar in the Financial Webinar series is tomorrow, July 17, 12 noon- 1:00 p.m. It focuses on:

    • Role of a Board Member
    • Ontario Not-for-profit Corporations Act
    • CRA’s Risk Identification
    • Project Corporate tax filing requirements – HST, T2 and T1044 Not-for-Profit Information Returns

    You can register here.

    Senior Friendly Care Learning Series
    Co-developed with geriatric clinical experts from Ontario, on behalf of the Regional Geriatric Programs of Ontario, the sfCare Learning Series supports clinicians and organizations in providing best practices in care for frail older adults, and is a companion resource to the sfCare Framework.

    Available at no charge, the series comprises introductory educational modules for clinicians, along with supporting posters and patient handouts on 7 key clinical topics: delirium, mobility, polypharmacy, pain, loneliness, nutrition, and urinary incontinence. You can join their next webinar on July 26 to learn more.

    Ebola Virus Disease readiness memo
    A memo from the Office of Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding an update on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) readiness in Ontario regarding updated EVD guidelines, laboratory testing and educational webinars has been provided in English and French.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

    BoneFit, September 2019 to March 2020
    The BoneFit schedule has been released for sessions in Sault Ste Marie, Guelph, Ottawa, Chatham and Kingston. Hosted by Osteoporosis Canada. View the schedule here.

    The Osgoode Certificate In Privacy Law And Information Management In Healthcare, November 5- December 3, 2019
    Attend this one-week certification program, suitable for professionals in the healthcare field. Find out more here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #89: Mental Health and Addiction Initiatives in Primary Care

    In this issue

     

    • Mental Health and Addiction Initiatives in Primary Care
    • AFHTO 2019 conference

     

    Mental Health and Addiction and Primary Care
    In any given year, one in five Canadians, including over one million children and youth, experiences a mental health problem or illness1. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada, and one-third of Canadians in need of mental health care report that their needs are not fully met1. Every Ontarian should have equitable access to mental health and addictions services and supports across the province.

    In order to reach this goal, patients must have access to mental health and addictions resources in all health care settings, including primary care. Integrating mental health services in primary care has been shown to decrease rates of emergency room visits and hospitalizations, increase patient satisfaction and outcomes, decrease stigma, and increases access to services.

    AFHTO members have developed, implemented and evaluated a variety of mental health & addiction programs and initiatives focusing on improving access, quality of care, transitions, and integrations. Listed within the document below are some of these programs and initiatives that have been shared at previous AFHTO conferences. The presentations are categorized into three areas: access, quality of care, and transitions, integrations and partnerships.  

    Click here for a listing of AFHTO member mental health and addiction initiatives.

    The mental health and addiction sector is also working to improve access and services through the E-QIP (Excellence through Quality Improvement Project) initiative. E-QIP is a collaborative initiative of Additions Mental Health Ontario (AMHO), Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Health Quality Ontario. E-QIP is working with organizations (including primary care teams) across the province to identify and address quality issues that are relevant to specific regions and organizations. Click here to learn more about the E-QIP initiative and how you can get involved.

    AFHTO, CMHA and AMHO have recently partnered to complete a 4-part webinar series focusing on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives in the area of mental health and addiction. Click here to access the slides and recording of the first webinar. Keep an eye out for dates of the rest of the webinar series in AFHTO’s Bits & Pieces newsletter and QI in Action e-Bulletin.

    Email improve@afhto.ca if you would like to get in contact with any of the teams listed above to learn more about their programs or initiatives. Or let us know if you have developed a program or service that should be shared with our teams!

    AFHTO 2019 Conference

    Here are some important dates relating to this year’s AFHTO conference taking place September 19 & 20.

    • June 2019: Conference registration opens
    • August 19, 2019: Hotel group rate deadline
    • September 4, 2019: Early-bird registration ends
    • Sep 19 & 20, 2019: AFHTO 2019 Conference

    References:

    1. Mental Health and Primary Care Policy Framework. (2016). Centre for Addition and Mental Health. https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/pdfs—public-policy-submissions/primarycarepolicyframework_march2016-pdf.pdf  
    2. Addressing Mental Health and Addictions Needs in Primary Care – Canadian Mental Health Association. https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/addressing-mental-health-and-addictions-needs-in-primary-care/
    3. Michelle Funk, Benedetto Saraceno, Natalie Drew, Edwige Faydi. Integrating mental health into primary healthcare. Ment Health Fam Med. 2008 Mar; 5(1): 5–8.

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #88 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Balancing patient priorities for technical and interactional aspects of care in a measure of primary care quality

    Balancing patient priorities for technical and interactional aspects of care in a measure of primary care quality

     

    Cambridge University Press article published on January 1, 2019

    Authors:

    • Carol Mulder, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, Queen’s University
    • Nadiya Sunderji, Waypoint Center for Mental Health Care, University of Toronto

     

    Abstract
    Aim:
    This study attempts to strike a balance to measure primary care quality in a way that considers what is important to patients, providers and the healthcare system, all at the same time.

    Background:
    The interest in delivering patient-centered primary care implies a need for patient-centered performance measurement. However, the distinction between measures of patient experience and technical aspects of care raises an unanswerable question: if a provider has good performance on technical measures but not on patient experience measures (or vice versa), what can be said about the quality of care?

    Methods:
    We surveyed patients to determine the relative priorities of each of a series of primary care measures in the patients’ relationship with their primary care provider. The on-line survey was co-designed with patient co-investigators. The items consisted of 14 primary care quality measures used in pre-existing performance report, 41 additional indicators including a novel set of patient-generated Key Performance Indicators and 17 questions about patients’ demographics, health and socioeconomic status as well as open-ended questions.

    Findings:
    Despite challenges, the study suggests that this is feasible. We argue that it is necessary to get better at measuring and finding ever-better ways to put patients at the center of primary care

    Click here for the full article on Cambridge University Press

  • AFHTO 2019 Conference: how to come for free

    AFHTO 2019 Conference: how to come for free

    Let us help you get to the AFHTO 2019 conference. Introducing our referral program!

    In the spirit of Ontario Health Teams and the potential for increased collaboration they represent, we’d like you to invite your community and partners to experience the conference for themselves and better understand the work you do.

    All non-members have to do is say who recommended them during registration and the organization with the most referrals wins a complimentary registration! Non-members and members alike can win. This offer is good until Friday, August 9, 2019.

    The AFHTO 2019 Conference, “Health System Integration Built on the Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care”, offers many sessions of interest with topics like:

    See all concurrent sessions at a glance.

     

    REGISTER TODAY

     

    Want another way to attend for free?
    We have several openings for program hosts. These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca if you’re interested.

     

    Other volunteer opportunities exist with the IHP Sessions– we still need leads for these individual sessions:

    • Administrative
    • Health promoters
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Social workers

     

    All IHP session leads get a $50 discount on conference registration. Email us for more information.

     

    And don’t forget, members get 50% off registration. Email us if you haven’t gotten your access code.

     

    westin guest room

    Other ways to minimise cost include:

     

     

    Conference Highlights:

     

    Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.  
    • Transitions from hospital to home
    • Digital coalitions
    • Integrated care for seniors with complex needs
    • Creative expansion of social work services
    • Increasing rural patient-centered care
    • Addressing social determinants of health
    • Promoting and treating youth mental health
    • Building health literacy capacity for patients and staff

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2019 Conference!

  • City of Kawartha Lakes FHT Celebrates grant for Seniors’ Play Park in Fenelon Falls

    Lindsay Advocate article published July 4, 2019

    By Laurie Scott, The Lambton Shield

    Local MPP Laurie Scott participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for Ontario’s first Seniors’ Play Park, which is about to be built in Fenelon Falls. Thanks to the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team receiving a $121,600 Capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation earlier this year, the park is on its way to becoming a reality. 

    “I am pleased that the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team has been awarded a $121,600 grant to build the first Play Park in Fenelon Falls,” said Scott. “By providing a free and accessible recreational space for seniors, this is an investment in the promotion of social and active lifestyles.”

    The creation of a Seniors’ Play Park for Fenelon Falls is the initiative of local resident Penni Holdham. The basic idea behind designing outdoor gyms and play areas for older adults or those with mobility challenges is to help improve people’s overall health and fitness and reduce isolation. The park, located at the Lloyd Kelly Parkette behind the Red Apple, will provide 24/7 outdoor space with activity stations that have no barriers to access.

    “We are very proud to deliver the first Seniors’ Play Park in our area, generously funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” said Penni Holdham.

    The most recent population data available indicates that 50 per cent of people living in Fenelon Falls are over 55 years of age. Seniors Play Parks are designed for older adults looking to safely maintain their flexibility, agility and mobility through use of low-impact equipment geared for gentle exercise while enjoying time with friends. It’s expected that the park will be an outdoor recreational space where seniors can engage in a range of stretching and balancing activities using the onsite, fun and easy-to-use activity stations. There will be no fees or set hours to use the park and all activities are self-guided.

    “We are pleased to help provide opportunities for local seniors to stay active and socialize,” said Mike Perry, Executive Director of the City of Kawartha Lakes Family Health Team. “There are great health – and health care cost savings – benefits to keeping active and this kind of park really has great potential.”

    The City of Kawartha Lakes municipality approved the park to be used for this purpose and will be taking care of its maintenance for the coming years. The park is scheduled to open this fall.

    The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded more than $108 million to some 629 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.  For more information, please visit: www.otf.ca

     

    Click here to access the complete Lindsay Advocate article

  • Owen Sound FHT holds ‘Adulting’ focused seminar for youth

    Owen Sound Sun Times article published on July 4, 2019

    By Patrick Spencer, The Owen Sound Sun Times

    How do I make a budget? What should I cook for one? How do I book a doctor’s appointment?

    A network of health professionals say these are questions youth often ask themselves the first time they leave home – but the answers aren’t always obvious, and they might be embarrassed to ask for them.

    Now, the Owen Sound Family Health Team has created a seminar that aims to provide them.

    “Adulting 101” is a free, one-day learning symposium designed to help young people navigate life away from home.

    “It’s for people moving off on their own who might end up struggling,” said Rona Cobean, program and services manager at the Family Health Team. “We’re going to try and prevent those panicked conversations with parents. It’s a non-judgmental way young people can learn.”

    Cobean said the idea for it came about when another health group in Owen Sound floated the idea of a cooking class for university-bound youth.

    “That morphed into something that focused on more life skills,” she said.

    Participants will learn from trained professionals about budgeting and finances, nutrition, health and wellness, and how to navigate the health care system. Two registered dietitians, an occupational therapist, a registered nurse and a financial advisor will be presenting advice and “life hacks” on these topics.

    “Parents do teach, but kids don’t always listen to their parents as much as they listen to a professional,” said Carol Holland, a registered dietitian at the health team who will teach at the seminar. “It’s not a comment on families that don’t know this stuff, though.”

    She added some parents may not have gone to university or college, and therefore can’t share what the experience was like with their children.

    Professionals can also help avoid the pitfalls of misinformation.

    “We are able to present solid evidence-based healthy eating strategies, where other folks might not be able to. With so much information on the internet, it’s hard to tell what’s good advice and what isn’t.”

    Part of Holland’s presentation will be a hands-on demonstration of how to cook for one in a dorm room. The participants will eat what they make for lunch. The simple, budget-friendly meals will sustain energy and focus, she said.

    Stress-management is another aspect of the seminar.

    Tatum Bell, an occupational therapist at the health team, said in an interview that it’s important people get these skills early in life to avoid problems down the road. Bell will be teaching time and sleep-management strategies, on top of other stress-reducing techniques.

    A member of the Grey Bruce Health Unit will also be present to teach methods of harm reduction.

    Cobean said they hope to take in about 20 people for the first seminar, but if it’s a success, they plan to hold another later in the year for students who are starting in the winter semester.

    The seminar comes at a time when life skills have been on the mind of the provincial government as well. It has been widely reported that the Grade 10 curriculum will include a greater focus on financial literacy, including tasks such as budgeting for the first year of university.

    “Adulting 101” is scheduled for August 1, 2019 and runs from 9 a.m.  to 3 p.m. at the Owen Sound Family Health Team building at 1415 1st Ave. W.

    You can sign up by calling 519-470-3030 ext. 103.

    Click here to access the Owen Sound Sun Times article

  • Bits & Pieces: GoodLife 7-day trial available, summer perks, patient-centered performance measurement & more

    Bits & Pieces: GoodLife 7-day trial available, summer perks, patient-centered performance measurement & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • GoodLife 7-day trial available
    • Summer perks
    • Patient-centered performance measurement
    • Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network – update your knowledge on post bariatric care and obesity management
    • Seeking caregiver input
    • Join the Ontario Quality Standards Committee
    • Upcoming events including Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation and more

    GoodLife 7-day trial available
    Reminder that AFHTO members can save up to 40% off regular GoodLife Fitness rates. The annual Corporate Membership rate is $519, and the bi-weekly payment will be $24.

    At this time all identified members on our ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list as of June 24 are already eligible for the discount.

    To register, please email info@afhto.ca for your membership ID. Once you’ve received your ID, you can register online. For more information:

    On the fence? Would you like try it out before committing? You can get a complimentary 7-day pass at www.goodlifeatwork.com/trial.
     
    Class schedules can be found online and filtered by area on their site.  Pressed for time? The Fit Fix is a great way to get a quick workout in. It allows you to do a full body workout in just 20 minutes! Perfect to squeeze in at lunch or just before work. If you have any questions, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Perkopolis summer

    Summer perks for the whole family

    And don’t forget, AFHTO members are eligible to sign up for Perkopolis discounts, which include travel and activities such as Ripley’s Aquarium, African Lion Safari, Universal Orlando and more.

    Other perks include shopping, movies and theatre. Check with your administrator if your team is already signed up and you can register right away. It’s free to sign up!

     

     

     

     

     

    Patient-centered performance measurement
    “Balancing patient priorities for technical and interactional aspects of care in a measure of primary care quality” – article in Primary Health Care Research & Development, Volume 20 focused on results of a co-designed survey where patients were asked to determine the relative priorities of each of a series of primary care measures in the patients’ relationship with their primary care provider. Authors include Dr. Carol Mulder, former Provincial Lead of the QIDS Program at AFHTO and lecturer at Queen’s University and Dr. Nadiya Sunderji Psychiatrist in Chief, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health and Assistant Professor at University of Toronto.

    Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network – update your knowledge on post bariatric care and obesity management
    The Ontario Bariatric Network is launching a new Project ECHO in post bariatric care and obesity this coming fall. A series of six sessions will be hosted by seven Bariatric Centres of Excellence across Ontario. Join one of their knowledge sharing networks with other primary care providers and specialist from the Bariatric Centres of Excellence to share best practices and discuss cases using videoconferencing technology.  Sessions are open to all primary care providers and interprofessional health care providers, are offered at no cost and are eligible for Continuing Medical Education credits.

    To register or for more information on session details please visit their site or view the flyer.

    Seeking caregiver input

    Baycrest Caregiver Input

     

    Baycrest GEMH is recruiting caregivers of people with dementia who might want to participate in an online learning module regarding medication management and dementia.  Please circulate the flyer and/or email to any of your patients’ caregivers who you think  might be interested.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Join the Ontario Quality Standards Committee
    Health Quality Ontario is seeking volunteers for its Ontario Quality Standards Committee. The committee provides advice on its quality standards program, including on ways to enhance the adoption and impact of the standards. Deadline July 18, 2019.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

    Charting the Future of Primary Care: Leadership, Teams, and Culture, September 11 – 12, 2019
    Ivey Academy partnership program with the Harvard Medical School. Find out more here.

    OMD EMR: Every Step Conference, September 26, 2019
    Early-bird registration has opened for the OMD conference, held in Toronto. Learn more here.

  • Highlights from AFHTO’s Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch (PHCB)- June 19, 2019

    Highlights from AFHTO’s Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch (PHCB)

    This email was sent to EDs, Lead MDs/NPs and Board Chairs of AFHTO member organizations.

    The AFHTO Board had an opportunity to meet with the PHCB on June 19. Below is a synopsis of the discussion.

    1. Ontario Health Teams Implementation

    • Over 150 submissions were received in May from across Ontario. Timelines for the next round of applications will be announced in the coming weeks.
    • The ministry is currently reviewing self-assessments. All applicants will receive an update on the status of their applications in July 2019. Applicants identified to be in the best position to become an OHT will be asked to complete a full application. The first OHT candidates will be announced in Fall 2019.
    • The Primary Health Care Branch and the Negotiations Branch are involved in reviewing all applications to ensure the breadth of primary care is looked at, including the number of primary care providers involved, performance, governance and leadership, and rurality.

    AFHTO will be developing a suite of tools to support teams in OHT development and will be working with our partners in primary care, acute care, and home care to ensure we can support patients throughout the health care continuum. Are there tools or resources you have identified as high priority that you wish you had? Please let Bryn Hamilton know at bryn.hamilton@afhto.ca.

    2. Care Coordination

    • The transition of home and community care services to OHTs will enable home and community care services to be better integrated with a patient’s other care needs.
    • As OHTs are phased in, the ministry may also want to review interim options for the placement or employment of care coordination staff, including primary care settings. The ministry will need to consider labour relations; the capacity of primary care around the province to incorporate care coordination staff into their teams; the coverage of primary health care teams; and the future state of OHTs.
    • The ministry recognizes the importance of integration between home and community and primary care, including the ongoing work to better connect care coordinators in primary care settings through co-location. However, the work in this area is ongoing and a decision or approach has not yet been determined.

    What is happening in your region with regards to care coordination and care coordinators? If there is movement in ‘embedding’ care coordinators in your teams or if there are tools being developed, please let us know at info@afhto.ca.

    3. Interprofessional Primary Care Team Expansion

    • Beginning in 2017/18, $48.8M is being invested to support the creation/expansion of 58 interprofessional primary care teams. Timing of implementation is variable, but good progress is being made. All projects are on track to be implemented by Fall 2019.
    • Space challenges are creating longer implementation timelines for some groups.
    • There is some deviation from the original plans, as anticipated. It will be important for teams to update the service plan if plans deviate from what was originally proposed.

    AFHTO would like to hear from you! How are your IPCT plans progressing? Are there are any tools or resources that you need to meet your timelines? Please let Beth MacKinnon know about your expansion plans at beth.mackinnon@afhto.ca. AFHTO can look at supports where needed and can highlight success stories in our advocacy work.

    4. Annual Operating Plan

    • With all the changes happening in health care transformation, the AOP for this year has been delayed, but it can be expected soon.
    • As in previous years, the 2019-2020 Annual Operating Plan Submission Package continues to focus on integrated service delivery through partnerships and collaboration, increasing patient access, and quality improvement.
    • This year there will also be a focus on mental health and addictions, including questions on the provision of mental health services as the government rolls out its provincial psychotherapy clinical training program, which will be made available to providers in the coming months. More information on that will be shared once details are available.

    5. Budget Adjustments

    • Adjustments were made to 106 family health teams and all NPLCs based on a 3-year line-by-line budget analysis with teams that have chronically underspent (i.e., teams that have sent back money to the ministry each year).
    • Thank you to everyone that let us know how these adjustments are going to impact your teams and if there would be impact to frontline delivery of care. A letter articulating your concerns has been sent to the ministry, and we are awaiting a response.
    • For those teams who do believe the calculations are incorrect or are going to have a hard time managing within their new allocation, please contact your senior program consultant.
    • With your R&R attestation report back to the ministry, please note if your R&R funding will be underspent due to vacancies, individuals not yet at the top of their salary grid, etc. This will ensure the ministry is aware that those funds are earmarked for future use.

    We have heard that despite the budget adjustments there are some teams that may be underspent again this year (i.e., Q1 HR vacancies). The ministry is supportive of those funds being reallocated to AFHTO this fiscal year to help support the G&L Program, specifically as it relates to the development of tools and resources for OHTs. Want to be a project sponsor? Please contact Bryn Hamilton at bryn.hamilton@afhto.ca to learn more.

  • Bits & Pieces: member news, aging at home, palliative care & more

    Bits & Pieces: member news, aging at home, palliative care & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Member news
    • Evidence of value- Healthcare Quarterly articles
    • Bright Lights confirmations sent
    • Primary care virtual community – 10 high impact actions
    • Strategies for managing chronic pain: moving beyond opioids
    • Call for Abstracts – Traumatic Brain Injury Conference, Feb. 7, 2020
    • Upcoming events including Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation and more

    Member news
    Marathon FHT: Marathon FHT celebrates community’s win on Ontario’s most-active list

    Windsor FHT: featured in the second report from the Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine and awarded grant to increase access to outpatient services for individual families affected by substance use.

    Evidence of value
    Two articles published by AFHTO members in Healthcare Quarterly’s April 2019 issue (full articles available to subscribers only):

    Lake cottage at sunset

    Bright Lights confirmations sent
    We hope you enjoyed the long weekend and the deadline extension. We sent confirmation to nomination contacts earlier today titled “AFHTO 2019 Conference: We Have Received Your Bright Lights Nomination”. Please check with your contact to ensure they received this email. If they haven’t received it in their inbox or junk mail, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Photos and/or videos are due Thursday, July 11 with the release form.

    And don’t forget to register for the AFHTO 2019 Conference since we announce the winners at the ceremony and not before!

    Primary care virtual community – 10 high impact actions
    Thank you to the attendees at the June 26 Primary Care Virtual Community Webinar on the U.K.’s 10 High Impact Actions. Dr. Robert Varnam, GP and Head of General Practice Development at the NHS England, delved into lessons learned in the UK to free up time to care, and create better joined-up care.

    If you missed the event, you can join now and receive updates and registration details for the next session, taking place on September 25, 2019.

    Strategies for managing chronic pain: moving beyond opioids
    The Opioid Clinical Primer’s fifth course, Strategies for Managing Chronic Pain: Moving beyond Opioids, has launched.  It’s a new certified continued professional development course on Machealth that helps health professionals in Ontario to best encourage collaboration with patients to use non-pharmacologic strategies to manage chronic non-cancer pain.
    This free course can be accessed online, anytime, at opioids.machealth.ca.

    Guelph FHT annual report
    guelph fht annual report

     

    The Guelph Family Health Team 2018-2019 Annual Report is available to read online. Learn about the work they do to provide patient-guided quality focused care. Click here to view the full report.

     

     

     

     

    Call for Abstracts – Traumatic Brain Injury Conference, Feb. 7, 2020
    Submit your abstract to the TBI Conference held in February. Deadline for submissions are on September 20th. Learn more here.

    ECHO Liver: Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach To Hepatitis C, July 11, 2019
    Join the ECHO Liver evening series as they hold a lecture based on real team and patient cases on Hepatitis C. Learn more here.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    Save the Date – ECHO Ontario Conference, Jan. 31, 2020
    Stay tuned for the conference agenda and registration to open this Fall 2019. Learn more here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

  • Marathon FHT celebrates community’s win on Ontario’s most-active list

    CBC, Thunder Bay article published June 27, 2019

    By CBC News, CBC Thunder Bay

    Town on north shore of Lake Superior is regional winner in national active living challenge

    The Town of Marathon has been named Ontario’s most-active community in a national contest to get Canadians moving more and sitting less.

    The town of about 3,200 people, nestled on the north shore of Lake Superior, claims $20,000 as a regional winner in the 2019 ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge, which asked people to log their physical activity between May 31 and June 16.

    “We were able to accumulate over 1.8 million activity minutes,” said Michele Lajeunesse, community health promotion coordinator at the Marathon Family Health Team. “That’s equivalent to 32,000 hours, and 1,300 days of physical activity.”

    “We did all that in 17 days.”

    Individuals and groups — including schools and workplaces — could participate in the contest. In a media release, Participaction noted a number of events, including Game Day, the Marathon Annual School Pow Wow, and the Children’s Elementary School Road Race, all contributed to Marathon’s total.

    “I think it’s a real celebration of the way in which Marathon, and Biigtigong First Nation, one of our neighbouring First Nation communities, have really embraced movement and physical activity as part of how they take care of their health,” said Dr. Sarah Newbery, a family physician with the Marathon Family Health Team.

    Lajeunesse said the challenge also helped promote the physical activity opportunities available in Marathon.

    “These types of activities are available all-year long,” she said. “We just hope that this challenge, and that this recognition, is going to encourage our community members to continue pursuing activity as part of improving their health.”

    Two years to spend prize money
    Marathon now has one year to submit a proposal to ParticipACTION outlining how the money will be spent.  The prize money must be used within two years on projects that promote active living.

    “Our goal is really just to try to do something that’s going to have the most impact for the majority of our population,” Lajeunesse said. “So, in the next couple of weeks, we really look forward to working with our community members, and our community partners, as well, just to make a decision on how we can spend this $20,000.”

    Click here for the complete CBC News, Thunder Bay article.

     

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