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  • Bits & Pieces: farewell Laura, conference registration open, collaborative leadership for OHTs & more

    Bits & Pieces: farewell Laura, conference registration open, collaborative leadership for OHTs & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Farewell to Laura Belsito
    • AFHTO 2019 Conference: registration now open!
    • Webinar series on collaborative leadership for OHTs
    • Renew your membership before June 30
    • AFHTO partners with eHealth Centre of Excellence to advance QI practices
    • Developing cross-sector partnerships: facilitators, strategies and barriers
    • Seeking Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange Specialist
    • Join a quality standards advisory committee on hypertension
    • Abstract deadline for Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care extended
    • Upcoming events including Primary Care Virtual Community and more

    Farewell to Laura Belsito

    Laura Belsito

    It’s with really mixed feelings we announce the departure of Laura Belsito, AFHTO’s Clinical KTE Specialist, as she leaves to join one of our member teams, Women’s College Academic FHT, to be their Program Coordinator, working directly on program planning and evaluation while continuing her work in quality improvement.

    Laura has been with AFHTO for over two years and during that time AFHTO and its members benefitted from Laura’s enthusiasm and expertise in supporting the QI and knowledge translation activities for the QIDSS and IHPs in our teams. She was critical in developing several knowledge translation events and has been the ‘glue’ in furthering our quality agenda.

    We’ll miss Laura but know she is not too far away – her wealth of experience and her dedication will continue to further the quality agenda in primary care. Please join us in wishing Laura our sincerest best wishes and good luck in her new role.  Laura’s last day with AFHTO will be Friday, July 19th – any questions related to the QIDS work can be directed to improve@afhto.ca.

    Rueben Devlin
    <em>Closing Plenary speaker Dr. Rueben Devlin, Special Advisor and Chair of the Premier’s Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway Medicine</em>

    AFHTO 2019 Conference: registration now open!
    Change can come fast and furious, and Ontario’s healthcare system is no exception. With the introduction of Ontario Health Teams, ‘upheaval’ could be considered an understatement. But the fundamentals remain- no matter the structure surrounding them, patients need care. And primary health care teams need to position themselves to provide this care in the best way possible.

    Join your peers from across the province to learn to how you can contribute to better health care for all.

    This includes ‘Ontario Health Teams: What’s Next?’, our session for the leadership triad.

    Visit our site to learn more, including about our opening plenary speaker Dr. Zayna Khayat, Future Strategist with SE Health.

    AFHTO members receive a 50% discount on registration- check with your administrator for the code!

    Webinar series on collaborative leadership for OHTs
    The Community Health Organization has developed a series of webinars called “Building Collaboration Capacity for OHTs.” They’re starting today and rolling out over the summer.  We’re pleased that the invitation has been extended to AFHTO members to join these webinars, and we encourage you do. Dates, times and registration are here.  
     
    We’ll be arranging a series of webinars with OCFP and other partners to support members with practical tools and resources for OHT development that factor in clinical leadership in governance. Stay tuned for dates and times!

    Renew your membership before June 30
    While most teams have renewed their membership, there are a few who haven’t done so yet. Renew your AFHTO membership today to continue your access to resources and supports uninterrupted. We have launched AFHTO 2019 Conference registration and only AFHTO members receive a 50% discount on registration.

    AFHTO partners with eHealth Centre of Excellence to advance QI practices
    AFHTO has recently formed a partnership with the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) to advance QI practices in the field. This partnership aims to equip AFHTO members with electronic decision support tools and change management support during the implementation of these tools. The eCE, in collaboration with AFHTO, will work with teams to incorporate these decision support tools into clinical practice, customize them for different regions, and extract data from the tool. This partnership will allow quality specialists across the province to be better equipped to support their teams’ data collection and reporting, while simultaneously improving quality of care.

    Developing cross-sector partnerships: facilitators, strategies and barriers
    AFHTO is working in partnership with the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) and several other organizations on The Keeping Kids Healthy through Collective Impact project. Developing and sustaining partnerships takes time and effort. In the first of three webinars, the OPHA will share the results of a primary study conducted to understand the facilitators, strategies and barriers when working in a cross-sector partnership. There will also be time for open discussion.

    You can register here for the first webinar on June 25.

    Seeking Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange Specialist
    Reporting to the CEO, the Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE) Specialist will be responsible for facilitating sharing of the rapidly expanding body of knowledge about quality improvement (QI) and decision support (DS) among AFHTO members, primarily via QIDSS and QIDSS-like individuals, clinicians, and administrators. Deadline June 28, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.

    Find out more about the role here.

    Join a quality standards advisory committee on hypertension
    Health Quality Ontario is seeking volunteers to help develop a new quality standard outlining what quality care looks like for hypertension.
    They’re taking applications from people who have hypertension, their family members, health care professionals, community service providers and researchers from across Ontario. Deadline June 21.

    Abstract deadline for Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care extended
    The deadline to submit a poster for this Nov. 16 conference has been extended to July 5. The theme is health equity.

    You can submit here.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, June 26, 2019
    Attend the second webinar held by AFHTO, OCFP and The Change Foundation. This time, the focus is on the 10 High Impact Actions created in the UK, and the possibilities in Ontario. 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.

    The Power of Partnership: Reducing Hallway Health Care, Enhancing The Patient Experience, June 26, 2019
    This webinar focuses on how partnerships helped create better health outcomes during the growing demands around hospital services. Held by HQO, SE Health and Trillium Health Partners. 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.

  • Espanola and Area FHT’s Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic Grand Opening

     

    Manitoulin Expositor article published June 12, 2019

    By Press Release, Manitoulin Expositor

    Increasing Access and Coordination of Addiction Treatment for People in Espanola

    June 11, 2019 – People in the Espanola area are now receiving more timely medical treatment for substance use disorders closer to home.

    The Espanola Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, based in the Espanola and Area Family Health Team, had its grand opening on Tuesday to introduce patients and partners to its location on the Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre campus as well as to share information about the service. The clinic provides expedited, barrier-free treatment for patients who have a substance use disorders, particularly with alcohol or opioid use.

    The RAAM clinic is part of the North East Local Health Integration Network’s (North East LHIN) Regional Opioid Strategy, designed to meet the rising rates of opioid use disorder, accidental overdoses, hospitalizations, and hospital emergency room visits across Northeastern Ontario. The strategy was developed by the Regional Mental Health and Addiction Advisory Council which continues to work with local mental health and addiction planning tables across the region to support implementation, ensuring Northerners have timely and equitable access to care.

    How the Espanola RAAM Clinic Works

    The RAAM clinic is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, weekdays; it welcomes walk-ins or calls to find out more about its services (705-862-7991 ext. 4245). No referral is necessary, although referrals from doctors, nurses, social workers, addiction counselors, and community providers are certainly accepted. Patients will be seen by an Addiction Worker within 24-48 hours after calling the clinic or after referral. They will then be seen by the Addiction Specialist to create and implement a treatment and medication plan. Through the RAAM clinic, patients can also access addiction counselling, case management and receive assistance in securing residential treatment services. 

    The RAAM model is designed to initiate therapy for Substance Use Disorders, primarily opioid or alcohol use, and then transition clients to the most appropriate ongoing care provider. It is not intended to replace or duplicate the care provided by a primary care provider.

    Espanola’s RAAM clinic is unique in that it is based on a strong collaboration between the Family Health Team and the hospital, as well as the Espanola & Area Mental Health / Addictions Community of Care Planning Network made up of more than 20 agencies.

    The North East LHIN’s Strategy uses a “hub and spoke” model, in which larger RAAM Clinics are located within each sub-region’s urban centre (the hub) with links (spokes) to outlying areas. The Espanola RAAM Clinic is a “spoke” site connected to a hub in Sudbury, operated by Health Sciences North.

     

    Click here to view the complete Manitoulin Expositor article.

  • Want more eyes on your program or team? Submit a “Bright Lights” nomination!

    Want more eyes on your program or team? Submit a “Bright Lights” nomination!

    Nominate your team, partnership or colleague for a Bright Lights Award
    and gain your biggest audience ever.

     

    The AFHTO 2019 Conference Awards ceremony, which will be held at lunchtime on September 19, 2019. Open to all attendees at the AFHTO 2019 Conference, this is an audience about three times larger than past awards dinners. Marathon CBC profile

     

     

    Past winners have also:

    • Gotten media coverage
    • Been presented as shining examples with local and provincial political leaders
    • Been profiled in Health Quality Ontario’s Quorum and social media, with 3,775 views total on Quorum alone

     

     

     

    Bright Lights tweet

    It’s also an opportunity to raise your profile even if you don’t win. Nominations are some of the best resources we use to publicise your work with external stakeholders and the public at large.

     

     

     

     

    You can:

    • Nominate your own team –you should be proud of your own work.
    • Apply even if you didn’t send in an #AFHTO2019 abstract.
    • Nominate your initiative if you’re not an AFHTO member but work in partnership with one.

    For more information regarding eligibility please visit our site.

    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.

    And don’t forget- some award recipients will receive an education grant valued at $1,250.

    There will also be special recognition for underrepresented teams. You could win an award for your contributions to Ontario’s healthcare system. The winner(s) will be selected based on the strength of their nomination to one of the six categories.

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

    For more information, you can visit the Bright Lights webpage.

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

  • Bits & Pieces: NP funding program, OHT webinar, Ministry updates & more

    Bits & Pieces: NP funding program, OHT webinar, Ministry updates & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Ontario primary health care nurse practitioner program funding update
    • Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspective
    • Ministry updates and related news
    • OMA information webinar on Ontario Health Teams
    • LeaderShift Conference July 11
    • Seeking physiotherapists’ input
    • NP Patient Choice Award
    • ECHO complex patient management needs assessment survey
    • Environmental scan of social determinants of health and equity in primary care
    • Upcoming events including Primary Care Virtual Community and more

    Ontario primary health care nurse practitioner program funding update
    We have received notice from the Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program that it has received confirmation from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that the program will be funded for a period of two years.

    This will allow the nine universities participating in the program to continue to provide high quality education for students in a fully distributed model across Ontario (in both English and French), accepting an additional 200 students into the schools.

    Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspectiveOHT webinar june 2019
    Last week’s webinar with Karima Kanani from Miller Thomson LLP reviewed primary care as a key component for Ontario Health Teams, and how this health system reform will impact AFHTO members. Key features of the Connecting Care Act were discussed, as well as OHT requirements, the role of primary care in OHTs, and tips for proactive planning. The presentation and recording are now on our website.

     

    Ministry updates and related news
    Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019: On June 5th, the government introduced legislation that would allow them to manage public sector compensation growth – the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019. The legislation is undergoing public consultations over the summer with the opportunity to provide feedback to the government on the Act.  

    At first glance this appears to be focusing on managing environments with collective agreements, but we know that there are some concerns about the potential impact on our teams, especially in relation to the rollout of next year’s R&R funding. We hope to have a briefing over the summer to get more details and will pass them along when we have more answers.

    Ontario Health Teams Timelines Extended: due to the large volume of self assessment submissions, the timelines for the Ontario Health Teams has been extended

    Assessment process    Dates
    Open call for self-assessments    April 3, 2019
    Deadline to submit self-assessments    May 15, 2019
    Selected groups will be invited to submit a full application    Early July 2019
    Deadline to submit full applications    September 2019
    Announce Ontario Health Team candidates    Fall 2019
    Deadline for Second Round of self-assessments     Fall 2019

    OMA information webinar on Ontario Health Teams
    The OMA is hosting an information webinar on OHTs tonight – the webinar will be led by Dr. Jim Wright, Chief, Economics, Policy & Research, who will be joined by Dara Laxer, Executive Director, Economics, Policy and Research, Jennifer Gold, Director, Legal & Governance and Sarah Hutchinson, OntarioMD, Chief Executive Officer. There will be a presentation providing updates on OHTs followed by questions.

    When: Jun 11, 2019 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
    Register in advance.

    LeaderShift Conference July 11

    Leadershift conference

    The LeaderShift Conference is fast approaching and will welcome the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Honourable Christine Elliott. See the schedule at a glance and register here.

    Seeking physiotherapists’ input
    Do you practice as a physiotherapist in a primary health care organization in Ontario (e.g. family health team, community health centre, etc.)? Consider completing this brief survey being led by researchers at Queen’s University. It seeks to describe the current state of physiotherapy integration in primary health care organizations in Ontario. You’ll have a chance to enter a random draw to win a $100 gift-card after completing the survey.

    NP Patient Choice Award
    Nominations for NPAO’s NP Patient Choice Award are submitted by patients, based on
    their description of their nurse practitioner’s professional qualities, approach to patient care and specific stories of dedication and how the nurse practitioner has made a difference in their lives or the lives
    of others. You can post this flyer to encourage patients to submit a nomination. Deadline June 21, 2019.

    ECHO complex patient management needs assessment survey
    Project ECHO Complex Patient Management focuses on helping family physicians and nurse practitioners manage complexity in primary care, particularly where there is a need to integrate physical and mental health guidelines to prioritize care issues, or mental health concerns that are complicated by physical health concerns. Sessions take place via videoconference.

    Help define the educational supports and curriculum that matter to you. Your responses to this short survey will help create the curriculum for the weekly ECHO-CPM sessions here.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lucy.Trojanowski@camh.ca.

    Environmental scan of social determinants of health and equity in primary care
    Dr. Gary Bloch, St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT and Inner City FHT, is carrying out an environmental scan of primary care-based interventions into health inequities and the social determinants of health in Canada.

    Visit our site to find out how you can participate.

    For Patients: A Skill-Building Webinar on The Habits of Highly Effective Patient Partners, June 12, 2019
    In this webinar, HQO will cover how patients can effectively contribute as patient partners in Ontario’s healthcare system. Learn more here.

    Mental health and addiction QI collaborative webinar, June 13, 2019
    Join CMHA, AMHO, and AFHTO for a 4-part webinar series on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives with a focus on mental health and addictions. Register here for the first webinar.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, June 26, 2019
    Attend the second webinar held by AFHTO, OCFP and The Change Foundation. This time, the focus is on the 10 High Impact Actions created in the UK, and the possibilities in Ontario. 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.

  • AFHTO 2019 Conference: Registration now live

    AFHTO 2019 Conference: Registration now live

    Registration now open for the AFHTO 2019 Conference!

    AFHTO 2019 CONFERENCE LOGO

    Change can come fast and furious, and Ontario’s healthcare system is no exception. With the introduction of Ontario Health Teams, ‘upheaval’ could be considered an understatement. But the fundamentals remain- no matter the structure surrounding them, patients need care. And primary health care teams need to position themselves to provide this care in the best way possible.

    ‘Integration’ may be the word of the day, but primary care teams already embody it. At AFHTO’s 2019 Conference over 800 primary care providers, interprofessional health care providers, patients and community partners will explore how comprehensive care creates the patient medical home.

    Evidence shows this home is the best foundation for a high-performing health system, so together we’ll tackle how teams can provide truly patient-centred care and value for all Ontarians.

     

    See the full Conference Schedule here. For general information, you can visit our conference page.  

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

  • environmental scan of social determinants of health and equity in primary care

    Hi:

    I am currently carrying out an environmental scan of primary care-based interventions into health inequities and the social determinants of health in Canada. I am working with a student, Nazeefah Laher, to compile a list of primary care providers engaged in this work.

    If you are a primary care provider and you feel you are engaged in work that directly intervenes into the social determinants of health or is aimed at reducing health inequities, I would hugely appreciate it if you could answer the following questions for us (if easier Nazeefah would be happy to connect by phone):

     

    • Briefly describe the work you are doing to intervene into the social determinants of health or work targeted at reducing health inequities.
    • Where do you practice?
    • What is your practice model (i.e. interdisciplinary team, academic, solo practice, etc.)?
    • Are you interested in being part of a community and ongoing discussion related to this work?
    • If you are interested in being part of an ongoing community, in what area(s)?  (Put an X beside all that apply)
      • Clinical based interventions
      • Research
      • Education (undergrad, postgrad, continuing professional development)
      • Advocacy and social policy development
    • Please provide the name and contact information (email preferable) of anyone else you know is involved in this work?
    • What’s the best email address to reach you at in the future?

    Please send your reply to Nazeefah Laher at laher.nazeefah@gmail.com, and please do not reply all :).

    Thank you!

    Gary

    Gary Bloch
    Family Physician, St. Michael’s Hospital and Inner City Health Associates
    Associate Professor, University of Toronto
    2018-19 AMS Phoenix Fellow

  • Northeastern Manitoulin FHT Pharmacist receives Patient Impact Award

    Manitoulin Expositor article published June 5, 2019

    By Expositor Staff, Manitoulin Expositor

     

    TORONTO – Little Current resident and pharmacist Diane Meehan has received the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA)’s Patient Impact of the Year Award. Ms. Meehan will receive her award at Pharmacy Experience Pharmacie (PxP) 2019 – a joint conference hosted by OPA and the Canadian Pharmacists Association in Toronto from June 3-5.

    This award is unique in that it is presented to a pharmacist  nominated by a patient or non-pharmacist colleague. The nomination is based on an outstanding commitment to delivering quality patient care and customer service, and for having a lasting impact on patient outcomes or community health and wellness. 

    “Diane has exemplified what it looks like to care for your profession and your community in tangible ways,” said Bill Wilson, interim CEO of OPA. “Her work in Northern Ontario has helped make quality pharmacy and healthcare council more accessible, which has earned her this recognition and award.”

    After completing her education in southern Ontario and BC, Ms. Meehan returned to Northern Ontario and worked in community pharmacy before buying the Island IDA Pharmacy in Little Current in 1994. She then worked with Wiikwemkoong to open the Mnis IDA Pharmacy. During that time, she was a consultant for the Manitoulin Health Centre, Manitoulin Centennial Manor and the Wikwemikong Nursing Home. In 2004, she sold her stores and worked as a locum pharmacist before working part-time for the Northeastern Manitoulin Family Health Team and the Edgewater Pharmacy in Little Current. 

    In her role with the Northeastern Manitoulin Family Health Team, she works with medical learners from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and mentors PharmD candidate students on a six-month placement each year. She has also dedicated her career to continuing education and has obtained various certificates offered by OPA and certification in geriatric pharmacy, asthma education, respiratory education, smoking cessation and, most recently, the International Society of Travel Medicine Certificate in Travel Health. 

    Ms. Meehan has also volunteered in the community, including being on the executive of the nursery school, parents’ council of the local school and implementing a greening program for the school to plant trees sponsored by local businesses. 

    OPA’s annual awards ceremony recognizes the significant contributions being made by individuals in the pharmacy profession throughout Ontario.

     

    Click here to view the complete Manitoulin Expositor article.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #88: Palliative Care Matters

    In this issue

     

    • Resources to support your team’s palliative care services
    • AFHTO 2019 conference
    • Stay tuned for resources to support your team’s QIP!

    Palliative care, why does it matter?
    Palliative Care is the broad approach to providing comfort and dignity for patients and families who are living with or are at risk of developing a life-threatening illness2. Earlier integration of palliative care may provide benefits for both the patients and the health system. Some evidence shows those who receive palliative care earlier on are less likely to visit emergency room departments frequently or receive aggressive treatment at the end of life4. Palliative care can also lead to better quality of life throughout the entire process from the time of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness1.

    Why do we need to improve? Less than 60% of Ontarians in their last year of life receive palliative care and about half of patients in their last 30 days of life receive home care services. Despite patients’ preference to die at home with appropriate support, more than half of the deaths in Ontario occur in hospitals3.

    Providers can be better prepared by knowing patient preferences and wishes through advance care planning. Advance care planning can have many benefits for both palliative and non-palliative patients7. Earlier research indicates that patients who have end-of-life conversations are much more likely to be satisfied with their care, will require fewer aggressive interventions at the end of life, and reduce anxiety and strain on caregivers6. Advance care planning can start early on and be apart of normal care delivery in primary care.  

    Resources to support your teams palliative care services:

    Teams will receive evidence, tools and supports to integrate knowledge into practice, access to staff facilitators to support team coordination and collaboration, and coaching to provide customized strategies to local barriers. To receive these supports, contact your Regional Palliative Care Network. If you’re not sure who the contacts are, please email info@ontariopalliativecarenetwork.ca.

    Learn more about palliative care initiatives in AFHTO member teams:

    Email improve@afhto.ca if you would like to get in contact with any of the teams above to learn more about their programs.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference

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

    • May 30, 2019: Call for Bright Lights nominations
    • 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

    Stay Tuned for Resources to Support your Team’s QIP!

    The 2019/20 QIPs have been submitted and are available on the QIP navigator for review. You can search the 2019/20 QIPs using QIP Query or download any organization’s QIP using Download QIPs.

    Stay tuned for resources and tools AFHTO will be providing to help teams once emerging themes are identified.

    References:

    1. Zimmermann C, Swami N, Krzyzanowska M, Hannon B, Leighl N, Oza A, et al. Early palliative care for patients with advanced cancer: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2014; 383:1721-30.
    2. Palliative Care at the End of Life. Health Quality Ontario. (2016). https://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/documents/system-performance/palliative-care-report-en.pdf
    3. Ontario Palliative Care Network. Regional profiles tool: describing Ontario decedents’ service use in their last year of life. Version 2.0. Toronto: The Network; 2018.
    4. More Canadians could benefit from palliative care. Canadian Institute for Health Information. https://www.cihi.ca/en/more-canadians-could-benefit-from-palliative-care
    5. Cancer Care Ontario. (2016) Advance Care Planning Toolkit. https://www.cancercareontario.ca/sites/ccocancercare/files/assets/CCOAdvancedCareToolkit.pdf
    6. Speak Up. (2014). HAVE YOU HAD THE TALK? 55% OF CANADIANS HAVE NOT. http://www.advancecareplanning.ca/acp-news/2014-acp-news-release/
    7. CFPC. Guide to Advance Care Planning Discussions Developed by Residents for Residents. (https://www.cfpc.ca/uploadedFiles/Directories/Sections/Section_of_Residents/ACP-GIFT-1pager.pdf

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #87 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: GoodLife launch, Bright Lights nominations, CCO transition to FIT & more

    Bits & Pieces: GoodLife launch, Bright Lights nominations, CCO transition to FIT & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • GoodLife program launch
    • Bright Lights Awards nominations now open
    • Reminder- CCO transition to fecal immunochemical test June 24
    • HQO patient partnering guide
    • Primary Care Virtual Community- Apr. 25 summary
    • CAMH opioid de-implementation project update
    • Canada’s Volunteer Awards call for nominations
    • Upcoming events regarding mental health and addiction QI collaboration and more

    GoodLife program launch
    AFHTO members can now save up to 40% off regular GoodLife Fitness rates. The annual Corporate Membership rate is $519, and the bi-weekly payment will be $24. For this first phase, all identified members on our ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list as of May 23 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.

    Any identified member added to ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list after May 23 will be assigned member IDs on a monthly basis. For more information:

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

    Bright Lights Awards nominations now open
    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. Find out how you can nominate an outstanding team or individual here. Deadline June 28, 2019.

    Reminder- CCO transition to fecal immunochemical test June 24
    Cancer Care Ontario through its ColonCancerCheck (CCC) screening program is transitioning to the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as the recommended screening test for people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer. The guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) will no longer be used in the CCC program. The FIT will be available through the CCC program on June 24, 2019. For more information on the implementation of the FIT including eligibility criteria, please visit the FIT Resource Hub.

    HQO patient partnering guideHQO patient partnering guide
    Are you starting a new quality improvement project at your organization? Have you included patient partners in the process? To get the most out of partnering with patients, read Health Quality Ontario’s new guide that addresses some common challenges. It’s based on advice and best practices used by health care professionals and patient partners across the province. For even more tools and resources to better integrate patient partnering into your work, explore their Hub.

     

    Primary Care Virtual Community- Apr. 25 summary
    primary care virtual communityIn the Apr. 25 session Dr. Robert Varnam, GP and Head of General Practice Development at NHS England, shared his learning on the journey that the UK underwent in health system transformation where primary care was at the center of reforms. The community was engaged on how the learning can be applied within Ontario. The links to the summary and video are on our site.

    The next session will be June 26.

     

     

    CAMH opioid de-implementation project update
    On behalf of our partners at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), we’d like to provide you with an update about the Opioid De-Implementation Project, an initiative which aims to improve opioid stewardship and non-palliative pain management by identifying and replacing low-value clinical practices with high-value, evidence-based approaches (a process known as de-implementation).

    As part of the initiative, CAMH will be offering an electronic pathway that will to guide practitioners to assess a range of patient/client domains, including pain severity and interference, current pain treatments, physical and mental health, and substance use. This information will help to identify the risk of opioid overdose or dependence, and based on these risks, will offer recommendations to support shared care decision-making during treatment planning.

    If you’re interested in participating in this project, please contact opioid.project@camh.ca.

    Canada’s Volunteer Awards call for nominations

    canada volunteer awards

    The call for nominations for Canada’s Volunteer Awards is now open. You’re invited to nominate a not-for-profit organization, an individual, a group, a social enterprise or a business that is making a difference in their community to receive an award. Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony, and each recipient gets to choose a not for profit organization to receive a grant of $5,000 (regional award) or $10,000 (national award).
    For more information, please visit their site or call 1-877-825-0434. Deadline June 21, 2019.

    Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspective, June 5, 2019
    Lunch and learn session specifically for AFHTO members, hosted in partnership with Karima Kanani (Partner at Miller Thomson LLP). Register here.

    Mental health and addiction QI collaborative webinar, June 13, 2019
    Join CMHA, AMHO, and AFHTO for a 4-part webinar series on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives with a focus on mental health and addictions. Register here for the first webinar.

    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.

    For Patients: A Skill-Building Webinar on The Habits of Highly Effective Patient Partners, June 12, 2019
    In this webinar, HQO will cover how patients can effectively contribute as patient partners in Ontario’s healthcare system. Learn more here.

  • Cancer Care Ontario transitioning to fecal immunochemical test

    Message on behalf of Cancer Care Ontario.
     
    Cancer Care Ontario through its ColonCancerCheck (CCC) screening program is transitioning to the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as the recommended screening test for people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer. The guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) will no longer be used in the CCC program.
     
    The FIT will be available through the CCC program on June 24, 2019. With the transition to FIT, please direct participants without a primary care provider to contact Telehealth Ontario to obtain a FIT kit.

    The PIN – 93899960 – for Ontario Drug Benefit claims submission of a gFOBT kit distributed from a community pharmacy and billed through the Health Network System will be discontinued on June 23, 2019 at midnight.

    Once FIT becomes available, laboratory providers will arrange the removal of unused CCC gFOBT kits from pharmacies. Current CCC gFOBT requisitions used by pharmacies will be discontinued after the FIT becomes available. Patients who do not have a primary care provider can continue to contact Telehealth Ontario to obtain a FIT kit.

    Telehealth can be reached: Toll-free: 1-866-797-0000 or Toll-free TTY: 1-866-797-0007.

    For more information on the implementation of the FIT including eligibility criteria, please visit the FIT Resource Hub at https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/fit-resource-hub

    Additional Information:
     

    For pharmacies: Please call ODB Pharmacy Help Desk at: 1-800-668-6641
     

    For all other Health Care Providers and the Public: Please contact CCO Cancer Screening Program at screenforlife@cancercare.on.ca or 1.866.662.9233 Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.