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  • QI in Action eBulletin #123: HFHT Green Initiative, Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidelines

    In this Issue:

    • The HFHT Green Initiative
    • Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care- Guidance for Primary Care
    • Primary care clinicians can how directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    • Evidence2Practice Ontario Program
    • Upcoming Events

    The HFHT Green Initiative
    Content below developed by Hamilton FHT

    The HFHT Green Initiative is an interprofessional team developing practical solutions to improve patient healthcare outcomes while simultaneously reducing climate change. The initiative provides a free and evidence-based program which includes an action-based checklist, poster orders (1148 so far delivered), a monthly newsletter (17 sent so far), a CFPC Mainpro+ accredited webinar series (212 attendees thus far), an infographic series (31 different topics), 2 waiting room videos, 2 EMR-embedded prescription templates, patient-facing group education, resource kits, and project support.

    Since its launch in 2019, this project has supported environmental efforts in 19 different Ontario Family Health Teams as well as additional primary care teams across Ontario and Canada and has helped direct the efforts of our local OHT as well as national sustainable health care initiatives such as CASCADES. For more information, please contact the HFHT Green Team at green.team@hamiltonfht.ca.

    The Hamilton FHT’s Green Initiative recently presented a disease prevention webinar highlighting practical tools that will make cancer screening and smoking cessation easier in both the clinical setting and for QI projects. Please watch this 20 min webinar recording to hear family physician and project lead Dr. Meghan Davis speak about:

    • Understanding how cancer screening/smoking cessation is good for our patients and the environment
    • Accessing a cancer screening dashboard for teams and individual practices  
    • The Screening Activity Report
    • Finding patients who were lost to follow-up after screening positive
    • A new digital patient communication pathway for ordering FITs
    • Managing colonoscopy results
    • Providing paps: Pathway for interprofessional health care training & updated guidelines
    • Guidelines for mammograms post-COVID-19 vaccine
    • Videos for your waiting room
    • Helping patients to quit smoking

    Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care- Guidance for Primary Care
    Ontario Health recently released new virtual care guidance materials for primary care clinicians. The “Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidance for Primary Care” aims to help primary care clinicians feel supported in the decisions they make related to the planning and delivery of virtual care. This is ‘phase one’ of the virtual care guidance for primary care. More detailed virtual care guidance will be released in the future, including materials focused on other specialties and areas of care. The virtual care guidance materials can be accessed here in English and French. Click here to watch the Ontario Health Community of Practice recording from November 9 where Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Bordman speak about the guidance document.

    Primary care clinicians can now directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    Content below developed by Ontario Psychological Association

    Primary care providers can now refer patients directly to psychologists from their Electronic Medical Record system (EMR) enabling increased access to timely specialized mental health services. The new development is made possible through a partnership between the Ontario Psychological Association and Ontario’s eServices Program which saw the integration of the Ocean and Strata Health e-referral platforms thereby allowing family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other primary care providers to connect with psychologists.
     
    The Covid-19 Psychological Support Program, funded by the Ministry of Health, ensures that frontline health workers can receive up to 12 psychotherapy sessions with a registered psychologist or psychological associate at no cost. Primary care clinicians wishing to learn more can email opa@psych.on.ca or read our e-referral guidelines for more details.
     
    This work builds on a prior collaboration between the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO), the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP), the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association, Ontario Medical Association’s (OMA) section of General & Family Practice, and the Alliance for Healthier Communities. For a demo, please click here.  

    Evidence2Practice Ontario Program
    Content below developed by Centre for Effective Practice

    CEP is proud to lead the launch of Evidence2Practice Ontario (E2P) and its first set of digital tools and supports for heart failure. Co-led with the eHealth Centre of Excellence and North York General Hospital, E2P is a province-wide initiative developed to strengthen and support the delivery of evidence-based care and best practice in primary and acute care settings. The first E2P tool, developed in the Telus PSS EMR, focuses on enhancing care of patients with suspected or diagnosed heart failure.

    CEP’s renowned academic detailing service and accompanying clinical tools on heart failure are available to further support primary care providers. Tools and supports in additional EMRs (e.g., Oscar and Accuro QHR) will follow in 2023, focused on supporting adult patients living with major depression, anxiety disorders and type 2 diabetes. Click here to learn more.

     

    Upcoming Events

    Evidence2Practice Ontario
    Friday, November 18, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Evidence2Practice Ontario is co-hosting a webinar with Ontario Health: Dr. David Kaplan, Vice President, Quality at Ontario Health, and Young Lee, Vice President, Corporate Performance and Digital Health Innovation at North York General Hospital will provide an overview of how this key initiative is embedding quality standards into health information systems to support clinician adoption. Register here.

    CCHL Webinar: Leading Climate Resilient and Low Carbon, Sustainable Health Systems
    Tuesday, November 22, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Climate and environmental change pose accelerating and complex threats for 21st century health systems- and these modern health systems are a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Increasingly, the executive boards, and healthcare staff leading Canada’s health systems are recognizing the need to address these challenges. New Leadership and Governance standards include explicit requirements to consider environmental stewardship, with implications for patient engagement, enterprise risk management plans, capital investment plans, talent management and acquisition, procurement policies and practices and budgeting. Click here to register.

    Infection Prevention and Control in Primary Care “Spread Prevention- Not Infection”
    Wednesday, November 23, 2022, 12:30-2 pm
    The Hamilton Family Health Team’s Patient and Provider Safety committee has planned a virtual IPAC information session with their partners from Public Health Ontario and Hamilton Public Health Services. The content shared will be focused on increasing the learner’s knowledge of current IPAC trends as well as providing practical strategies for primary care providers to enhance IPAC practices in their clinical setting. Click here to register.

    Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout
    Thursday, November 24, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Primary care providers can play a key role in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiver well-being by initiating early interventions and connecting caregivers to support. Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Click here to register.

    Highlights and Implications of the Ontario Science Table’s Brief on Primary Care
    Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 7:45-8:45 am
    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. To register, click here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing
    Thursday, December 8, 2022, 12-1 pm
    This webinar will explore the carbon footprint of healthcare systems and how inhalers contribute to it, examine two problems related to inhaler prescribing and imagine practice change that results in an immediate reduction in emissions: “high value, low carbon care”. To register, click here.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #122 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: virtual care guidance and more

    Bits & Pieces: virtual care guidance and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Clinically appropriate use of virtual care guidance for primary care
    • Resources addressing children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen shortage
    • Nurse Practitioner Week
    • Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement
    • Member stories
    • Reminder – Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30
    • Updated COVID-19 vaccine guidance and more
    • Reminder – seeking input on how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis care
    • Hospice Palliative Care Ontario call for abstracts
    • Public Health 2023 call for submissions
    • Upcoming events including The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout and more

    Clinically appropriate use of virtual care guidance for primary care

    Today Ontario Health released the much anticipated ‘Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidance for Primary Care’- EN FR.  The materials are intended to support primary care clinicians to make deliberate and purposeful decisions in the planning and delivery of virtual care.

    This is ‘phase one’ of the virtual care guidance for primary care –more detailed virtual care guidance will be released in the future, including materials focused on other specialties and areas of care.

    You can also watch Drs Kaplan and Bordman speak about the guidance document during the November 9th OH Community of Practice. Click here for the recording.

    Resources addressing children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen shortage

    NPAO Celebrating Nurse Practitioner Week NPAO.ORG. Text beside picture of a smiling woman in mask and cap

     

    Nurse Practitioner Week

    Thank you to all the NPs working in primary care teams for your passion, your dedication, and your ongoing commitment to excellent patient-centred care! Happy Nurse Practitioner Week!

     

     

     

     

     

    Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement
    On Monday, the Minister of Finance tabled Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement (FES) entitled Ontario’s Plan to Build: A Progress Update.

    In the last few years, FES has been used as a “mini budget” with new investments. This year, it returned to being what it is called: an economic statement. It repeated campaign commitments and noted the number of new healthcare workers, acute care beds, and long-term care homes under development. There was nothing new about health care and no mention of mental health and addiction.

    AFHTO and partners will continue advocacy to hopefully see meaningful commitments in the spring budget. For a synopsis of the FES, please read Enterprise Canada’s highlights.

    Member stories

    Minto-Mapleton FHT– Filling the Gaps in Access to Rural Mental Healthcare– featuring their NP and counsellor

    Peterborough FHT – The front door to health care is broken

    Reminder-Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30

    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. Register here.

    Updated COVID-19 vaccine guidance and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario call for abstracts

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) is accepting submissions for presentations at their 2023 Annual Conference, Now is the Time, on June 11-13, 2023. More details here. Deadline Dec. 5, 2022.

    Public Health 2023 call for submissions

    Canadian Public Health Association is accepting submissions for Public Health 2023, taking place virtually June 20-22, 2023. For more details, please visit their site. Deadline Jan. 12, 2023.

    Reminder – seeking input on how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis care

    Per UHN:
    “Dr. Anna Gagliardi at University Health Network (UHN) is recruiting healthcare professionals for a one-time 20-minute phone interview for a research study about how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis (OA) care. During the interview, we will ask you for your perspectives, experiences, and recommendations regarding strategies to improve care for immigrant women affected by osteoarthritis.

    You are eligible for this study if you:
    — Are a family physician, nurse practitioner, or community pharmacist who works with patients with osteoarthritis
    OR
    — Are a healthcare executive, healthcare manager, or policymaker who oversees osteoarthritis services

    For more information or to express interest in participating, please contact the study coordinator, Madeline Theodorlis, by email: madeline.theodorlis@uhn.ca. Please note that information sent by email may be accessible by external parties and therefore not entirely secure. Many thanks for your consideration.”

    Infection Prevention & Control in Primary Care, Nov. 23, 2022
    Hosted by Hamilton FHT and Public Health Ontario. Find out more here.

    Evaluating program planning using an equity framework, Nov. 23, 2022
    To plan for an expansion of healthcare services in newly developed neighbourhoods, a planning initiative was conducted to better understand the needs of the population. Ensuring equity of care was identified as a priority for this initiative.

    CCHL Forum webinar featuring speakers from Ontario Health, North York FHT and Queen Square FHT. Register here.

    Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24

    Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Register here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing, Dec. 8

    Metered dose inhalers produce significant carbon emissions. Ironically, these contribute to changes to the climate that can exacerbate respiratory conditions. Simple practice changes can help disrupt this cycle and lessen the health sector’s contributions to climate change.

    Register here.

  • Bits & Pieces: memo to primary care from OH and more

    Bits & Pieces: memo to primary care from OH and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Memos to primary care, on operational direction and more
    • Health ministers’ meeting in Vancouver
    • Reminder- Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24
    • Virtual concussion occupational therapy services for teams
    • Moving towards an integrated health data ecosystem & QIP update
    • OLTCA convention call for content
    • Nominate high performing early career family physicians
    • IPHCC & PHAC seeking participants for short videos
    • Upcoming events including Evaluating program planning using an equity framework and more

     

    Memos to primary care, on operational direction and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Health ministers’ meeting in Vancouver

    screenshot of AFHTO news release

    “Mr. Duclos … added the federal government is also prepared to make bilateral agreements with provinces and territories on issues of shared priorities, such as increased access to family health teams and mental-health services.” Full article here.

    As the provincial and territorial health ministers gather in Vancouver to meet with the federal Minister of Health, the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, AFHTO remains hopeful that all parties share his priority of increasing access to primary care teams and that we will see much needed funding flow to the province through the Canada Health Transfer.

    Please read AFHTO’s statement here. 

    OCO webinar flyer

     

     

    Reminder – Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24

    Primary care providers can play a key role in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiver well-being by initiating early interventions and connecting caregivers to support.

    Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Register here.

     

     

    Virtual concussion occupational therapy services for teams

    The Neurology Centre of Toronto (NCT) has developed a concussion rehabilitation program that has been implemented and proven successful with an existing FHT in Ontario. The program provides patients with access to virtual concussion occupational therapy services and has been running successfully since March 2022.

    The patients in this program wouldn’t have access to this care otherwise, and the program has generated very positive feedback and results. Specifically, when surveyed after completing this program:

    • 33% of patients demonstrated an improvement in daily activity tolerance
    • 67% of patients demonstrated an improvement in their symptom scores, and
    • 83% reported satisfaction with the program.

    NCT would like to extend this service to other teams (including NPLCs and CHCs) in need of concussion rehabilitation services to support their patients. Please contact Jenni Diamond, Occupational Therapist and Program Director, to discuss the details and how it may fit within your team: jenni.diamond@numinus.com.

    Moving towards an integrated health data ecosystem & QIP update

    OLTCA convention call for content

    Taking place March 27-29, the Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) in partnership with the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) are hosting the Together We Care 2023 Convention in person. The TWC Call for Content is now accepting abstracts. For a full list of program streams and to submit an abstract, please visit their site. Deadline November 21, 2022, at 4:00 pm EST.

    Nominate high performing early career family physicians

    Dr. Monica Aggarwal at the University of Toronto is conducting a study that will identify the key capabilities and competencies of high-performing family medicine graduates. This will help inform how learning, teaching and assessment can be improved in family medicine residency programs in Canada.

    She’s looking for nominations for high-performing early-career family physicians (based on the criteria identified here). If you have a nominee, please contact monica.aggarwal@utoronto.ca.

    IPHCC & PHAC seeking participants for short videos

    The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council is looking for both health care staff as well as general population participants for the creation of short videos.

    Created in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the videos aim to increase knowledge about the importance of vaccination, build vaccine confidence, and address barriers to accessing vaccination services. An honorarium will be provided. Please see the flyer for more information.

    ONCA A Year Later: the 100 Most Asked Questions, Nov. 10, 2022
    Hosted by Community Legal Education Ontario, who have compiled the most frequently asked questions into a database and want to share what they have learned. Register here.

    Infection Prevention & Control in Primary Care, Nov. 23, 2022
    Hosted by Hamilton FHT and Public Health Ontario. Find out more here.

    Evaluating program planning using an equity framework, Nov. 23, 2022
    To plan for an expansion of healthcare services in newly developed neighbourhoods, a planning initiative was conducted to better understand the needs of the population. Ensuring equity of care was identified as a priority for this initiative.

    CCHL Forum webinar featuring speakers from Ontario Health, North York FHT and Queen Square FHT. Register here.

    Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30

    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. Register here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing, Dec. 8

    Metered dose inhalers produce significant carbon emissions. Ironically, these contribute to changes to the climate that can exacerbate respiratory conditions. Simple practice changes can help disrupt this cycle and lessen the health sector’s contributions to climate change.

    Register here.

  • AFHTO fall update for triad

    This email was sent to executive directors/admin leads, board chairs, and lead clinicians

    Hello triad members,

    As there isn’t a scheduled leadership council meeting before the end of the year – and the follow-up communique that comes with it – we’d like to provide a summary for you of some work that’s underway at AFHTO.

    Compensation Market Review Update
    As you may recall, the Community Health Compensation Working Group (CWG) invited consultants to submit a proposal for a community health market salary review for Ontario. Consensus has been reached on the preferred candidate for this role, and we’re in the final stages of securing the contract. We have received contributions from all ten members of the CWG and anticipate this project to be completed within the next few months.

    This project will allow us to have greater insight into wage disparities for 78 positions across the primary and community care sectors. The final report will serve as an important tool to support discussions with government on reasonable, fair compensation. Stay tuned for further updates.

    Mental Health and Addiction Funding Update
    The Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, federal health minister, is meeting with the provincial and territorial health ministers in Vancouver in mid-November. One topic of discussion is the mental health funding transfer. The provinces say that health cost share is currently 78% provincial and 22% federal, and they are jointly advocating for more from the federal government, including targeted funding for mental health and addiction. Duclos has said that the government is currently negotiating $3B in transfer for MHA with provinces and territories. We hope to have an update following their November meeting, with the hope that some of the funding is embedded sustainably in primary care.

    As we noted in our September 27th communique, the Ontario Ministry of Health is providing one-time funding to support teams with innovations in improving mental health and addiction challenges within the communities served. We know that the timing for the funding isn’t ideal or sustainable and that teams will likely have a short amount of time to utilize it. But to  support knowledge sharing and to build a business case around sustainable funding, AFHTO will reach out to EDs in mid-November to glean plans underway and share ideas and strategies across regions. If you would like to share your ideas now, please email Abisola at abisola.otepola@afhto.ca.

    Progress Towards Development of Primary Care Networks
    AFHTO continues to work with other associations and providers about ensuring that a strong primary care sector is the foundation of an integrated system. For this to happen, primary care needs to be organized. Primary care networks (PCNs) are an opportunity to strengthen the sector and see improved health outcomes.
    AFHTO and partners developed a concept paper blueprint with recommendations for the establishment of PCNs within the Ontario Health Teams based on best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions. This was submitted to the ministry in mid October for consideration, and discussion is now underway. If there is agreement that this is something that the ministry (and possibly Ontario Health) wants to pursue, there will be consultations with stakeholders and our collective members to refine the recommendations in the coming months. We will keep members apprised of this work as it continues.

    Status of FHT/MOH Contract Recommendations
    After over a year of consultations with members and stakeholders, AFHTO is in the process of submitting the final recommendations for the next FHT contract to the ministry. Along with our consultant, Dale McMurchy, we met with ministry officials on October 19th where we outlined the recommendations focused on the three key areas: governance, accountability/performance, and FHT/physician affiliations with recommended MOUs.
    As the current contract expires on March 31, 2023, we look forward to working with MOH on this in the next few months and will consult further as needed. MOH will make the final decision, and we will keep members apprised of this work. Thank you to all the working group members who contributed to the development of the recommendations and for providing insights.

    Mandatory Vaccine Policies
    Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law, has provided more thoughts for employers on mandatory vaccine policies in the workplace. Members can see her comments here.

    Reminder: Governance Training with Charity Village
    We’d like to remind teams that AFHTO has undertaken a partnership with Charity Village to offer three different governance training programs that align with the expectations in teams’ governance attestation. Over 20 teams have already participated!  

    We encourage teams check out these programs if they feel they might benefit. Any questions can be directed to Bryn Hamilton.

    Improving Communication with and Between IHPs
    IHPs may have seen the QR code that was set up around the conference to sign up for IHP communication. This is where IHPs can share their name, profession, and work email to improve AFHTO’s outreach to IHPs, especially for participation in research, in showing the value of the work you do, and upcoming work around compensation advocacy.
     
    It has also been set up as a way for professions to communicate with one another and to create their own communities of practice to network and share best practices.
     
    We encourage all IHPs to provide their work email addresses so we can include you in relevant communications and so you can network with your colleagues across AFHTO’s member teams. If you can please share this information with the IHPs on your team and encourage them to sign up, we would greatly appreciate it.

     

    Finally, it was a pleasure seeing so many of you at the conference last month! The resources and recordings were emailed to attendees on October 19 and the Bright Lights Awards winners are posted. We also saw a great attendance of EDs at the session with Fernando Tavares from the Ministry of Health the day before the conference. If anyone was unable to attend and would like to listen to the recording, you can find it here.

    Enjoy the rest of the fall, and if you have any questions or comments, please contact us any time at info@afhto.ca.

    Yours in good health,
    AFHTO

  • Governance Training with Charity Village

    We are pleased to have a partnership with Charity Village to offer our teams three different governance training program options aligned with the expectations in the governance attestations. The three training options available are as follows:
     
    Better Board Kit
    This is a three-part series which includes a 1.5 hr online, on-demand Boards that Work course + a Board Self EvaluationSurvey + a Facilitation Guide that will walk your board through a planning session based on the survey results.
     
    The Boards that Work course is available for up to 10 board members and focuses on:
    •    Part One: Introduction to Boards
    •    Part Two: Board Duties, Roles, and Responsibilities
    •    Part Three: The Board/Staff Partnership
    •    Part Four: Board Building & Structures
    •    Part Five: Board’s Role in Fund Development
    •    Part Six: Effective Board Practices
     
    For more information, please visit this page. This is a great refresher for all board members and a good way to complete the board evaluation that’s required as part of your governance attestation!
     
     
    Governing your Organization: A Deeper Dive
    This is a 2 hour on-demand course that the covers the following:
    •    Part One: To Whom Does the Board Owe a Duty?
    •    Part Two: Building a Great Board
    •    Part Three: The Board’s Role in Strategy
    •    Part Four: Effective Time Allocation
    •    Part Five: Different Organizations Need Different Governance Approaches
     
    For more information, please visit this page.
     
    Diversity, Sensitivity, and Inclusion Training: Promoting Anti-Discrimination and Equity in the Workplace
    This is an on-demand course that will take approximately 1-2 hours to complete. In this course you will learn to:
    •    Understand basic human rights of people in the workplace
    •    Build knowledge of and demonstrate tolerance and respect for diversity at work
    •    Become self aware about your perceptions and behaviour toward others
    •    Use language that is non-discriminatory, inclusive, sensitive, and respectful to everyone
     
    For more information, please visit this page.
      
    If you have any questions or wish to share interest, please contact info@afhto.ca
     
     

  • Bits & Pieces: preventing caregiver burnout and more

    Bits & Pieces: preventing caregiver burnout and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24
    • Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing, Dec. 8
    • MOH booster communications toolkit and more
    • TUTOR-PHC call for applications
    • Seeking input on how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis care
    • Upcoming events including ONCA A Year Later: the 100 Most Asked Questions and more

    Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24
    Primary care providers can play a key role in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiver well-being by initiating early interventions and connecting caregivers to support.

    Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Register here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing, Dec. 8

    Metered dose inhalers produce significant carbon emissions. Ironically, these contribute to changes to the climate that can exacerbate respiratory conditions. Simple practice changes can help disrupt this cycle and lessen the health sector’s contributions to climate change.

    Learning outcomes:

    • Explore the carbon footprint of healthcare systems and how inhalers contribute to it
    • Examine two problems related to inhaler prescribing
    • Imagine practice change that results in immediate reduction in emissions: “high value, low carbon care”

    Register here.

    Graphic of purple vaccine vial, with another transparent vial behind it on a light blue background. below, text says

     

    MOH booster communications toolkit and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

     

    TUTOR-PHC call for applications

    Transdisciplinary Understanding and Training on Research – Primary Health Care (TUTOR-PHC), is a one-year, pan-Canadian interdisciplinary research capacity building program that has been training primary and integrated health care researchers, clinicians and decision-makers from family medicine, nursing, psychology, epidemiology, social work, occupational therapy, education, policy, and many other disciplines since 2003.  The deadline to apply is December 5, 2022.

    For more information, please go to the website or email the TUTOR-PHC Project Coordinator at tutor@uwo.ca.

    Seeking input on how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis care

    Per UHN:
    “Dr. Anna Gagliardi at University Health Network (UHN) is recruiting healthcare professionals for a one-time 20-minute phone interview for a research study about how to improve person-centred osteoarthritis (OA) care. During the interview, we will ask you for your perspectives, experiences, and recommendations regarding strategies to improve care for immigrant women affected by osteoarthritis.

    You are eligible for this study if you:
    — Are a family physician, nurse practitioner, or community pharmacist who works with patients with osteoarthritis
    OR
    — Are a healthcare executive, healthcare manager, or policymaker who oversees osteoarthritis services

    For more information or to express interest in participating, please contact the study coordinator, Madeline Theodorlis, by email: madeline.theodorlis@uhn.ca. Please note that information sent by email may be accessible by external parties and therefore not entirely secure. Many thanks for your consideration.”

    Hamilton FHT Green Initiative’s Cancer Screening, Nov. 2 or 10, 2022

    Led by Dr. Meghan Davis, Ontario Health’s Regional Primary Care Lead (Cancer Screening). Find out more here.

    ONCA A Year Later: the 100 Most Asked Questions, Nov. 10, 2022
    Hosted by Community Legal Education Ontario, who have compiled the most frequently asked questions into a database and want to share what they have learned. Register here.

    Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30

    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. Register here.

    MyPractice: Primary Care Report: Using Data for Improvement – a focus on using the opioid prescribing indicators to drive improvements in patient care, Nov. 10, 2022
    Ontario Health is hosting a webinar for primary care providers on using the opioid prescribing indicators in the MyPractice: Primary Care report to drive improvements in patient care. This 1-credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to 1.0 Mainpro+Ⓡ credits. The program is part of a series that has been certified for up to 4 Mainpro+ credits. Register here.

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario’s online learning portal for person centred decision making
    The Modules are intended for Clinician Competency Training on Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning, and Goals of Care conversations. Learners will move beyond advancing their knowledge and attitudes to develop clinical skills. Learn more here.

  • Mandatory Vaccines in the Workplace – Policy Update from Maria McDonald

    November 1, 2022

    Here is an update from Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law, for employers on mandatory vaccines in the workplace. 

    1. Employers do not have to legally justify vaccination requirements for new hires. It is the employer’s prerogative to require vaccination against COVID as a condition of hire. An employer can refuse to hire based on vaccination status without any legal ramification, subject to the limited medical and religious exemptions under the Ontario Human Rights Code. However, the employer will have to consider non-legal factors such as:

    • Recruitment and staffing pressures. 
    • What current staff will think and feel if the new hires don’t have to be vaccinated (especially if current employees were subject to a mandatory vaccination policy in 2021)

    2. The legal and operational issue for employers is will they force employees to get booster doses for the fall/winter of 202/2023. There is no need to forecast beyond that, as we have no idea where we will be in spring of 2023.

    3. There are reasons/arguments for and against mandatory booster doses:

    a) COVID-19 continues to be a significant concern (the following are Ontario numbers as of October 15, 2022)

    • The number of reported cases are approximately 10,000 per week (and we know this is under reported)
    • There are still 450 to 500 hospitalizations per week
    • The number of weekly deaths are at approximately 70 

    b) Vaccinations reduce hospitalizations and deaths

    • The rates of hospitalizations and deaths are highest among those who are not vaccinated.
    • Booster doses have proven to be effective in reducing hospitalization and deaths among those who have been vaccinated.
    • However, this has to be kept in perspective:
      • The majority of hospitalizations are people 60+ years old
        • age 60 to 79 = 160
        • age 80+ = 230
        • Total 190 out of 464 hospitalizations
    • The majority of deaths are also 60+ years old 
      • age 60 to 79  = 22 deaths
      • age 80+ =  47 deaths
      • total 69 out of 72 deaths
    • The people most impacted are likely 70+. As such, employees under 70 (the majority of employees) are not the most impacted by COVID. 

    c) The evidence that vaccination curbs or reduces transmission is not clear and has not been established. As such, employers cannot justify mandatory booster doses based on reduced transmission 

    d) Employers require mandatory booster doses based on:

    •  the science that booster doses will help keep their staff safe and reduce likelihood of hospitalizations and deaths.
    •  The MOH recommendation that All Ontarians aged 12 and over are encouraged to stay up to date with their vaccinations and get a bivalent booster dose at a recommended interval of six months after their last dose, as evidence shows that vaccine protection decreases over time.  https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-vaccines. 

    4. State of the law in Ontario

    • There is support for mandatory booster doses in a recent arbitration decision out of British Columbia. The union argued the mandatory vaccination policy (which did not require boosters) should not be enforced any further because:
      •    The science does not support that vaccines reduce transmission
      •    There are anti-viral drugs to reduce the impact of COVID
      •    PPE measures etc. are a less intrusive way to keep people safe

    • The arbitrator accepted the evidence that vaccines do not reduce transmission. But it nonetheless upheld the mandatory vaccination policy on the basis that:
      •    Vaccines keep employees safe from COVID 
      •    The policy was following the recommendation of public health

    • We don’t know if this decision will be followed in Ontario.
    • In the case described above, the employer had never terminated an employee. They instead put employees on an unpaid leave of absence.

    5. Considerations for employers 

    • There are certainly rational justifications for employers to implement mandatory boosters.
    • The justifications will be personal employee safety and an available workforce.
    • The policy cannot be justified on reduced transmission (at least right now, subject to new evidence).
    • The mood and morale of their current workforce – do they need such a policy to keep people? Will it cause current employees to leave? 
    • Their staffing and recruitment issues. Are they desperate for new hires and will a mandatory booster policy help or hinder this?

    Just as with the original vaccination policies, we do not know if a court will allow an employer to terminate with cause (and no payment of termination payments) for failure to get a booster because there is no case law on this. Even if there was, each case would have to be determined on its own facts, so even if an employer does implement a mandatory policy, termination for cause is still going to be a legal risk.
     

  • Ministry Communications Toolkit, OCFP Resources and Science Table Brief on Primary Care Webinar

    Dear Members,

    As we move into another fall season where we are seeing hospital emergency department surges due to an increase in respiratory viral illnesses in Ontario, it’s even more critical to ensure everyone gets their flu shot and stays up to date on their COVID19 booster shots. Flu shots for the general public should be available as of November 1st through primary care offices and pharmacies – if you are having issues with accessing your vaccines, please connect with your PHU to facilitate distribution. As we prepare for what may be a difficult fall, we wanted to share with you some resources and tools you may find helpful.

    From the Ministry of Health
    The Ministry has developed a toolkit of communication resources with key messages and materials to help ensure Ontarians have a clear understanding of the COVID-19 booster dose recommendations and the importance of why and when they should receive a booster dose. Booster doses are recommended to everyone aged five and over to help restore protection that may have decreased since their last dose:

     

    • Individuals aged five and over who are not considered high risk for severe COVID-19 illness are recommended to receive a booster dose six months since their last dose.
    • It’s strongly recommended that the following individuals get a booster dose after three months:

    The toolkit includes:

    The Ministry has shared the most recent slide deck from October 14, 2022, which contains the provincial dashboard on COVID vaccination by age groups and priority populations. Note that Page 4 contains a Flow Diagram for COVID-19 Booster Vaccination – When Should you get a Booster Dose that may be helpful when counseling patients.  

    The Ministry also shared the Indigenous Vaccination Dashboard which lays out the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine to Indigenous adults, including Operation Remote Immunity. This includes First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban populations 5+. The IPHCC has done tremendous work in addressing vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccination in the Indigenous communities using culturally safe learnings and approaches. Members are encouraged to read through the work done to date and to utilize the rich resources that are available for use.

    Other updated Ministry of Health resources you may find helpful:

    •  COVID-19 vaccine guidance (MOH, October 13) (EN, FR)
      • Monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech Primary Series for 6 months –4 years
      • Updated recommendations for those who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding (alignment with NACI)
      • Bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech booster for 12 years and older (available this week in Ontario)
      • “There is no preference between bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech and bivalent Moderna for booster doses in individuals 18 years of age and older”
    • Storage and handling of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccines (MOH, updated October 13) (EN)
    • COVID-19 vaccine consent and notice form (MOH, updated October 6) (EN, FR)
    • COVID-19 guidance: Long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate living settings for public health units (MOH, updated October 6) (EN, FR)
    • COVID-19 provincial testing guidance (MOH, updated October 6) (EN, FR)

    Other Helpful Tools and Resources from the OCFP

    The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) has developed several tools that you may find helpful when managing patients with respiratory symptoms in your clinics:

    From Ontario Health
    As noted in our October 6th communique to EDs and admin leads, Ontario Health had sent out a memo on October 3 on Evusheld, a therapy against COVID-19. The memo was for healthcare providers and outlines what Evusheld is, who can receive Evusheld, and how to access it for eligible patients. It also includes a link to a revised toolkit for providers who may be prescribing or administering Evusheld.

    If you have not seen it, the memo with all the resource links can be found here – EN FR.  The memo also references the following resources:

    • Information about Evusheld (tixagevimab and cilgavimab): Reference for health care providers who may be prescribing or administering Evusheld EN
    • Patient handout on Evusheld EN FR

    Events and Webinars

    Breakfast Webinar: Highlights and Implications of the Ontario Science Table’s Brief on Primary Care
    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy:

    Join on November 30th at 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. to hear from key primary care leaders as they share some of the more significant findings and implications. Panelists include:

    • Dr. Imaan Bayoumi: Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Queens University, Family Physician, Member of the Ontario Science Table
    • Dr. Danielle Martin: Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, Family Physician at Women’s College Hospital, Member of the Ontario Science Table
    • Dr. Noah Ivers: Family Physician at Women’s College Hospital, Scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute, Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, Member of the Ontario Science Table
    • Dr. Jennifer Rayner: Director of Research and Evaluation at the Alliance for Healthier Communities, Adjunct Research Professor at Western University, Contributor to the Ontario Science Table Briefs on Primary Care

    IPAC for Non-clinical Staff (PH Ontario)
    This course is designed specifically for people who don’t have formal health care training and work in a congregate living environment. It will provide learners with the IPAC knowledge they need to keep themselves, their patients, and their co-workers safe from infections in workplaces like shelters, group homes, residential treatment centres and other facilities. Participants will learn how to conduct a risk assessment, perform proper hand hygiene, when and how to use personal protective equipment safely, the basics of administrative and environmental infection control measures, and best practices for outbreak management. Click here to learn more.

    Thank you again for all you are doing to keep your patients and the community safe. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Stay safe and Happy Halloween.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

  • QI in Action eBulletin #122: Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care in Primary Care

    In this Issue:

    • Phase One Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care in Primary Care
    • Wawa FHT in the News
    • Canada-Wide Study on Health Equity and Virtual Primary Care
    • Upcoming Events

     

    Phase One Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care in Primary Care
    Content below developed by Ontario Health and edited for length

    Dr. David Kaplan, Vice President, Quality, at Ontario Health, and Co-Chair of the Primary Care Expert Panel for Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care, explains how the guidance was developed, informed and why it can be a helpful resource for primary care clinicians.

    Q: Why is Ontario Health developing guidance for clinically appropriate use of virtual care?
    A:  As we know, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the necessity for the health care system to pivot and rapidly adopt new ways of using available technology to reach patients and deliver care. While this was an extraordinary feat and has paved the way for the innovation we are seeing within health care, there have been reports of variation in practice and clinicians and patients alike have questions about the ‘best’ uses of virtual care. To address some of the questions about virtual care and put the learnings gleaned over the pandemic into practice, we, at Ontario Health, thought it would be helpful to build on the work previously conducted by the Ontario Telehealth Network (OTN) and provide some new guidance to clinicians around virtual care.

    The Ministry of Health provided funding to Ontario Health to undertake this work and develop guidance for clinically appropriate use of virtual care. While important for all specialties, we started with developing virtual care guidance for primary care because we felt it had the potential to reach more people across Ontario and have the most impact. Over time, Ontario Health will develop tailored guidance documents that apply to other specialties.

    Q: What does the guidance include?
    A: The Phase I Guidance is expected to be released this fall. These materials are intended to be used by primary care clinicians and lays the foundation for decision-making around use of virtual care, patient-centric approaches, and respecting clinicians’ comfort with virtual care. The guidance also outlines the supports available to both clinicians and patients related to virtual care. Patient-facing ‘tools’ have been developed to complement the guidance materials and can assist clinicians to explain virtual care, the various modalities of virtual care and support patients to decide if virtual care is appropriate for their needs. We want clinicians to feel confident in their decisions related to virtual care.

    Q: How has the guidance been developed?
    The development of the guidance was modeled after related work led by Ontario Health, such as Quality Standards and Person-Centred Virtual Cancer Care Clinical Guidance. A review of statements, policies and standards set out by professional regulatory agencies, an inventory of existing guidelines and evaluation of these guidelines against a method for determining strength of this guidance, and a scoping review was conducted. We also looked at available data to determine how virtual was being used in Ontario to help inform our work.

    A primary care-specific expert panel was also established to help give direction to this work and included a mixed membership of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and patient partners. It was important to our project team to include people from each of the six Ontario Health regions so we could be inclusive of and capture how primary care exists and is practiced across the province.

    Q: How has the use of virtual care shifted?
    A: Before March 2020, clinicians had regularly used the telephone for sharing lab results and refilling medication prescriptions. Video was being used, but primarily by specialists in Ontario and only if certain conditions were met. It was also used by primary care clinicians, though on a smaller scale. Virtual care in this context wouldn’t have been considered ‘mainstream’ until the pandemic.

    Through work we conducted with INSPIRE-PHC, a research group based out of Queen’s University, we’ve been monitoring use of telephone and video primary care delivered by clinicians. Recent data demonstrates virtual care continues to see uptake and use in primary care settings. This is a formative time for the evolution of virtual care in primary care and Ontario Health’s guidance can support primary care clinicians to take a systematic, stepwise approach to planning and delivering virtual care.

    The Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care in Primary Care is expected to be released later this Fall and we will share once they are available.  

    Wawa FHT in the News
    In a twist on the traditional rural-to-urban referrals, Wawa FHT received a request for help from a nearby urban centre. With no providers delivering medical abortions in the city or surrounding area, Wawa FHT expanded their medical abortion program to include a virtual component and provide care to this underserviced urban population. The team won a 2022 Spotlight Bright Lights Award and has been featured on CBC News.

    Canada-Wide Case Study on Health Equity and Virtual Primary Care
    Dr. Jay Shaw is leading a project with the Canadian Network for Digital Health Evaluation that aims to gain insights into how primary care organizations across Canada have successfully incorporated health equity into virtual primary care design, implementation, and delivery. The Primary Care Research Network is inviting primary care organizations across Canada to participate in a 30-to-40-minute phone interview about how equity considerations were incorporated when they implemented virtual primary care. For more information, email the research coordinator, Simone Shahid, at WCH.

    Upcoming Events
    Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care
    Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 8-9 am
    Please join Dr. David Kaplan and Dr. Risa Bordman from the Primary Care Expert Panel – Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care, as they present the third of a 3-part series on the Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care.  Please register in advance.  

    Primary Care Report: Using Data for Improvement – a focus on using the opioid prescribing indicators to drive improvements in patient care
    Thursday, November 10, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Ontario Health is hosting a webinar for primary care providers on using the opioid prescribing indicators in the MyPractice: Primary Care report to drive improvements in patient care. Please REGISTER HERE to join the session. This is the fourth installment of an accredited series that will focus on using data from the MyPractice: Primary Care report for quality improvement. This 1-credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the CFPC and the Ontario Chapter for up to 1.0 Mainpro+Ⓡ credits.

    Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout
    Thursday, November 24, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Primary care providers can play a key role in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiver well-being by initiating early interventions and connecting caregivers to support. Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Click here to register.

    Highlights and Implications of the Ontario Science Table’s Brief on Primary Care
    Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 7:45-8:45 am
    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. To register, click here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing
    Thursday, December 8, 2022, 12-1 pm
    This webinar will explore the carbon footprint of healthcare systems and how inhalers contribute to it, examine two problems related to inhaler prescribing and imagine practice change that results in an immediate reduction in emissions: “high value, low carbon care”. To register, click here.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #121 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care and more

    Bits & Pieces: highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30
    • Respiratory Therapist Week
    • Wawa FHT unveils new artwork on journey of Truth and Reconciliation
    • Hybrid workspace resources
    • Quality standard on medication safety recorded webinar
    • Upcoming events including Managing Influenza-like Illness this Fall and more

     

    Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30

    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications.

    Panelists:

    • Dr. Imaan Bayoumi
    • Dr. Danielle Martin
    • Dr. Noah Ivers
    • Dr. Jennifer Rayner

    Bring your own breakfast! Register here.

    text- The CN Tower will be lit today to celebrate RRTs in Ontario! Check it out and tag us @rtso Come out and celebrate #rtweek2022! Image to the right- CN tower lit in orange and purple

    Respiratory Therapist Week

    Thank you to all the respiratory therapists working in primary care teams, helping your patients breathe that much easier. RTSO is lighting Ontario landmarks this week in recognition. #RTWeek2022

     

     

    The artist Zoey Wood-Salomon stands to the right of her piece, a turtle with people on the circumference of its shell

     

     

    Wawa FHT unveils new artwork on journey of Truth and Reconciliation
    On September 21, 2022, at Naturally Superior Adventures, Wawa FHT celebrated the unveiling of the clinic’s new painting. Learn more here.

     

     

     

     

     

    Hybrid workspace resources

    Resources shared by the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions:

    Quality standard on medication safety recorded webinar

    Ontario Health and the Ontario College of Pharmacists co-hosted a webinar, “Introduction to the Medication Safety Quality Standard and the Assurance and Improvement of Medication Safety Program” on October 19, 2022. The session introduced OH’s recently released quality standard on medication safety and described how it can be used to drive quality improvement and improve care for people in Ontario throughout the health care system. The session also discussed how the Assurance and Improvement in Medication Safety (AIMS) program supports a culture of medication safety.

    The recorded webinar can be accessed by clicking here (passcode: OHOCP2022!).

    Helpful strategies to address mental health in children, Oct. 26, 2022

    Part of OCFP’s Practising Well COP. Find out more here.

    Managing Influenza-like Illness this Fall, Oct. 28, 2022

    51st in the series “Changing the way we work” on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 7:55-9:00 am. They’ll discuss how we can prepare for an anticipated increase in COVID, influenza, and other viral illnesses in the coming months. Hosted by OCFP & UofT. Register here.

    Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care, Nov. 9, 2022
    Join Dr. David Kaplan and Dr. Risa Bordman from the Primary Care Expert Panel – Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care, as they present the third of a 3-part series on the Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care.  This webinar is part of the Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP Monthly Series. Register in advance.

    OPHA 2022 Fall Forum, Nov. 8-9, 2022
    The Next Chapter: Building Upon Our Capacity and Resilience in Community and Public Health. Find out more here.

    Data To Action: Making Your Data Visible and Useful, Nov. 30, 2022
    Webinar on data visualization by TechSoup Connect Ontario Chapter. Register here.

    2023/24 cQIP Information Session, Nov. 23, 2022
    Hosted by Ontario Health, this will focus on the development and planning of collaborative Quality Improvement Plans (cQIPs) for FY 2023-24. Register here.