Ultimate Blogging Championship

Author: sitesuper

  • FHT Guide to Managing Risk and sample policies

    Healthcare risk management is a comprehensive system or process through which risks to a healthcare facility and all who are served by and associated with it, are identified, classified, evaluated, and controlled to predict, limit and reduce future potential risks or losses.

    With a Healthy Work Environment Innovation Fund Grant from HealthForce Ontario and contributions from eight family health teams, the South East Toronto led the Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture to Support Organizational Wellness for Interprofessional FHT Members project. A product of this project is A Family Health Team’s Guide to Risk Management, and the accompanying sample policies listed below. 

    Click on the titles below to open these documents: 

    A Family Health Team’s Guide to Risk Management 

    FHT Credentialing Policy 

    FHT Disclosure Policy 

    FHT Checklist for Service Agreements

    FHT Checklist for Legal Claims

  • Web Enabled Reporting System

    The Web Enabled Reporting System (WERS) is an internet based application which is used by Family Health Teams (FHTs) to: – submit quarterly financial reports to the Ministry – submit quarterly program and services reports to the Ministry – submit annual audited statement of revenues and expenditures to the Ministry – submit annual audited financial statements to the Ministry For a presentation on completing and submitting reports to the Ministry through WERS, click here.

  • Creating Good Governance in FHTs – Survey Results

    Creating Good Governance in FHTs – Survey Results In the spring of 2010, AFHTO and QIIP collaborated to find out how FHTs were progressing in developing their governance structures and their understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of individuals that have been charged with the leadership of their FHTs.  Governing boards of health care organizations, including Family Health Teams, are accountable for the performance of their organization and to provide oversight on their decisions. On April 20th, 2010, an email was sent out to all FHT leaders in the province inviting them to participate in a survey to inform if there is a need for further education in the field of governance. By the May 14th, 2010 deadline,115 respondents from 59 different FHTs responded. Click here to see the survey results.

  • The Virtual Ward

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference describes the Virtual Ward – a method of providing the support of a hospital ward but in the patient’s home environment. It provides care to the most medically and socially complex patients in their home setting along with multidisciplinary case management. The SETFHT Virtual Ward is for patients who have been admitted to Toronto East General Hospital for a chronic condition such as heart failure, bronchitis, emphysema or diabetes who are without a family doctor. Patients are offered to be rostered within the FHT and be part of the Virtual Ward.  Once patients are at home, they receive follow-up care from various health care providers by phone and home visit as necessary. This may include phone calls to monitor their daily symptoms, answering their questions about medications and ensuring they have the supports to manage. They may also receive equipment that will help them monitor their health condition at home such as a blood pressure cuff, weight scale or a blood sugar monitor. This innovative approach to attaching patients to a family doctor and then providing comprehensive care to them once at home, will hopefully prevent further admissions to hospital and reduce wait times in emergency. It also allows patient to learn how to self manage their condition in order to take care of their own health at home. PRESENTER: Carol Toenjes FHT: South East Toronto Family Health Team Click here to view.

  • Successfully Integrating Spirometry Into Primary Care

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference is for FHT health care providers and administrators interested in integrating spirometry into their clinical practice. The session will review New Vision’s successes in integrating spirometry and discuss strategies for other FHTs to implement spirometry including resources available in Ontario. This workshop includes powerpoint presentation and group discussion. PRESENTERS: Angie Shaw, Amy Massie FHT: New Vision Family Health Team Click here to view.

  • Store Forward Dermatology Program Improves Access

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference demonstrates how Store Forward technology has been used to address a large service gap for dermatological consult services in the Kingston area.  Patients had been facing a 12-14 month wait for a specialist appointment.  Store Forward technology, a subsection of the Ontario Telemedicine Network, has allowed the Kingston FHT to initiate an innovative partnership with a dermatologist in Belleville, Ontario. Using a special camera and a secure internet link, the Physician Assistant (PA) is able to see patients with lesions in 1-2 weeks, take photos of the affected areas and make a detailed dermatological referral electronically.  Usually in 1-2 weeks, the Dermatologist reviews the photos and data and returns a diagnosis with treatment suggestions.  If removal of the lesion is recommended, it can be booked and completed by the PA or sent to a Plastic Surgeon. The PA has had several hands-on training sessions with the Dermatologist expanding his skill and role in the Team. PRESENTERS: Blaine Montroy, David Pinkerton FHT/ORG: Kingston Family Health Team Click here to view.

  • Primary Care Memory Clinics: Improving the Care of Cognitively Impaired Patients within a Family Health Team

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference reviews  the Centre for Family Medicine (CFFM) Family Health Team’s Memory Clinic, established in 2006 to address the challenges in caring for patients with cognitive difficulties. The CFFM Memory Clinic functions to enhance the care that family physicians can provide for patients at a primary care level. It ultimately aims to assist and empower the patient’s family physician in developing a greater degree of comfort and skill in managing patients with cognitive problems while maintaining a central role in patient care. The CFFM Memory Clinic ensures a balance of diagnostic accuracy and effective interventions with efficient, sustainable utilization of resources in a FHT.  A comprehensive, independent evaluation of all patients assessed in the CFFM Memory Clinic over 3 years has demonstrated high level of satisfaction from referring physicians, patients, caregivers, clinic team members, and geriatricians supporting the clinic.  In collaboration with the Ontario College of Family Physicians, the CFFM FHT has developed an accredited, comprehensive 5-day training program for family physician-leads and inter-professional health care team members to develop the practical knowledge and skills required for optimal management of patients with cognitive impairment.  As of June 2010, 11 FHT Memory Clinics have been established throughout Ontario as a result of this training program. PRESENTER: Linda Lee FHT: The Centre for Family Medicine Click here to view.

  • My Voice: Advance Care Planning

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference reviews Advance Care Planning (ACP) from the Prince Edward Family Health Team’s perspective. ACP means ensuring that patients and families have the necessary information to make choices about their future care. Our FHT sought guidance from Fraser Health Authority (FHA) in British Columbia, which has a nationally recognized program stressing the importance of having ‘the conversation’, engaging the community  and providing resources. The presentation shows how the FHA model was applied in a rural primary health care environment. Examples of ACP in clinics, patients homes, the ER, and community will be described. There are numerous challenges and pitfalls from the patient, family and provider perspectives. PRESENTERS: Joscelyn Matthewman, Mary Stever FHT: Prince Edward Family Health Team Click here to view.

  • Mobility Clinic – Primary Care Accessibility Project for People with Mobility Issues

    Significant health care gaps exist for individuals with mobility impairments.  Although they have similar basic health care needs as the general population, this group (persons with spinal cord and head injuries, neurological and musculoskeletal impairments) are less likely to receive the same level of basic preventative care. This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference outlines the Centre For Family Medicine FHT’s response to these gaps.  It established a Mobility Clinic in July 2009 to “level the playing field” and enhance quality of care and improve health outcomes of persons with mobility impairments by increasing access to care and building capacity. An interprofessional clinic formed through a partnership between the CFFM, the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation and Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging; the clinic also provides educational and training opportunities to learners and practitioners in family medicine, pharmacy and social work and fosters increased awareness of mobility issues within the public and health profession domains. There are a number of patient, health professional and system-related outcomes being tracked to establish the efficacy of this project. PRESENTERS: James  Milligan, Joseph Lee FHT: Centre For Family Medicine FHT Click here to view.

  • Mapping the Adult Learner

    This slide presentation from the AFHTO 2010 conference outlines a unique approach to motivating and educating the adult learner. The approach focuses on increasing confidence, skills and knowledge by using tools and techniques that satisfy varying adult learning styles. PRESENTERS: Laura Briden, Alicia Atkinson, Sarah Micks FHT: Guelph Family Health Team Click here to view.