Category: Uncategorized

Bits & Pieces: networking session leads wanted and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
AFHTO 2022 Conference networking leads wanted Nominate a partner or healthcare inspiration for an AFHTO Board award Member stories Funding opportunities – capital grant & supporting mental health and wellness Government of Canada invests $10 million in research on outpatient medications for COVID-19 and more	Reminder- nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 29, 2022 The war in Ukraine and refugee health care: considerations for health care providers in Canada Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council Upcoming events including supporting patients amid an opioid epidemic and more

AFHTO 2022 Conference networking leads wanted

We have an hour in the schedule at the AFHTO 2022 conference for networking, and we’d like IHP session leads. Leads are responsible for programming while AFHTO staff will simply allocate the rooms. Smaller groups will be able to meet at a table in the ballroom. Limited space is available, so this is first come, first serve.

If you are interested in leading an IHP session, please contact Beth MacKinnon by July 29, 2022.

Nominate a partner or healthcare inspiration for an AFHTO Board award

The AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award.

The Board award recognizes an individual (or a group) who is not an AFHTO member but has significantly contributed to the development and growth of team-based primary care within their local community or at the provincial level.

Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 19, 2022.

Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

Member stories

Belleville NPLC– extension for unattached patients program

Minto Mapleton FHT– showcasing team members on Facebook. Feel free to share and use as a starting point for your own team.

Funding opportunities – capital grant & supporting mental health and wellness

AFHTO members in collaboration with partners may be eligible for:

OTF capital grant- deadline Aug. 3
Canadian Red Cross COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Grant Program- deadline July 29.

Government of Canada invests $10 million in research on outpatient medications for COVID-19 and more

Recent updates include:

Vaccine and Monkeypox updates– AFHTO, July 15, 2022
Government of Canada invests $10 million in research on outpatient medications for COVID-19– led by Dr. Andrew Pinto, Upstream Lab and St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT- CIHR, Jul. 7, 2022

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

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates

Reminder- nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 29, 2022
Are you interested in serving on the AFHTO board of directors? The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. Please share this call for nominations with all who work in your team and with members on your Board. Find out more here.

The war in Ukraine and refugee health care: considerations for health care providers in Canada
CMAJ article published Jul. 11, 2022. Read the full details here.

Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

Are you interested in advising AFHTO on the top issues facing IHPs in team-based primary care? Would you like to be a leader in working with IHPs in primary care to advocate for and to speak to the critical role of teams? Would you like to share and spread knowledge and learnings? If yes, please apply to join our IHP Advisory Council!

We invite any IHP in a member team to apply by completing this survey by Friday, July 29.

More information is here. Please share this opportunity with providers across teams.

Webinar Series: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility in Research, July 25- October 19, 2022

Hosted by the Alliance and the Primary Care Ontario Practice-Based Learning and Research (POPLAR) Network

EDIIA in Research Part 1: Embedding Equity in Leadership and Teams
EDIIA in Research Part 2: Building Research Projects with an EDIIA Lens
EDIIA in Research Part 3: FNIM data and Indigenous data sovereignty
EDIIA in Research Part 4: EDIIA and Data- Building Capacity

Supporting patients amid an opioid epidemic, July 27, 2022
Session by the Practising Well CoP, an intentional conversation for shared learning hosted by the OCFP and the DFCM Division of Mental Health and Addictions. Register here.

Integrating Hepatitis C Care with Safer Supply Practice, July 28, 2022

Co-hosted by National Safer Supply Community of Practice and CATIE on World Hepatitis Day. Register here.

Demystifying the Cloud for Nonprofits, July 28, 2022
Hosted by TechSoup with presentation by Amazon Web Services. Register here.

NPAO 2022 Annual Conference, Sep. 22-23, 2022

This years’ Conference theme is The NP Experience: Pushing Boundaries Towards Common Goals. Find out more here.

AFHTO 2022 Conference, Oct. 12, 2022

Join your peers from across Ontario and beyond as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

Members get more than 50% off registration. Registration with your verification code here.

July 19, 2022

Vaccine and Monkeypox updates
Dear members,

It has been a busy week and we’d like to share some information on the recent vaccine announcements and on Monkeypox.

On Tuesday, the government announced that it would be expanding eligibility for the 4th shot (2nd booster) of the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone aged 18 to 59. These are being offered at an interval of five months after a person receives their first booster dose. In addition, a new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is anticipated to be approved by Health Canada this fall, which may offer more targeted protection against the Omicron variants.

We know you’ll get questions about this recent announcement. The CEP and OCFP will be updating their guidance on vaccinations as NACI publishes additional guidance, and we will share this with you as soon as we have it.

Yesterday, the Moderna vaccine was approved for children between six months and five years of age. The dose will be one-quarter of what is administered to adults. NACI has issued these recommendations to advise on its use.

Additional resources available are this ‘Timing of COVID-19 Vaccines for young children FAQ’ and ‘What are the reasons to vaccinate my young child against COVID-19?’ from Pharmacy5in5 and the School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo.

We have also received a fact sheet and Q&A on Monkeypox from the Ministry of Health:
- Monkeypox Fact Sheet (EN) (FR)
- Monkeypox – Healthcare Provider Q&A
- Testing and Management of Monkeypox: Information for Primary Care Providers (EN) (FR)
We will keep you apprised as we learn more.

Once again thank you for all you are doing to keep your patients and community safe. If you need any assistance or have questions, please contact us any time.

Yours in good health,
The AFHTO Team
July 15, 2022
Nominate a partner or healthcare inspiration for an AFHTO Board award
The AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award.

The Board award recognizes an individual (or a group) who is not an AFHTO member but has significantly contributed to the development and growth of team-based primary care within their local community or at the provincial level.

The winner(s) will receive their award(s) during the Bright Lights Awards Ceremony at the AFHTO 2022 Conference on October 12, 2022.

Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 19, 2022.

Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

Bright Lights deadline this Friday, July 15
- Are you proud of what your team has accomplished?
- Do you want your colleagues to be recognized for the amazing work they do?
- Do you think it would be great to see your initiative spread across the province?
If you’ve said yes to any of the above, submit a Bright Lights nomination!
Don’t be left out- send in your nominations and supporting documents
before the deadline, this Friday, July 15.

All awards now receive an education grant, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, including the award for underrepresented teams! Find out more here.

They will be presented at the AFHTO 2022 Conference on October 12, 2022.

We encourage small, rural, and Northern teams to apply. You can watch this 2016 webinar or view the slides if you’ve never submitted a nomination before.

For more information regarding eligibility please visit our site.

To complete your nomination by July 15, 2022:
- Review the nomination categories in advance (see nomination guide pg. 3 for descriptions).
- Review the nomination evaluation criteria (see nomination guide pg. 2 for details).
- Complete the online nomination form and send all supporting materials before July 15, 2022.
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x 1200.

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

Bright Lights awards presented with the support of:
July 13, 2022

Bits & Pieces: #AFHTO2022 registration open and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
AFHTO 2022 Conference registration now live Bright Lights education grants now available- deadline this Friday, July 15 Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative slides and video available Ontarians aged 18+ eligible for second booster shot and more Reminder- nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 29, 2022	Call for content- OLTC 2022 Virtual Conference 2SLGBTQI identity and dementia: an introduction for healthcare and social service professionals Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council Upcoming events including Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility in Research and more

AFHTO 2022 Conference registration now live

Registration now open for the AFHTO 2022 Conference! Join your peers from across Ontario and beyond as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

Members get more than 50% off registration. A code (sent by email to all members who have paid 2022-2023 membership fees in full) will be required to receive the membership rate. If you do not know your organization’s verification code, please contact your administrator.

Bright Lights education grants now available- deadline this Friday, July 15

All awards now receive an education grant, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, including the award for underrepresented teams! Find out more here.

Don’t be left out- send in your nominations and supporting documents before the deadline, this Friday, July 15.

Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative slides and video available

On June 23 we heard about the work of the Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative as it pertains to identified priorities around fall indicators and falls risk screening and assessment and how we can better align our efforts across the province. Slides and video are available here.

Ontarians aged 18+ eligible for second booster shot and more

Recent updates include:

Ontarians Aged 18+ Eligible for Second Booster Shot– MOH, July 13, 2022
COVID-19: Where we are and where we’re going – OCFP & UofT, July 8, 2022

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

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates

Call for content- OLTC 2022 Virtual Conference
The Ontario Long Term Care Association’s (OLTCA) This is Long Term Care 2022 virtual conference is taking place Oct. 24-26. To submit an abstract or to learn more click here. Abstract deadline Aug. 10.

2SLGBTQI identity and dementia: an introduction for healthcare and social service professionals
Egale Canada has a free e-module designed for healthcare providers, social work professionals, and other support personnel specializing in the care of people living with dementia. There’s also another for unpaid carers, and further resources on their site. Find out more here.

Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

We invite any IHP in a member team to apply by completing this survey by Friday, July 29.

More information is here. Please share this opportunity with providers across teams.

Webinar Series: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility in Research, July 25- October 19, 2022

Hosted by the Alliance and the Primary Care Ontario Practice-Based Learning and Research (POPLAR) Network

EDIIA in Research Part 1: Embedding Equity in Leadership and Teams
EDIIA in Research Part 2: Building Research Projects with an EDIIA Lens
EDIIA in Research Part 3: FNIM data and Indigenous data sovereignty
EDIIA in Research Part 4: EDIIA and Data- Building Capacity

Integrating Hepatitis C Care with Safer Supply Practice, July 28, 2022

Co-hosted by National Safer Supply Community of Practice and CATIE on World Hepatitis Day. Register here.

Demystifying the Cloud for Nonprofits, July 28, 2022
Hosted by TechSoup with presentation by Amazon Web Services. Register here.

NPAO 2022 Annual Conference, Sep. 22-23, 2022

This years’ Conference theme is The NP Experience: Pushing Boundaries Towards Common Goals. Find out more here.

July 13, 2022

AFHTO 2022 Conference: Registration now live
Registration now open for the AFHTO 2022 Conference!

Primary care is the foundation of a high performing health system. This simple truth has been asserted and backed up by evidence again and again. But even self-evident truths can find it hard to gain traction in established systems. Unwieldy ships do not turn easily, even those prone to reform attempts which stall due to factors including built-in resistance to change and fragmentation. Over the past couple of years, we have seen the predictable results as the ship gets hit repeatedly by centennial waves.

But if we have seen the results, we have also seen better possibilities, better futures. We have seen what proactive, responsive, and collaborative action can do. Team-based primary care and partners have stepped up, crew in a ship we need to steer towards safer shores.

Join your peers from across Ontario and beyond as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.
- Register an individual or team for the conference
  - Early-bird registration closes September 28, 2022.
  - Members get more than 50% off registration. Concurrent session speakers and planning committee members are also eligible for additional discounts
  - Find out more about registration fees and discounts
- Reserve a room at the preferred group rate at Sheraton Centre Toronto
- Book discounted travel arrangements with Air Canada and/or VIA Rail Canada (Porter pending)
- Conference and registration FAQs
See the full Conference Schedule here. For general information, you can visit our conference page.

We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
July 11, 2022
2022 Conference Themes

Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world
(more…)

July 11, 2022
QI in Action eBulletin #119: Stress Management in the Healthcare Workplace
In this Issue:
- Supporting Stress Management in the Health Care Workplace
- BounceBack Webinar: Back-to-the-Office Guide and Tips to Manage Stress and Anxiety
- Returning to a Shared Workplace Toolkit for Transitioning to a New Normal
- Other Supports for Health Care Workers
- Featured Team Initiative
- Upcoming Events
Supporting Stress Management in the Health Care Workplace
Content below developed by Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario

Stress and stress management in the workplace have long been topics of interest for both employers and employees. We often hear that stress is unavoidable and expected when it comes to employment, but for health care professionals the degree of chronic stress endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is an issue that deserves concentrated attention and thoughtful response.

As a Health Care Worker- what can I do to support my own mental health?
An effective strategy to manage stress on the spot is to first recognize and acknowledge stress. It is beneficial to recognize what one’s stress response might look or feel like, and subsequently identify the stressor or trigger that is causing the stress response. This level of self-awareness will enable individuals to recognize stressors and utilize coping mechanisms in future exposures.

By acknowledging the stress experience, individuals can switch from the reactive part of their brain to the conscious logical part of the brain. This makes it easier to calm down and problem solve. Reframing, reorganizing, and using positive psychology are other tools to help manage stressful situations at work. By effectively taking care of one’s mental health at work, individuals can build better resilience and adaptability, increase mental well-being, and respond better to future stressors.

One of the many resources available for workplace mental health support is Your Health Space (YHS), a free workplace mental health program developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario. YHS offers psychoeducation opportunities to professionals working in health care organizations. From Leaders to Health Care Workers, as well as Support Staff, YHS’ evidence-based program seeks to provide participants with practical tools that they can start using to support well-being in the workplace.

Trainers who lead YHS’ interactive workshops each have a background in health care and are skilled at delivering training workshops in person, virtually or via eLearning modules. Through creating safe spaces for learning, practical application, and connection, YHS is here to support you and your organization with challenges such as workplace stress. Health care organizations can find out more information and register on the Your Health Space website.

For the full article, click here.

BounceBack Webinar: Back-to-the-Office Guide and Tips to Manage Stress and Anxiety
This webinar in June covered new coping strategies to help you better manage life’s stresses. You can watch the recording here.
Timestamps:
- 07:24 How to change your thought process
- 36:00 Practice self-compassion
- 38:55 Basic coping strategies
- 42:20 Additional tips to reduce anxiety, stress, and worry
- 47:28 A quick overview of the BounceBack program
To help you remember the benefits of the BounceBack program, we have digital handouts like the general client factsheet. As well as handouts for yourself or anyone you know who is a: new parent, youth 15-17, caregiver, experiencing chronic pain or chronic conditions.

Returning to a Shared Workplace: A Psychological Toolkit for Transitioning to a New Normal
CMHA Ontario has revised its toolkit to reflect the changing needs of Ontarians and has been revised and informed by diverse perspectives, including clinical leaders from the mental health and addictions community across Ontario. The toolkit provides guidance on how to support the mental health of individuals as they plan safe transitions back to shared workspaces and to help employers as they develop policies and procedures for supporting staff returning to the work environment. See here for the toolkit.

Other Supports for Health Care Workers
Digital Toolkit of Mental Wellness Supports for Health Care Workers from Ontario Health
Ontario Health has communications materials to help raise awareness about supports available for health care workers whose mental health has been impacted due to the pandemic. The toolkit with posters, one-pagers, key messages, newsletter content, and social posts can be viewed here.

Self-Referral for Psychotherapy and Psychiatric Services from CAMH
The Ministry of Health and Ontario Health partnered with five hospitals to provide mental health services to frontline health care workers. If you are a health care worker in Ontario and require mental health and/or addictions support, you can self-refer for psychotherapy and psychiatric services here.

Mental Health and Wellness Resources from the Ontario College of Family Physicians
If you are looking for mental health and wellness resources and peer support for patients and physicians, click here.

ECHO Coping with COVID-19 Online Sessions
These virtual sessions take place two times a month on Friday afternoons from 2-3 pm and are designed for health care providers and health professions students responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to register.

Please see AFHTO’s Mental Health and Wellness webpage for additional resources.

Featured Team Initiative
Mental Health and Addictions Community Response Working Group
Hills of Headwaters Ontario Health Team brought together a working group to respond to the need to support the community’s mental health, especially that of frontline workers. The initiatives they supported include an online portal for frontline/essential workers to access timely counselling support, workshop webinars on managing empathic strain, a virtual remembrance/memorial event, sponsoring memberships to an online psychological PPE resource and developing posters with mental health tips and contact information. See here for more information.

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

Email improve@afhto.ca if you have a program or initiative that we can share with our teams.

Upcoming Events
COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians
July 8 from 8:00-9:15 am
The 47th session in the series “Changing the way we work” will focus on where we are with COVID-19 and what we might expect come the fall. We will discuss the available evidence on the COVID-19 vaccine for kids under 5 years old and reflect on the steps we can take to support an equitable COVID-19 recovery, particularly for our Indigenous population. Register here.

CMHA Your Health Space Information Session
July 12 from 2:00-3:00 pm or July 14 from 10:00-11:00 am
Join us for an information session on CMHA Ontario’s new program, Your Health Space. We also invite organizational leaders (including HR Managers, Wellness Coordinators, Presidents, and CEOs) interested in registering for Your Health Space to participate in a Q&A discussion following the presentation. Register for July 12 or July 14.

ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Applications
Project ECHO at CAMH and U of T aims to strengthen primary care and allied health capacity in key priority areas for mental health and addictions through weekly videoconferencing sessions and a case-based learning model. Sessions are engaging, interactive, practical and evidence based. The application for ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Programming is open and can be accessed here. For more information, please visit the website.

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #118 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
July 7, 2022
Supporting Stress Management in the Health Care Workplace

Content below WAS developed by Nhi Luu, Canadian Mental Health Association

Stress and stress management in the workplace have long been topics of interest for both employers and employees. We often hear that stress is unavoidable and expected when it comes to employment, but for health care professionals the degree of chronic stress endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is an issue that deserves concentrated attention and thoughtful response.

Health Care Workers face unique occupational stressors consistent with experiences of grief and loss related to exposure to human suffering and death, moral conflict and distress, health, and safety risks from hazardous exposures, long and inflexible work hours, job role ambiguity with redeployment practices and staffing shortages, as well as overall demanding work often without sufficient resources. All these and other compounding factors have escalated since the onset of the pandemic and exacerbated stress levels resulting in poor mental health for Health Care Workers.

Employers are seeking mental health support for Health Care Workers to better manage symptoms of burnout, occupational stress injury, trauma, compassion fatigue, depression, and anxiety. When such symptoms are left unmanaged, it can result in illness, higher job turnover, absenteeism or presenteeism, and other stress related manifestations that can severely impact mental and physical health. Sometimes when individuals experience this level of prolonged stress, they may be depleted of their awareness or capacity for self-help. Furthermore, individuals who are struggling with mental health challenges may not seek support because of stigmas and negative associations. Therefore, more upstream interventions are encouraged.

At the organizational level, employers can positively influence the mental health culture in the workplace by allowing for more flexible and accommodating shifts so Health Care Workers can seek mental health support during times that might otherwise interfere with scheduled shifts. Another intervention could include actively promoting employee and family assistance plan (EFAP) benefits, as well as community mental health resources to staff members. Many employers are acknowledging that staff mental health and well-being via psychological health and safety needs to be embraced as a priority in the workplace to support staff on the journey toward recovery from the pandemic. One of the many resources available for workplace mental health support is Your Health Space (YHS), a free workplace mental health program developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario. This program is exclusively available to health care organizations throughout Ontario.

As a Health Care Worker – what can I do to support my own mental health?

Individuals who have the energy and mental capacity for self-help can try to exercise various tools or strategies to help them gain back control and better manage stress in the workplace. The goal here is to refocus the stamina and energy that is remaining and prevent that from being further depleted by choosing where one can invest existing energy to help them recharge. Sleep, rest and relaxation, exercise, good nutritional intake, supportive social networks, and relevant skill-building training are a few things that can help to reenergize oneself to positively cope with stress.

Another effective strategy to manage stress on the spot is to first recognize and acknowledge stress. It is beneficial to recognize what one’s stress response might look or feel like, and subsequently identify the stressor or trigger that is causing the stress response. This level of self-awareness will enable individuals to recognize stressors and utilize coping mechanisms in future exposures. For example, a nurse shows up to work to find out that their workstation had been used by someone else and is now in complete disarray and missing equipment. This environmental stressor may trigger a physical response of sweating and blushing. Emotionally, this nurse could start feeling overwhelmed, confused, and disoriented. It can also trigger thoughts such as “this is a mess and I don’t know where to even begin” or “I am going to run behind schedule, my whole morning is ruined”. Instead of dwelling and sinking into an emotionally driven cycle of discouragement, with practice, the nurse could immediately recognize that they are experiencing stress and identify their trigger (in this case it is the disorganized workstation). Now the nurse can focus on troubleshooting and removing the trigger.

By acknowledging the stress experience, individuals can switch from the reactive part of their brain to the conscious logical part of the brain. This makes it easier to calm down and problem solve. Reframing, reorganizing, and using positive psychology are other tools to help manage stressful situations at work. By effectively taking care of one’s mental health at work, individuals can build better resilience and adaptability, increase mental well-being, and respond better to future stressors.

YHS offers psychoeducation opportunities to professionals working in health care organizations. From Leaders to Health Care Workers, as well as Support Staff, YHS’ evidence-based program seeks to provide participants with practical tools that they can start using to support well-being in the workplace. Trainers who lead YHS’ interactive workshops each have a background in health care and are skilled at delivering training workshops in person, virtually or via eLearning modules. Through creating safe spaces for learning, practical application, and connection, YHS is here to support you and your organization with challenges such as workplace stress. Health care organizations can find out more information and register on the Your Health Space website.

Nhi Luu is a Trainer with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario’s Your Health Space program. Her background is in nursing, and she has worked in various healthcare settings including hospitals, primary care, and public health. Nhi uses her clinical background to reinforce her mental health training with employees across healthcare organizations in Ontario.

References
Ackerman, CE. (2018). Flourishing in Positive Psychology: Definition + 8 Practical Tips. Retrieved from: Flourishing in Positive Psychology: Definition + 8 Practical Tips (PDF)
CDC: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Healthcare Workers: Work Stress & Mental Health. Retrieved from: Healthcare Workers: Work Stress & Mental Health | NIOSH | CDC
Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation. Stress Management and Mental Health for Everyone. Retrieved from online course: Curriculum Training Details – Realize Your Potential: Ready Learning Portal (csod.com)
Dankwa, K. (2017). Work-Related Stress. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/contest/finalists-finalistes_2-eng.htm
Government of Ontario. COVID-19: Support for people. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-support-people#support-health-care-worker
Mayo Clinic. Healthy Lifestyle: Stress Management. Retrieved from: Stress management Stress relief – Mayo Clinic
Mental Health Commission of Canada. Workplace Mental Health. Retrieved from: Workplace Mental Health – Mental Health Commission of Canada
Nowrouzi, B., Lightfoot, N., Larivière, M., Carter, L., Rukholm, E., Schinke, R., & Belanger-Gardner, D. (2015). Occupational Stress Management and Burnout Interventions in Nursing and Their Implications for Healthy Work Environments: A Literature Review. Workplace Health & Safety, 63(7), 308–315. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915576931
Wellness Together Canada. Wellness for Healthcare Workers: Overview. Retrieved from: Wellness Together Canada | Wellness for Healthcare Workers
Your Health Space. Program. Retrieved from: https://yourhealthspace.ca/programs/

July 5, 2022

Bits & Pieces: member stories, great odds to win and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
Member stories The odds of winning a Bright Lights Award are better than you think Member benefit reminder- UpToDate® discounts Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council	COVID-19 updates Upcoming events including COVID-19: Where we are and where we’re going and more

Member stories

Belleville NPLC– QHC honours nurse practitioner-led clinic, Gateway centre for helping patients who lack primary-care providers

Health TAPESTRY – The implementation and validation of the NoMAD during a complex primary care intervention

For more information related to Health Tapestry and primary care teams:

Health TAPESTRY site
Examining Interprofessional Teams Structures and Processes in the Implementation of Primary Care Intervention (Health TAPESTRY) for Older Adults using Normalization Process Theory – BMC Family Practice, 2020
Combining volunteers and primary care teamwork to support health goals and needs of older adults: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial– CMAJ, 2019
E2 – Collaborative Practice – Messy, Time Consuming and Worth It!– McMaster FHT, 2015

The odds of winning a Bright Lights Award are better than you think

Did you know the odds of winning a Bright Lights award can be better than presenting at the conference? It’s true!

via GIPHY

A theme may get just 3-4 nominations compared to 8-20 concurrent session abstracts per theme this year.

So don’t wait- apply today! Deadline July 15, 2022.

For more information regarding eligibility please visit our site.

Member benefit reminder- UpToDate® discounts

AFHTO members are able to save on an individual subscription to UpToDate® and optional add-on products. (*Savings on annual and longer subscriptions only and based on subscription type).

EDs and Admin leads, if you need additional information to access these discounts, please email info@afhto.ca.

Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

We invite any IHP in a member team to apply by completing this survey by Friday, July 29.

More information is here. Please share this opportunity with providers across teams.

COVID-19 updates

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

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates

COVID-19: Where we are and where we’re going, July 8, 2022
47th in the series ‘Changing the way we work’ for OCFP & UofT’s COVID-19 CoP. Register here.

Telementoring in occupational medicine for Ontario primary health-care providers, April- July 2022

Project ECHO OEM sessions are held via videoconference each Friday from April 22 to July 15, 2022. Registration is free and ongoing throughout the cycle. Learn more here.

New Horizons: Navigating towards the future of family medicine, May – September 2022
Speaker series hosted by Dr. Danielle Martin, Chair of the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine. Find out more here.

NPAO 2022 Annual Conference, Sep. 22-23, 2022

This years’ Conference theme is The NP Experience: Pushing Boundaries Towards Common Goals. Find out more here.

July 5, 2022

QHC honours Belleville nurse practitioner-led clinic, Gateway centre

The Intelligencer published an article June 28th 2022

At each meeting, QHC board members present their “Values in Action” certificate of recognition to those who make a difference. Most recipients are QHC personnel or volunteers.

But on Tuesday at Belleville General Hospital, treasurer John Kearns presented the award to Karen Clayton-Babb, the chief nurse practitioner and director of the Belleville Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic. The same award went to Gateway Community Health Centre of Tweed, but no representative was present to receive it.

Kearns described the reality for so-called unattached patients: receiving care after giving birth, but leaving the hospital without someone to track your baby’s growth, or being a senior with multiple health conditions but no regular provider of care or someone to renew prescriptions.

Some are left with no choice but to seek care in hospital emergency departments, he said, “or worse, don’t seek care at all, leading to deteriorating health.”

The clinic and health centre, though, banded together to offer a service with a simple goal but a long name: the Hastings Prince Edward Ontario Health Team Virtual Support for Unattached Patients program.

It has since helped more than 1,282 people through 3,649 visits in six months.

“Many of these virtual visits have resulted in patients being diverted from QHC’s emergency departments, or have prevented potential hospital admissions or readmissions,” Kearns said.

“Patient flow has been a huge challenge for our hospitals, with the pandemic exacerbating these concerns,” said QHC vice-president and chief nursing officer Lina Rinaldi stated in a board document.

“We often have patients using our emergency departments for primary care concerns like ear infections or medication renewals because they have nowhere else to turn.”

Rinaldi added the two partners “are showing a real desire to help the system and to ensure people get the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”

Clinic director Karen Clayton-Babb added many of the visits were coordinated with QHC to ensure timely appointments for patients newly-released from hospital, reducing the risk of readmission.

Many patients were overdue for preventative screening and while some received abnormal results, they received referrals to specialists.

“One cannot help but wonder at what stage these diseases would have been caught, if it was not for access to the virtual clinic,” Clayton-Babb stated.

The clinic “has also received funding to provide follow up care to QHC newborns during their first two months of life,” Kearns continued. That program has yet to be established fully, but the clinic has so far accepted more than 100 “unattached” babies via QHC. Many of their relatives also have no primary-care provider and have received care through the clinic.

parents are also unattached patients and received care or immunizations from the clinic.

“Newborns are supposed to be seen by a primary care provider within 72 hours of discharge,” stated QHC’s Tracey Giles, the program director of maternal child and mental health.

Having the clinic following those babies “for their first two months of life provides peace of mind that there’s a plan in place and the newborns are getting the care they need once they leave the hospital.

“We hope there will be an opportunity to extend the care window beyond the first two months of life.”

Kearns said the program is a “prime example” of a local solution to rising needs for health care.

“We need to work together to find local solutions that have a big impact.”

June 29, 2022

Category: Uncategorized

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Content below WAS developed by Nhi Luu, Canadian Mental Health Association

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