Ultimate Blogging Championship

Blog

  • QI in Action eBulletin #117: Caregiver Well-Being and Supporting Older Adults

    QI in Action eBulletin #117: Caregiver Well-Being and Supporting Older Adults

    In this Issue:

    • Caregiver Well-Being and Achieving Better Health Outcomes
    • Engaging and Supporting Caregivers in Primary Care Teams
    • Transforming Primary Care for Older Canadians Living with Frailty
    • Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative
    • Upcoming Events

     

    Caregiver Well-Being and Achieving Better Health Outcomes

    Content below developed by the Ontario Caregiver Organization

    Four million caregivers across Ontario provide an estimated 75% of the care in the system, caring for family, friends, and neighbours. Caregivers are critical to our healthcare system. Reducing the risk of caregiver burn-out and supporting caregiver well-being is crucial now, more than ever. In Ontario, Covid-19 has increased caregiver burn-out, and 61% of caregivers find caregiving stressful overall, up from 49% the year before1.

    As Ontario Health Teams strive to transform health care in the province, it is critical that plans for enhanced care delivery include strategies to ensure that caregivers are recognized, included and supported in care delivery.

    There is growing evidence that caregiver well-being is an important factor in achieving the Quadruple Aim of better healthcare outcomes, better patient/caregiver experience, better staff/provider experience, and improved value/efficiencies. Well-supported caregivers are more likely to provider better care.2 Evidence shows that caregiver distress can impact patient clinical and mental health outcomes and that caregiver burnout can lead to patients requiring greater hospital usage.3

    Caregiver distress impacts the health outcomes of caregivers themselves, with evidence pointing to higher rates of stress and depression among caregivers, greater loneliness and caregivers being 16% more likely than non-caregivers to live with 2 or more long-term health conditions.4,5 Organizations and front-line providers are well positioned to engage and partner with caregivers and connect them to support for their own well-being.
    For more information about the impact of COVID-19 on caregivers in Ontario, read the OCO’s Spotlight Report
    ________
    1 Spotlight Report – The Impact of Covid-19 on Caregivers, Ontario Caregiver Organization, November 2021. https://ontariocaregiver.ca/publications/oco-spotlight-report/  
    2 Canada, a Caring Society: Action Table on Family Caregivers Informed dialogue, leading to concrete action for all Canadians NOV 2013 http://www.ccanceraction.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Family-Caregivers-Meeting-Report.pdf   
    3 Shin, J. Y., & Choi, S. W. (2020). Online interventions geared toward increasing resilience and reducing distress in family caregivers. Current opinion in supportive and palliative care, 14(1), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.1097/SPC.0000000000000481
    4 Claire K. Ankuda MD, MPH,Donovan T. Maust MD, MS,Mohammed U. Kabeto MS,Ryan J. McCammon MA,Kenneth M. Langa MD, PhD,Deborah A. Levine MD, MPH (August 2017). Association Between Spousal Caregiver Well-Being and Care Recipient Healthcare Expenditures. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15039    
    5 Public Health England. (March 2021) Caring as a social determinant of health Findings from a rapid review of reviews and analysis of the GP Patient Survey. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971115/Caring_as_a_social_determinant_report.pdf

     

    Engaging and Supporting Caregivers in Primary Care Teams

    Screenshot of title slide

    Last February we cohosted a webinar with OCO, “Engaging and Supporting Caregivers in Primary Care Teams: Working together to improve outcomes and enhance the patient, caregiver, and family experience”. Visit our site for the video and slide deck.

     

     

     

    Transforming Primary Care for Older Canadians Living with Frailty

    Content below developed by the Geriatric Health Systems Research Group

    Members of the Geriatric Health Systems Research Group (University of Waterloo) collaborated with investigators across Canada to submit a grant to the Canadian Frailty Network. The grant focused on supporting primary care through the implementation of tools to enhance risk screening, shared decision-making, and care coordination for older adults. Situated as the patient’s medical ‘Home’, and supporting older adults throughout the whole care journey, primary care is well positioned to address frailty in a proactive, preventive, coordinated and integrated manner, reaching the most people, as early as possible.

    A key output of this grant is an implementation guide, which supports interested primary care practices with implementation at their site. See here for more information, and the step-by-step implementation guide.

    Correspondence to Dr Paul Stolee: stolee@uwaterloo.ca

    Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative

    Content below developed by the Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative

    The Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative is a diverse group of health and social service practitioners and clinicians from across Ontario who come together to share information, analyze trends, and respond collectively to the need for change and innovation in fall prevention among older adults.

    In Ontario, fall prevention initiatives for older adults vary in their scope, approach, implementation, and measurement of outcomes. The heterogeneous, fragmented nature of fall prevention efforts make it difficult to ascertain what interventions are working, how interventions can be improved and where a greater investment of resources or an increased level of co-ordination and collaboration between key stakeholders is required to maximize impact (Dr. Brian Hyndman, 2018).

    The Collaborative advances excellence in fall prevention practice by carrying out applied research and practice development activities that individual practitioners do not have the time/ capacity to address on their own. The work of the Collaborative aligns with the vision for health care in Ontario by prioritizing fall prevention among older adults and emphasizing integrated approaches.

    Current Work:
    The Collaborative completed the second phase of its work by contributing to a prioritized list of falls indicators led by Public Health Ontario as well as a review of clinical practice guidelines for falls risk screening and assessment including recommendations for action in 2022-2023. This report should be coming in the next few weeks and will be posted on the Public Health Ontario website.

    See here for Environmental Scan of Older Adult Fall Prevention Indicators.
    See here for Screening and Assessment Tools for Falls in Older Adults in Ontario.

     

    Upcoming Events
    Practical Technologies that can Enable Ageing in Place
    May 19 from 9:00-10:00 am

    Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health, and University Health Network (UHN) and Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) will be presenting on Practical Technologies that can Enable Ageing in Place on May 19, from 9:00 – 10:00am EDT. This webinar is presented by Sinai Health, in partnership with the NIA, UHN, and the Primary Care Collaborative.

    The webinar will aim to give health care professionals a better understanding of:

    1. The risks and impacts of at-home medical emergencies
    2. Why older Canadians want to age in place, now more than ever
    3. Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place

    This program has been accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) for 1 Mainpro+ credit for those who are interested.
    Register here.

    Transforming Primary Care for Older Adults Living with Frailty
    June 1 from 12:00-1:00 pm

    Investigators from the CFN funded study, “Transforming primary care for older adults living with frailty”, will share key highlights, reflections and developed resources from their implementation work in team-based primary care sites. This national project aimed to improve care for at-risk older adults across Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. The project was designed to address the following areas: consistent risk screening and assessment; care coordination and system navigation; and patient/caregiver engagement and shared decision making.
    Register here.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #116 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • AFHTO 2022 Conference: just over 2 weeks to submit your abstract

    AFHTO 2022 Conference: just over 2 weeks to submit your abstract

    Reconnect and Reimagine: moving forward together

     

    Submit your abstract- deadline May 26, 2022, at 5:00 PM (EDT)

    Hourglass with green sand sits in shadow

     

    Don’t let the deadline sneak up on you. We want your insight on:

    • Reducing sources of friction in community collaboration
    • Developing the Patient Medical Neighbourhood/Ontario Health Teams (OHTs)
    • Internalising lessons learned in EDI and anti-racism journeys
    • Addressing systemic barriers
    • Supporting our own resiliency

     

    Not sure if your work is a good fit? Feel free to ask us! Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605x 1200. We’d be happy to help.

    Helpful links:

    All are welcome. Please pass this along to your peers, colleagues and network including those from other healthcare sectors, non-profits, and the academic and research communities.

    This is our first hybrid conference. This means it will be a mix of in-person sessions and on-demand. We will continue to have regularly scheduled webinars focused on primary care teams’ needs for the rest of the year so as always send in your suggestions! For this conference, we welcome speaker suggestions.

    Conference key dates:

    • May 26, 2022– Deadline for abstracts
    • June 15, 2022 – Bright Lights nominations
    • July 2022- Conference registration opens
    • September 28, 2022– Early bird registration deadline
    • October 12, 2022– AFHTO 2022 Conference

     

    For more information, you can contact us by phone (647-234-8605 x1200) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).

  • Bits & Pieces: nursing week, OAB funding materials and more

    Bits & Pieces: nursing week, OAB funding materials and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Happy National Nursing Week
    • Online appointment booking 2022/23 funding webinar materials available
    • Election 2022: It Takes a Team
    • Online OHIP renewal finally updated
    • June 2- deadline to implement right to disconnect policy
    • Long COVID: aiming for a consensus and more
    • GoodLife – chance to win a BBQ when you join
    • 2023 OCFP Family Medicine Summit call for abstracts
    • Application for ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Programming open
    • Upcoming events including OMA Town Hall on Paxlovid and Evusheld and more

     

    Thank You Nurses with red chocolate hearts and red paper hearts

     

    Happy National Nursing Week
     
    Happy #NationalNursingWeek to all nurses-RNs,RPNs & NPs in  primary care teams. Thank you for you dedication to your patients, communities, and teams. We appreciate you for everything you do.

     

     

    Online appointment booking 2022/23 funding webinar screenshot with points 'why OAB' and 'what is OAB?'

    Online appointment booking 2022/23 funding webinar materials available

    On April 28 Ontario Health provided information and answered questions about the 2022/23 Ministry of Health approved funding for OHTs, in development teams and other health care organizations to enable more patients to schedule an online appointment with their primary care provider or other community care provider. Slides and video are now available on our site.

     

    It Takes A Team. Team-based primary care breaks the silos of healthcare. Below is a circular picture of a smiling Black woman with an Afro in a dark yellow T-shirt. Her circle is surrounded by and slightly overlapping with 4 other circles featuring graphics of different types of healthcare providers.

    Election 2022: It Takes a Team

    Candidates have started campaigning in earnest for the provincial election on June 2. Healthcare is a top issue for all parties AND the public, so use all the resources available to make your voice heard.

    Share successes, pictures from candidate meetings, or pictures of patients with a voter card on social media. Broadcast what you do to deliver the best primary care in Ontario where It Takes a Team.

    AFHTO is tweeting regularly. We ask you tag @afhto when you tweet, and we’ll also retweet you! Don’t forget to use our campaign slogan #ItTakesATeam

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

     

    Online OHIP renewal finally updated

    The change has finally been made! OHIP cards can now be renewed online by anyone with a driver’s license OR an Ontario Photo Card. Advocacy for a fairer system was heard. Patients can renew here.

    June 2- deadline to implement right to disconnect policy

    A reminder that employers, who as of January 1, 2022, had 25+ employees, must implement a right to disconnect policy by June 2, 2022. The policy’s content is up to employers. Resources available from Maria McDonald of McDonald HR Law are:

    Long COVID: aiming for a consensus and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    GoodLife – chance to win a BBQ when you join
    You have a chance to win 1 of 5 Napoleon Rogue 365 BBQs when you enroll in the Corporate Membership Program before June 30, 2022. Find out more here.

    Right now, annual (paid in full) rates are $619 and biweekly rates $25. Effective May 30, 2022, AFHTO members will be eligible for a 25% discount on membership types.

    To take advantage of discounted rates, you need a membership ID assigned by AFHTO. Automatically assigned to those on the ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list, these are sent to GoodLife monthly near the end of the month. To get your ID or be put on the list for one, please email info@afhto.ca.

    2023 OCFP Family Medicine Summit call for abstracts

    In 2023, FMS will be presented virtually, including live-stream days on January 27 and 28. Find out more about the application process on their site. Deadline June 12, 2022.

    Application for ECHO Ontario Mental Health Summer Programming open
    The program includes ECHO Ontario Integrated Mental and Physical Health (12 sessions – Fridays from 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. EST, June 3 – August 26, 2022). Apply here.

    Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar May 19

    Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health and University Health Network (UHN) and Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) will be presenting on Practical Technologies that can Enable Ageing in Place on May 19, from 9:00 – 10:00am EDT.

    Register here.

    OMA Town Hall on Paxlovid and Evusheld, May 10, 2022
    The OMA will host an online COVID-19 town hall on Paxlovid and Evusheld on Tuesday, May 10th from 7:30-9:00 p.m. The session will address considerations for prescribing Paxlovid for the treatment of COVID-19 and will provide an overview of Evusheld, a new prophylactic treatment for immunocompromised patients. Register here.

    Back to the Office: Redefining Workplace Wellness in the Post-Covid World, May 17, 2022
    Virtual panel presented by Canadian Club Toronto with OASW CEO Dr. Deepy Sur. Find out more here.

    Demystifying Insurance: What Nonprofits Need to Know to Protect their Operations, May 19, 2022
    Free webinar presented by HUB International in partnership with CharityVillage. Register here.

    3rd Annual McMaster University Review Course in Psychiatry, May 26-27, 2022
    Virtual CPD Conference. Find out more here.

  • Patient and Provider Surveys

    Below are examples of patient and provider experience surveys from various family health teams. When using a survey, please remember to acknowledge the team that created it. 

    Patient Experience Surveys

    Provider Experience Surveys

  • Help shape final recommendations for the next FHT contract! Sign up for a discussion group

    This email was sent to EDs/Admin Leads, lead clinicians and board chairs of AFHTO member teams.

    Dear triad members,
     
    Since last fall, AFHTO has been working with members and consultant Dale McMurchy to develop recommendations for the next FHT contract. The current contract expires in March 2023, and AFHTO will be providing recommended changes to the Ministry of Health this fall on behalf of our membership. Our input can influence the next stage in the evolution of interprofessional primary care.
     
    As part of the process, we have consulted with our FHT Contract Working Group (seven EDs in various models) since the beginning. We’ve held multiple consultations where we heard from well over 100 members, and we presented draft recommendations to our board in March. We have also received feedback from the ministry and kept the OMA involved in the conversations.
     
    Next, we’d like you to consider joining one of the three working groups we’re forming based on the top areas for advancement that have been identified and where further discussion is needed:
     
    Accountability and Performance Discussion Group

    • The goal is to work towards aligning current reporting and performance measures, standardizing expectations related to performance and accountability, and to have initial discussions towards laying the groundwork for developing a provincial primary care performance framework.
    • Key considerations will be the nature and timing of reporting, applicability, and level of evidence of performance measures, as well as the feasibility, effort, and resources needed.

     
    FHT/Physician Affiliation Discussion Group

    • The goal is to clarify and strengthen FHT/physician partnerships (with affiliated and possibly unaffiliated physicians) by exploring requirements for a shared agreement/MOU.
    • Key considerations for the agreement/MOU template content will include guiding principles and goals; expectations related to roles, responsibilities and outcomes; team collaboration and shared care; and use of resources.

     
    Governance Discussion Group

    • The goal is to revisit the current governance models from a lens of ensuring the boards have a diversity of skills, experience and backgrounds representative of the community served, and are responsive to health equity, community/patient needs, and patient experience.
    • Key considerations will include the minimum standards for the Governance and Compliance attestation; how Boards are held accountable for performing their fiduciary, strategic, and generative duties; the requirement for board education and training; and any additional considerations for blended salary and academic models.

     
    We would like each working group to have 8-10 members, with a mix of EDs, physicians, and board members. We also hope to include 1-2 QIDSS on the Accountability and Performance Discussion Group.
     
    These groups will review the materials developed to date and help us finalise our recommendations to the ministry. We anticipate 3 to 4 meetings for each discussion group between June and September, with the first meeting planned for early June. Timing and frequency will be determined during the first meeting, and we will work to minimize the burden.
     
    We would like to emphasise that the recommendations we develop will be submitted to and discussed with the ministry, who will make the final decisions.
     
    If you’re interested in joining one discussion group, please complete this quick survey by Friday, May 13.
     
    Any questions, please contact Bryn Hamilton at bryn.hamilton@afhto.ca.
     
    Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to these discussions.
     
    Sincerely,
    AFHTO

     

  • Bits & Pieces: Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar and more

    Bits & Pieces: Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar May 19
    • ONCA webinar materials available
    • Financial management training series materials available
    • Reminder – deadline to join #AFHTO22 working group today
    • Seeking input on the structure of social work practice in primary care
    • Memo regarding tools for identifying high-risk patients eligible for Paxlovid and more

     
    • Interview on the diagnosis and management of concussion in adolescents
    • Survey for a national framework for diabetes in Canada
    • FAQ: MOH “Axe the Fax” survey. Deadline May 4
    • PHO Primary Care IPAC Community of Practice
    • Upcoming events including antibiotic prescribing and your CPSO QI Requirements and more

     

    Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar May 19

    Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health and University Health Network (UHN) and Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) will be presenting on Practical Technologies that can Enable Ageing in Place on May 19, from 9:00 – 10:00am EDT.

    Presented by Sinai Health, in partnership with the NIA, UHN, and the Primary Care Collaborative, the webinar will aim to give health care professionals a better understanding of:

    • The risks and impacts of at-home medical emergencies
    • Why older Canadians want to age in place, now more than ever
    • Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place

    Register here.

    Title slide screenshot

     

    ONCA webinar materials available

    Kathy O’Brien and Simmie Palter from INQ Law reviewed the new tools and Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA)’s impact on FHTs on Tuesday, April 26. Slides and video are now available on our site.

     

     

    Screenshot of slide titled 'what is the problem we're trying to solve?'

     

    Financial management training series materials available

    Hosted by AFHTO, a two-part series on financial reporting and forecasting was held with Dr. Silvie MacLean, Executive Strategic Performance and Finance Educational Leader. Materials are now available.

     

    Reminder – deadline to join #AFHTO22 working group today
     

    The deadline to join a working group and/or Bright Lights review committee is today. Come behind the scenes of our first hybrid conference and be the first to learn about new developments in the field, influence conference programming and discover the latest innovators in areas directly relevant to your work. Working group members also receive a discount off their registration fee.

    Seeking input on the structure of social work practice in primary care

    Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft, an Assistant Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, is the lead investigator for this research study titled The Structure of Social Work Practice in Ontario Family Health Teams: A Mixed-Methods Study. It involves a provincial-wide survey and semi-structured focus groups with discussions focused on examining the daily practice of social workers in FHTs during the pandemic. Participants will be social workers working in primary care teams located across Ontario.

    Participants will be asked to complete a survey asking about the role of social work, the current and optimal state of practice, and social work leadership. At the end, participants can express their interest in taking part of a focus group. Each focus group will last 60 minutes and consist of social workers working in various team-based, primary care settings. Should you have any questions, please contact Rachelle Ashcroft at rachelle.ashcroft@utoronto.ca.

    Memo regarding tools for identifying high-risk patients eligible for Paxlovid and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Interview on the diagnosis and management of concussion in adolescents

    Graduate students are researching the perspectives of community-based primary care providers in Toronto on the diagnosis and management of concussion in adolescents. They’re interested in connecting with a few family physicians, pediatricians, and nurse practitioners working in Toronto for a half-hour interview to participate in their capstone project.

    If you’re interested in participating or have any questions, please send them an email at concussion.trp@utoronto.ca. Deadline June 3.

    Survey for a national framework for diabetes in Canada

    The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is undertaking a virtual engagement process to support Bill C-237 – An Act to Establish a National Framework for Diabetes, which received Royal Assent in June 2021.

    As part of this process, they invite you to provide your input via an online survey platform- EN and FR. Deadline May 9.

    FAQ: MOH “Axe the Fax” survey. Deadline May 4
    The Ministry of Health has initiated an analysis of the current state and drivers of fax use to identify potential options for phasing out fax use in Ontario’s health system. As part of their first phase, there is an assessment survey with a purpose to obtain input from a variety of stakeholders about their use of traditional paper-based fax and electronic fax. Only one survey needs to be submitted from each organization. For more information, an FAQ and the survey link, click here.

    PHO Primary Care IPAC Community of Practice

    Public Health Ontario is hosting a community of practice series that will review key concepts and support resources for Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) in Primary Care settings. Intended for those who oversee or implement IPAC in Primary Care settings, the series will be held over four sessions starting late May. Find your regions and more here.

    • Register here for the West Primary Care Series.
    • Register here for the Central West Primary Care Series.
    • Register here for the Central Primary Care Series.
    • Register here for the East Primary Care Series.
    • Register here for the North Primary Care Series.

    Choosing Wisely in Primary Care Series: Antibiotic Prescribing and your CPSO QI Requirements, May 4, 2022
    First in OCFP series “Choosing Wisely in Primary Care” on Wednesday, May 4, at 8:00-9:00am. Register here.

    Mental Health Week, May 2-8, 2022
    This year’s CMHA Mental Health Week is all about empathy! You can download the toolkit here

    New Horizons: Navigating towards the future of family medicine, starting May 6, 2022
    Speaker series hosted by Dr. Danielle Martin, Chair of the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine. The first session is a conversation with epidemiologist Dr. Sandro Galea. Find out more here.

    3rd Annual McMaster University Review Course in Psychiatry, May 26-27, 2022
    Virtual CPD Conference. Find out more here.

    Feeding Children – Success is in the Details, starting May 18, 2022
    Hosted by Nutrition Connection at the Ontario Public Health Association and Ellyn Satter Institute. Find out more here.

    Action Now! Building Equitable Futures Together, June 8-9, 2022
    Alliance for Healthier Communities conference. Register here.

  • AFHTO’s Response to Ontario’s 2022 Spring Budget

    TORONTO, April 29, 2022 /CNW/ – On behalf of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) members across the province, AFHTO welcomes the investments in home care, mental health care, and health human resources in the 2022 Ontario Budget, Ontario’s Plan to Build.

    The investments will help strengthen the critical areas of home care and mental health care in our health system and expand access to care. AFHTO also recognizes that the government understands the need to invest in the health care workforce, while building the health human resources workforce of the future, specifically in underserviced communities. However, the challenges in primary and community care remain significant given lower funding and salary limits. AFHTO continues to urge the Ontario government to expand access and funding to team-based primary care to provide comprehensive care for Ontarians.

    “Home care and mental health need substantial rebuilding, and we commend the government for these investments,” said Kavita Mehta, Chief Executive Officer, AFHTO. “But seniors managing multiple conditions and medicines, people suffering from mental health challenges, and parents caring for children with chronic conditions need an integrated primary care team that can work hand-in-hand with patients to provide comprehensive and coordinated care. It is time to ensure every Ontarian who needs it has access to team-based primary care.”

    Only one in four Ontarians have access to team-based primary care, which offers more timely access to care, better coordination of care, and cost savings for the health system. An investment in team-based primary care – something the government has not committed to in recent years – is an investment in better seniors’ care, improving access to mental health care, and improving health outcomes.

    AFHTO is calling on the government to invest an additional $75 million per year for the next 10 years in team-based primary care. The healthcare system is complex, each patient’s needs are unique, and a team approach meets these needs. Without access to team-based primary care when needed, too many people fall through the cracks, negatively impacting their health and increasing costs to our healthcare system.

    “Evidence shows it can cost the province three times more to care for a patient who is unable to access high-quality team-based care. Yet only one in four Ontarians have access to an interprofessional care team,” said Clarys Tirel, President & Chair, AFHTO. “Interprofessional primary care teams are there for populations that need support the most – regardless of where they live – such as seniors, those dealing with mental health challenges, and people with chronic illnesses. When it comes to better access to care, it takes a team. We need further investments in team-based primary care.”

    Along with our partners in primary and community care, AFHTO will continue to work with the Ontario government, and all political parties heading into the 2022 Ontario election, to ensure that our health system provides access to team-based primary care for every person who needs it.

    For further information: kavita.mehta@afhto.ca

    Relevant Links:

  • Bits & Pieces: #AFHTO2022 call for abstracts and more

    Bits & Pieces: #AFHTO2022 call for abstracts and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • AFHTO 2022 Conference: call for abstracts
    • Reminder- online appointment booking funding webinar tomorrow
    • Election 2022: It Takes a Team – on social media!
    • Happy Health Administration Day
    • Doctors’ Day is May 1
    • Paxlovid prescription forms, masking requirements continue and more
    • MOH “Axe the Fax” survey
    • MOH, CMOH & OH updates including memos on hepatitis in children and OHTs
    • Upcoming events including understanding your health webinars and more

    AFHTO 2022 Conference: call for abstracts

    Reconnect and Reimagine: moving forward together Oct. 12, 2022 #AFHTO2022

    It’s time to highlight primary care. We’ll be selecting sessions and posters for our 4 core themes and we need your help. We want your insight, from system and policy-level discussions to patient-focused inquiries into the ways teams can better serve their communities now as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

    Find out more here.

    And don’t forget, the deadline to join a working group and/or Bright Lights review committee is next Tuesday, May 3. Come behind the scenes of our first hybrid conference and be the first to learn about new developments in the field, influence conference programming and discover the latest innovators in areas directly relevant to your work. Working group members also receive a discount off their registration fee.

    Reminder- online appointment booking funding webinar tomorrow

    The Ministry of Health has approved funding for Ontario Health Teams (OHT) in development teams and other health care organizations to enable more patients to schedule an online appointment with their primary care provider or other community care provider.

    This funding is intended to support transforming how care is delivered and assisting OHTs and the broader health sector to build their digital health maturity. This funding is also available to primary care and teams that are interested in implementing OAB in their clinics.

    To learn more about this opportunity, register for our webinar tomorrow with Ontario Health, April 28 from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.

    Election 2022: It Takes a Team – on social media!

    Teams are doing fantastic local advocacy as we head into an election where health care is a top issue for all parties.

    Social media – especially Twitter – is a good tool to reach a political audience, and we encourage you use it lots this next month! Check out our social media animations and graphics here, and share successes, pictures from candidate meetings, or pictures of patients with a voter card. Broadcast what you do to deliver the best primary care in Ontario where It Takes a Team.

    AFHTO will be tweeting regularly. We ask you tag @afhto when you tweet, and we will also retweet you!

    Please use our campaign slogan #ItTakesATeam

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

    Happy Health Administration Day
    For all the appointment bookings, checking patients in at the front desk and making things just run better- to all the professionals who keep their teams going- we know it’s like herding cats, but we literally wouldn’t be able to do it without you. Happy Health Administration Day!

    Black and white picture of a black woman with her hair in a bun on top holding her right hand palm facing the camera. On it an orange post-it note says My Doctor's...Diagnosis saved my life.

     

    Doctors’ Day is May 1
    Sunday, May 1, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and health care organizations across the province will be recognizing contributions made by Ontario’s doctors. Ontarians can participate by saying thank you with colour here.

    You can also join the conversation with hashtag #DoctorsDay.

    A special thank you to all the family doctors working with our teams for the great care you provide to your patients and your communities each and every day.

     

     

    Paxlovid prescription forms, masking requirements continue and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    MOH “Axe the Fax” survey
    The Ministry of Health has initiated an analysis of the current state and drivers of fax use to identify potential options for phasing out fax use in Ontario’s health system. As part of their first phase, there is an assessment survey with a purpose to obtain input from a variety of stakeholders about their use of traditional paper-based fax and electronic fax. Only one survey needs to be submitted from each organization. For more information and the survey link, click here.

    MOH, CMOH & OH updates including memos on hepatitis in children and OHTs

    Understanding your health webinars
    Resources for patients and providers from Living Healthy Champlain. Learn more here

    Mental Health Week, May 2-8, 2022
    CMHA toolkit available here

    3rd Annual McMaster University Review Course in Psychiatry, May 26-27, 2022
    Virtual CPD Conference. Find out more here.

    Feeding Children – Success is in the Details, starting May 18, 2022
    Hosted by Nutrition Connection at the Ontario Public Health Association and Ellyn Satter Institute. Find out more here.

    Action Now! Building Equitable Futures Together, June 8-9, 2022
    Alliance for Healthier Communities conference. Early bird deadline Apr. 29. 2022. Register here.

     

  • AFHTO 2022 Conference: call for abstracts

    AFHTO 2022 Conference: call for abstracts

    Reconnect and Reimagine: moving forward together

    It’s time to highlight primary care.

    Present your ideas and initiatives at the AFHTO 2022 Conference:
           
    Reconnect and Reimagine: moving forward together

    We’ll be selecting sessions and posters for our 4 core themes and we need your help. We want your insight, from system and policy-level discussions to patient-focused inquiries into the ways teams can better serve their communities now as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

    What do we mean? Dive deeper into our conference theme.

    The deadline to submit for an #AFHTO2022 presentation is
    May 26, 2022, at 5:00 PM (EDT)

    Review submission guidelines

    Submit online

    Reduced registration fee for concurrent session presenters: For each approved concurrent session, up to 2 presenters will each be granted a $35 discount off the conference registration fee. Additional discounts apply for patients presenting at the conference. (Discount doesn’t apply for poster displays.)

    This is our first hybrid conference. This means it will be a mix of in-person sessions and on-demand. We will continue to have regularly scheduled webinars focused on primary care teams’ needs for the rest of the year so as always send in your suggestions! For this conference, we welcome speaker suggestions.

    Conference key dates:*

    • April 26, 2022- Call for abstracts
    • May 26, 2022– Deadline for abstracts
    • June 15, 2022 – Bright Lights nominations
    • July 2022- Conference registration opens
    • September 28, 2022– Early bird registration deadline
    • October 12, 2022– AFHTO 2022 Conference

    Do you know anyone with interesting and innovative initiatives to share? Please forward this email to your colleagues, community partners and stakeholders to make sure everyone has an opportunity to present their initiatives.

    And don’t forget, the deadline to join a working group and/or Bright Lights review committee is next Tuesday, May 3. Come behind the scenes of our first hybrid conference and be the first to learn about new developments in the field, influence conference programming and discover the latest innovators in areas directly relevant to your work. Working group members also receive a discount off their registration fee.

    For more information, you can contact us by phone (647-234-8605 x1200) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).

  • Letter to Minister Elliott – Scheduled lifting of public health measures

    Letter to Minister Elliott – Scheduled lifting of public health measures

    AFHTO, IPHCC and Alliance logos

     

    April 21, 2022

    Hon. Christine Elliott
    Minister of Health 
    777 Bay St., College Park, 5th Floor
    Toronto, ON M7A 2J3

    Dear Minister Elliott,

    As associations representing interprofessional primary healthcare teams, we are concerned about the projected impact of what both Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam, and our Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, have confirmed is the sixth wave of COVID-19.

    With hospitalizations related to COVID-19 surpassing the 1,600 threshold for the first time since mid-February,  we are seeing more individuals in ICUs being treated for COVID-19. While vaccinations and some immunity from  prior infection are helpful, being “fully vaccinated” (only 2 doses) or having had the virus does not stop a person’s ability to carry and transmit it to others or to become reinfected.

    We ask that you do not end any of the public health measures that are scheduled to be lifted on April 27, especially mandatory masking in all healthcare settings – including primary care clinics – and public transit.

    Please also consider reinstating masks in indoor public settings as we know masks reduce spread. At minimum, require their use in essential settings that vulnerable people must go to, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.

    We need to support healthcare providers and prioritize prevention measures. Decisions based solely on hospital capacity do not keep in mind how precarious our health human resources are – particularly in primary care, where people get care that can prevent them from being hospitalized. In addition, delayed surgeries due to healthcare providers being sick or inundated with COVID-19 cases will continue to hurt Ontarians. We have never seen as many healthcare workers off with COVID-19 as in this wave. This is putting health system capacity and the wellbeing of many Ontarians at great risk. It is critical not to lift any more prevention measures and to protect the scant HR capacity that we currently have.

    Thank you for considering our input. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

    Sincerely,

    Kavita Mehta, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

    Sarah Hobbs, Alliance for Healthier Communities

    Caroline Lidstone-Jones, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council