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  • MOH “Axe the Fax” Assessment 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 Phase 1: Current State Assessment,  there is an “Axe the Fax” Assessment Survey with a purpose to obtain input from a variety of stakeholders across the Ontario health sector to better understand the current state of fax use. For more information, please see the information sheet here.

    Survey Instructions

    ·       Please click on this link to complete the survey (https://bit.ly/ON_ATF_SURVEY)

    ·       Only ONE survey needs to be submitted for each organization.

    ·       There are a total of 24 questions, which should take you ~20 minutes to complete

    ·       The survey will close on Wednesday May 4th, at 11:59 pm EST

    ·       We recommend completing the survey on a computer, using Chrome as the preferred browser

    ·       Please note that the information provided in this survey will be kept anonymous; however, data trends and direct quotes may be used in our Current State Assessment report

    ·       If you have any issues in completing the survey, please contact Deloitte at ATFprojectteam@deloitte.ca. Please also see here for a list of common survey FAQs.

    Who should be completing this survey?

    Individuals who currently use fax and have knowledge of key information, such as:

    ·       Key drivers / reasons for continued fax use

    ·       Impact of fax use, such as time spent sending / receiving / sorting faxes

    ·       Estimated fax volume by stakeholder and primary reasons for using fax

    This may include individuals responding on behalf of a singular practice (e.g., clinic, unit, lab, pharmacy, home care facility, specialist clinic) that is part of a larger organization, as well as individuals responding on behalf of an entire organization (e.g., all areas of your hospital, all physicians within your family health team, all units of your mental health centre).

    What information will be collected from this survey?

    The survey includes three sections about the use of traditional paper-based fax and electronic fax (e-fax):

    1)   Background Questions: Upfront questions to set the context of your care setting, organization, region, and role

    2)   Organizational/Practice-Level Information*: Questions to gather insights into organizational / practice-level data

    3)   Personal Experience Questions: Questions to gather insights into your experience or perspectives on using fax

    *Note: You may need to collect information from individuals within your organization or practice (e.g., IT department, administrative staff) to complete this section of the survey. To support this, your survey responses will be saved to allow you to leave and come back to finish the survey at any point before the survey closure date.

  • Paxlovid Prescription Forms

    Dear Members,

    Partnering For Quality and the eHealth Centre of Excellence have developed resources for PS Suite, Oscar and Accuro to help with Paxlovid prescriptions and referrals. See below for prescription forms and additional resources. 

     

    PS Suite: (Designed by Partnering For Quality)

    1. Download the package: Click here
    2. Unzip the .cfm file to your Desktop
    3. Import the .cfm file into PS Suite

    Oscar: (Developed by eHealth Centre of Excellence)

    1. Download the package: Click here

    2. Import the full .zip package into Oscar

    Accuro: (Designed by Partnering For Quality)

    Found in the global forms list

    Name: Paxlovid Prescription- 04122022- DC

    Publisher: wejerrett

    Date: April 13, 2022

    PDF version: Click here

    For more clinical guidance on prescribing Paxlovid, click here. 

     

    Yours in Good Health,

    The AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: funding for online appointment booking 2022/23 and more

    Bits & Pieces: funding for online appointment booking 2022/23 and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Online appointment booking funding webinar Apr. 28
    • AFHTO 2022 Conference: create YOUR hybrid conference. Sign up by May 3
    • IPAC strategies webinar materials available
    • Member stories
    • Memo on optimizing care and more
    • Upcoming events including improving transitions from youth to adult health care and more

    Online appointment booking funding webinar Apr. 28

    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.

    To learn more about this opportunity, register for our webinar on Thursday, April 28 from 12:00 to 12:30pm.

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

    AFHTO 2022 Conference: create YOUR hybrid conference. Sign up by 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. Deadline May 3.

     

    Screenshot of slide titled IPAC risk assessment

     

    IPAC strategies webinar materials available

    On Apr. 14, in partnership with the members of the Primary Care Collaborative, Public Health Ontario (PHO) provided infection prevention and control (IPAC) information to those working in clinical office settings. Materials are now available.

     

    Member stories
    Huron Shores FHT- “For the younger doctors, I think having a health team is very attractive compared to what we have here now, a model of the old-fashioned doc who works on his own, runs his office, runs his staff, works all night at the hospital, works the next day at the clinic.”

    “NSHN … will support a joint business case between the East Algoma Primary Care Work Team and the Huron Shores Family Health Team to incorporate Thessalon, Bruce Mines and Richards Landing into the current Huron Shores Family Health Team.”

    Read the full article here.

    Memo on optimizing care and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    IPAC Central West: IPAC Primary Care CoP, Apr. 20, 2022
    Hosted by Public Health Ontario, IPAC Implementation and Support Team. Register here.

    ECHO Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Apr. 22- Jul. 15, 2022
    A free pilot telementoring program for primary health-care providers. Find out more here.

    Quadruple Aim Measures for Ontario Health Teams, Apr. 26, 2022
    HSPN’s next OHT webinar. Register here. Past webinar materials here.

    Changing the Story: Improving Transitions from Youth to Adult Health Care, Apr. 27, 2022
    Ontario Health webinar in partnership with the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health. Register here.

  • AFHTO 2022 Conference: create YOUR hybrid conference. Sign up by May 3

    AFHTO 2022 Conference: create YOUR hybrid conference. Sign up by May 3

    Reconnect and Reimagine: moving forward together

    Join a working group

    You can make an impact by joining a working group 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.  

    Please extend this invitation along to your patients, colleagues, and staff. Having diverse voices, especially patients, in the working groups helps us build a varied and relevant program.

    Conference Themes

    We’re setting up working groups for concurrent sessions, posters, and the Bright Lights Awards program. 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 so let us know your thoughts as the five conference themes will focus on:

    1. It takes a team: collaboration inside and out
    2. Health equity at the centre
    3. Sustainable solutions to primary care problems
    4. Mental health and addictions

    (Full descriptions here)

    Working Group Details

    Concurrent program working group members:
    The task requires a total of 4-10 hours of effort in May and June, specifically:

    • April 26 to May 26: AFHTO staff will manage the call for proposals process.
    • Week of May 9: working groups will have an initial Zoom session to brainstorm ideas on specific topics and speakers to contact/encourage to submit a presentation abstract.  
    • May 31 to June 10: each working group member individually reviews and scores abstracts for their program.
    • June 13 to 16: working groups will meet via Zoom to review scores and determine the program for this theme.

    Sign up by May 3, 2022, to confirm your participation and select your preferred conference theme.

    Bright Lights logo

    “Bright Light” Awards Review Committee:
    The task requires a total of 6-12 hours in July and August, specifically to individually review and score nominations followed by a Zoom meeting to determine the award winners. Sign up by May 3, 2022

    We may also need volunteers onsite during the conference itself. There may be other duties as we update our conference program but like other volunteers described above, onsite volunteers will receive discounted conference registration. Sign up today.

    Registration Fees for Conference Working Groups:

    • Conference working group members and presenters receive a $35 discount off their registration fee
    • We understand patients face additional financial and time pressures and do not want the registration fee to limit participation in a working group. Patients participating in full in a conference working group will be eligible for complimentary registration (to be determined once the working group task is complete).  

    AFHTO members still receive a significant discount on conference registration fees.

    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
    • October 12, 2022– AFHTO 2022 Conference

    *All dates subject to change, except the conference dates.

    To our sponsors, the sponsorship prospectus is coming soon. For more information, you can contact us by phone (647-234-8605) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).

  • Prescribing Paxlovid, Fourth Doses and Additional Resources

    Dear Members,

    As COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases continue to rise across the province, the reality of this sixth wave of the pandemic is taking hold with this highly transmissible BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron. Ontario approved fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for those eligible and has now made it possible for physicians and Nurse Practitioners to prescribe Paxlovid that can be dispensed in community pharmacies. As we head into what will be a difficult spring, please see below for some additional resources and updates you may find helpful.

    Prescribing Paxlovid
    An individual with a valid prescription for Paxlovid is eligible to receive publicly funded Paxlovid if they live, work, or study in Ontario or are here for an extended stay. They also need to meet the applicable clinical criteria outlined in the Ontario Health Guidance for providers on access to COVID-19 antiviral treatment.

    An individual is not required to have a valid Ontario health card or be an Ontario Drug Benefit Program recipient to receive publicly funded Paxlovid. Community pharmacies across the province are still onboarding to dispense Paxlovid and you can find which locations already have the antivirals on the Ministry site. Paxlovid is also available at all provincial Clinical Assessment Centres.

    Below are some resources you may find helpful:

    In their President’s Message yesterday, the Ontario College of Family Physicians highlighted key details to keep in mind with the rollout of Paxlovid prescribing, including additional clinical tools that would be helpful in determining patient eligibility for the antivirals.

    Rolling out fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines
    On April 7th, the Ministry expanded eligibility for fourth doses (second booster dose) of the COVID-19 vaccine to include individuals aged 60 years and over as well as First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and over. Additional considerations include:

    • A fourth dose should be offered to those who received their third dose (first booster dose) five months (140 days) prior. The minimum interval for the fourth dose (second booster dose) is three months (84 days).
    • To maximize the immune response of the vaccine after a COVID-19 infection, it is recommended that individuals wait three months (84 days) after they tested positive, or their symptoms started.
    • At this time, it is not recommended to administer a fifth dose (second booster dose) to immunocompromised people.

    As a reminder, if  you would like to administer vaccines in your clinic so please connect with your PHU operational lead for information if you haven’t yet done so.

    Events
    IPAC Strategies To Ensure A Safe Environment In Primary Care Clinics
    The Primary Care Collaborative has partnered with Public Health Ontario to provide an infection prevention and control (IPAC) information webinar to those working in clinical office settings. In this webinar, practical IPAC strategies for ensuring a safe environment for patients, clinicians, and staff will be reviewed and evidence-based resources will be introduced to support the ongoing development of a complete IPAC program for this practice setting. Such an IPAC program will be responsive to current concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as routine infection risks in the clinical office environment.
    Date & Time: Thursday April 14, 2022 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
    Speaker: Dr. Jeya Nadarajah, IPAC Physician, Science and Public Health, Public Health Ontario

    Please register here.

    COVID-19 Community of Practice: All About Paxlovid
    The next OCFP/UofT DFCM CoP will be all about Paxlovid.
    Date & Time: Friday, April 22, 2022 from 7:55 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
    Speakers: Dr. Sohal Goyal, Family Physician, West Mississauga Medical, Dr. Kelly Grindrod, Pharmacist and Associate Professor, University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy and Dr. Andrew Morris, Medical Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Sinai Health System/University Health Network.

    Please register here.

    Ontario Health Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP
    Ontario Health has a monthly series that will run every second Wednesday April to December. Its objectives are:

    • Provide updates on new guidance and initiatives affecting primary care.
    • View presentations and ask questions related to COVID-19 response and recovery initiatives within primary care.
    • Learn from and connect with your peers.

    Please register here.

    Alliance for Healthier Communities
    On April 5, 2022, the Alliance held a webinar on COVID-19 and indoor air quality – how community spaces can reduce transmission using ventilation, filtration, and ultra-violet disinfection. Click here to access the recording.

    New and Updated Resources

    Last week, the Ontario government announced the launching of a suite of supports for Ukrainian families arriving under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel. The supports available include Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage. Please find the news release here and additional information on coming to Ontario from Ukraine here.

    The Ministry has developed the guidance document Ukrainians Fleeing War: Early Assessment Considerations for Primary Care Providers. This document is intended to support primary health care providers in their early assessments and care of individuals arriving in Ontario who have been displaced due to the war in Ukraine.

    There is a lot going on and we know you are exhausted. Heading into these ongoing waves is a constant reminder that this virus has no timetable around an end date, and we need to continue to remain vigilant to reduce its spread. Once again thank you 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.
     
    Yours in Good Health,
    The AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: Apr. 14 IPAC webinar and more

    Bits & Pieces: Apr. 14 IPAC webinar and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Reminder – IPAC strategies to ensure a safe environment in primary care clinics Apr. 14
    • Election advocacy webinar slides and video available
    • Ontario expanding access to COVID-19 antivirals & PCR testing and more
    • Study to investigate barriers in the diagnosis and management of dementia in primary care – recruiting family physicians
    • NPAO Patient Choice Award
    • Harm Reduction Fundamentals: A Toolkit
    • Wellness Together Canada- mental health and substance use resources
    • Upcoming events including curbing unnecessary CT scans for concussions and more

     

     

    Reminder- IPAC strategies to ensure a safe environment in primary care clinics Apr. 14

    In partnership with the members of the Primary Care Collaborative, Public Health Ontario (PHO) will provide infection prevention and control (IPAC) information to those working in clinical office settings.

    In this webinar, practical IPAC strategies for ensuring a safe environment for patients, clinicians, and staff will be reviewed and evidence-based resources will be introduced to support the ongoing development of a complete IPAC program for this practice setting.

    The information presented in this webinar will be of interest to clinicians as well as those designated to lead IPAC activities in the clinical office setting.

    Register here.

    apr 2022 advocacy webinar screenshot titled 'why advocacy matters'

    Election advocacy webinar slides and video available

    It’s exciting to be speaking with teams about their current advocacy and the work being planned for the coming two months as we head towards the June 2 provincial election! The election is expected to start on May 4. As you all know, though, parties are in full election mode now.

    AFHTO held an advocacy webinar with our government relations firm, Enterprise Canada, last week to discuss advocacy and the tools we’ve developed to support you. Read more here.

    Remember to also keep us in loop about your advocacy activities and if you need any support contact us at advocacy@afhto.ca.

    Ontario expanding access to COVID-19 antivirals & PCR testing and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Study to investigate barriers in the diagnosis and management of dementia in primary care – recruiting family physicians

    The purpose of this online study is to improve our understanding of diagnostic and therapeutic practices in the management of patients with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer Disease (AD) by primary care physicians. The study is conducted by NeuroEconSolutions, a company that designs online studies to better understand patients’ and doctors’ preferences regarding specific diagnostic tests, procedures, and treatments. Dr. Marie-Chantal Ménard is the Principal Investigator of this study.

    If you have any questions regarding the research study itself, please feel free to contact Dr. Marie-Chantal Ménard at ADinPCP@gmail.com. Recruitment is rolling and needs to be completed before the end of May 2022. An Amazon gift card of $150 will be provided to all those that complete the study.

    NPAO Patient Choice Award

    Nominations for the Patient Choice Award are submitted by patients, based on their description of their nurse practitioner’s professional qualities, approach to patient care and specific stories of dedication and how the nurse practitioner has made a difference in their lives or the lives of others. Here’s a poster to promote the award in your clinics. Deadline is June 17, 2022.

    Harm Reduction Fundamentals: A Toolkit
    CATIE has launched Harm Reduction Fundamentals: A Toolkit for Service Providers  a bilingual educational resource that includes a collection of interactive multimedia resources on foundational harm reduction knowledge. Here is more information on the Toolkit and an FAQ.

    Wellness Together Canada- mental health and substance use resources

    Wellness Together Canada is Canada’s first and only online platform offering immediate mental health and substance use support for people of all ages, in every province and territory, and in both official languages. Access free educational resources, e-courses and live counselling via phone, text, and video 24/7 and at no cost ever.

    They have developed a custom toolkit for primary care providers. It contains sample social media graphics, two posters with QR codes linking to resources, and an infographic to easily explain resources. Get it here.

    Curbing Unnecessary CT scans for Concussions, Apr. 13, 2022
    Join Choosing Wisely Talks for a discussion on reducing CT scans for concussions. Register here.

    IPAC Central West: IPAC Primary Care CoP, Apr. 20, 2022
    Hosted by Public Health Ontario, IPAC Implementation and Support Team. Register here.

    ECHO Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Apr. 22- Jul. 15, 2022
    A free pilot telementoring program for primary health-care providers. Find out more here.

    Quadruple Aim Measures for Ontario Health Teams, Apr. 26, 2022
    HSPN’s next OHT webinar. Register here. Past webinar materials here.

    Changing the Story: Improving Transitions from Youth to Adult Health Care, Apr. 27, 2022
    Ontario Health webinar in partnership with the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health. Register here.

  • Election 2022: 52 days to go!

    Hi everyone,

    It’s exciting to be speaking with teams about their current advocacy and the work being planned for the coming two months as we head towards the June 2 provincial election! The election is expected to start on May 4. As you all know, though, parties are in full election mode now.

    To help make sure parties understand the importance of team-based primary care and how to address the crisis facing the healthcare sector, candidates need to hear about it – and solutions on how to fix it – from local stakeholders and voters. As healthcare leaders and providers, you are in an excellent position to do this and to encourage friends, family, and patients do as well.

    AFHTO held an advocacy webinar with our government relations firm, Enterprise Canada, last week to discuss advocacy and the tools we’ve developed to support you. The deck and recording are posted on our advocacy page.

    You’ll see the link to this at the top of the page. Underneath the webinar link, you’ll see links to the tools. They’ll be helpful in your work over the next two months.

    The following are posted:

    • Advocacy toolkit, which includes key messages, template letters, and FAQs
    • Toolkit on how to organise a townhall
    • One-pager to leave behind at meetings – or to mail or email to candidates
      • There is a standard version or a fillable version, where you can make edits to what team-based primary care is an investment in
    • Animations to use on social media
    • Social media graphics
    • Voter card with top questions to give to family, friends, team members, and patients to use either reactively when campaigns reach out, or proactively
    • Patient story map to support any patient who might join a meeting
    • Our 2022 pre-budget submission that speaks to key areas that need to be addressed

    We encourage candidate meetings by the end of April, if possible, before the election officially kicks off. It’s important that candidates know what team-based primary care is as they head into the election — and getting their time will be a bit more feasible now.

    You can find your candidates and how to reach them here:

    PC candidates
    Liberal candidates
    NDP candidates

    If no one is listed for your riding, the candidate is not yet nominated. Please keep checking these links for updates.

    Your voices are critical. And powerful. Let’s speak to our solutions together, and ensure they are heard. Elections are a great opportunity for influence and health care is a top priority for all parties, so don’t forget the influence you have.

    Please reach out to advocacy@afhto.ca if you have any questions.

    52 days to go!

    Yours in good health

    The AFHTO Team

     

  • Ukrainians Fleeing War: Early Assessment Considerations for Primary Care Providers

    Today, the Ontario government announced the launching of a suite of supports for Ukrainian families arriving under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel. The supports available include Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage. Please find the News Release here and additional information on coming to Ontario from Ukraine here.

    The ministry has developed the attached guidance document, Ukrainians Fleeing War: Early Assessment Considerations for Primary Care Providers. This document is intended to support primary health care providers in their early assessments and care of individuals arriving in Ontario who have been displaced due to the war in Ukraine.

    English and French versions will be posted on the ministry’s website shortly.

  • Bits & Pieces: IPAC & advocacy webinars and more

    Bits & Pieces: IPAC & advocacy webinars and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • IPAC strategies to ensure a safe environment in primary care clinics Apr. 14
    • We need you. Provincial election campaign training with Enterprise Canada, tomorrow, Apr. 6, 2022
    • Welcome to Raveen Bahniwal
    • Member stories
    • Ontario Health and Primary Care, MHA CoE, and HCNS slides and video available
    • Strategies for an equitable recovery and the latest on 4th doses, immunity and more
    • Change to Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)’s guidelines
    • Upcoming events including diabetes care and more

     

    IPAC strategies to ensure a safe environment in primary care clinics Apr. 14

    In partnership with the members of the Primary Care Collaborative, Public Health Ontario (PHO) will provide infection prevention and control (IPAC) information to those working in clinical office settings.

    In this webinar, practical IPAC strategies for ensuring a safe environment for patients, clinicians, and staff will be reviewed and evidence-based resources will be introduced to support the ongoing development of a complete IPAC program for this practice setting.

    The information presented in this webinar will be of interest to clinicians as well as those designated to lead IPAC activities in the clinical office setting.

    Register here.

    We need you. Provincial election campaign training with Enterprise Canada, tomorrow, Apr. 6, 2022

    AFHTO Executive Committee and CEO meet with Minister Elliott on Zoom mar 2022

    The provincial election is just over two months away. Now is the time for local candidates to hear from you. Anyone on the team can join and we highly encourage you to do so! It’s going to take all of us to make an impact across Ontario.

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

    ravninder bahniwal headshot

     

    Welcome to Raveen Bahniwal
    We’re happy to introduce Raveen Bahniwal, our new Quality and Knowledge Translation Specialist.

    Ravninder (Raveen) completed her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at McMaster University where she has experience in quantitative research, mainly running randomized controlled trials with the Exercise Metabolism Research Group. She received her master’s in public health from Western University where she worked on a research project within the Department of Family Medicine investigating the connection between artificial intelligence and primary care challenges.

    During the pandemic, Ravninder has been working as a Community Health Ambassador to provide wraparound COVID-19 supports to high-risk neighbourhoods and support community members in getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Welcome to the team!

    Member stories

    Parry Sound FHT– ‘It’s unbelievable’: Parry Sound FHT uses virtual reality to help seniors to explore the world

    Peninsula FHT– Physician buy-in a prescription for high vaccination rates

    Screenshot of Ontario Health and Primary Care webinar april 1

    Ontario Health and Primary Care, MHA CoE, and HCNS slides and video available

    On Friday, April 1 we had an update and conversation with Ontario Health on its role in supporting primary care, the work being led through the Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence (MHA CoE), and the vision for OH’s Healthcare Navigation Service (HCNS). Slides and video are now available.

    Strategies for an equitable recovery and the latest on 4th doses, immunity and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Change to Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)’s guidelines

    There will be a change to Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)’s Guidelines, specifically pertaining to recommendations for repeating cytology after an abnormal result. The OCSP now formally recommends that people with the following cervical screening results repeat their cytology test in 12 months instead of in 6 months:

    • A first time low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) result
    • An LSIL or ASCUS result followed by a normal result

    The OCSP originally released these evidence-based recommendations to support the gradual resumption of cervical screening services during COVID-19. Ontario Health is now formalizing the change to their screening recommendations. Please see the fulsome screening recommendation summary that can be found here. For evidence to support this recommendation, please see here.

    Ontario Health is working with Ontario labs that provide cervical screening testing to update the relevant cytology result reports, so they reflect this recommendation change.

    Please reach out to cancerinfo@ontariohealth.ca, if you have any questions.

    The 3R’s – Relief, Recovery & Renewal: A Prescription for Self-Care, Apr. 6, 2022

    Hosted by Instincts at Work.Find out more here.

    Diabetes Care: Tools and Resources to Support Mental Health Needs, Apr. 8, 2022
    Hosted by Ontario Health and moderated by Dr. David Kaplan. Find out more here.

    ECHO Care of the Elderly: Long-Term Care, starting Apr. 12, 2022
    Hosted by Baycrest, in collaboration with North East Specialized Geriatric Centre and the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI), this free series runs on Tuesdays from April 12 – July 12, 2022. Apply here.

    QI Innovations: Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Outcomes, Apr. 12, 2022
    Free conference hosted by Excellence through Quality Improvement Project (E-QIP). Learn more here.

    IPAC Central West: IPAC Primary Care CoP, Apr. 20, 2022
    Hosted by Public Health Ontario, IPAC Implementation and Support Team. Register here.

  • ‘It’s unbelievable’: Parry Sound FHT uses virtual reality to help seniors to explore the world

    Parry Sound North Star published March 29, 2022

    Written by Sarah Bissonette

    On any given day, Valarie Stanley watches members of area’s older residents tackle Mount Everest, explore the streets of Paris or sit in a garden while never leaving Parry Sound and, for some, remaining in their wheelchairs.

    The Parry Sound Health Team virtual reality project takes the world to older adults for increased social connection and improved mental health — to give them some “fun” as Executive Director Peter Istvan said. Stanley, the Parry Sound Family Health Team senior VR project co-ordinator, arrives at congregate living homes and support centres in the area every week with virtual reality headsets.

    “We give them choices. Where do they want to go in the world today? And it’s kind of fun. I thought it wasn’t going to be as successful as it is; it’s unbelievable,” said Stanley.

    While wearing the headsets, the person can turn their head and move to look around the world on the screen, similar to being in the space themselves.

    The virtual reality program is funded by Ontario’s Seniors Community Grant.