Ultimate Blogging Championship

Blog

  • 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

    
 

  • 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