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  • Bits & Pieces: OTF Resilient Communities Fund webinar, cancer screening & more

    Bits & Pieces: OTF Resilient Communities Fund webinar, cancer screening & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • OTF Resilient Communities Fund webinar Sep 29
    • Reminder- Electronic Asthma Management System tool demonstration, Sep. 15
    • IHP Sessions: six leads still needed
    • Breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening and FIT requisition update
    • OMA pocket journal for contact tracing and more
    • Upcoming events including Care Of The Elderly and more

    OTF Resilient Communities Fund webinar Sep 29

    Grants available to help teams rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19:
    Join us September 29, 12:00-12:30 p.m. to find out how your team can tap into these funds.

    The Ontario government is investing $83 million through the Ontario Trillium Foundation to provide grants through this Resilient Communities Fund to help eligible non-profit organizations, including family health teams and primary care organizations, recover from COVID-19 and continue the delivery of vital programming in their communities.

    In this webinar, Andrea Spencer and Jason Huehn from Optimus SBR will provide an overview of the Resilient Communities Fund application process and requirements, discuss how your organization can benefit from the fund, and provide strategic advice on how to maximize your probability of success in securing funding. The next submission deadline is December 2. Register here.

    Reminder- Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – tool demonstration, Sep. 15

    Significant gaps persist in asthma care across Ontario. The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma. Find out more here.

    IHP Sessions: six leads still needed

    We still need volunteers to lead the popular break-out sessions at the AFHTO 2020 Conference for the following professions:

    • Health promoters
    • Nurse practitioners
    • Physiotherapists
    • Psychologists
    • Nurses (RN/RPN)
    • Administrative
    • Physician assistants

     If you’re interested, please contact Beth MacKinnon today. The lead will receive a $20 discount on their conference fee.

    Breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening and FIT requisition update

    Summary Guidance for Primary Care Providers Resuming Cancer Screening_2020-08-25

    As of August 25, 2020, LifeLabs will start accepting new fecal immunochemical test (FIT) requisitions for groups at higher risk of colorectal cancer:

    • Average risk people over age 60 who have never been screened for colorectal cancer
    • Average risk people with previous unsatisfactory FIT results
    • Eligible average risk people awaiting organ transplant

    LifeLabs will continue to send out a limited number of FIT kits per day to allow for a gradual resumption of services across the healthcare system. As such, primary care providers can begin sending in new FIT requisitions when seeing patients in one of the higher risk groups identified above.  

    To ensure a coordinated resumption of services, Ontario Health strongly encourages Regional Cancer Programs, primary care providers and endoscopists to work together to ensure appropriate follow-up of patients with abnormal FIT results.

    Reminder regarding breast cancer and cervical screening
    Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) is recommending that routine breast and cervical screening tests be resumed in a gradual manner. For reference, a summary of Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario)’s guidance for resuming breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening is here.  

    Detailed tip sheets have been developed for healthcare providers to guide the resumption of these services, please email cancerinfo@ontariohealth.ca if you would like a copy.

    If you have any questions about resuming cancer screening, please contact cancerinfo@ontariohealth.ca.

    OMA pocket journal for contact tracing and more

    Updates released within the last week include:

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

    Approaches to Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning & Goals of Care Conversations, August 27- September 17, 2020

    Four-part webinar series from Hospice Palliative Care Ontario for front line workers, health care/service providers and first responders. Find out more and register here.

    ECHO Care Of The Elderly, Sep. 9 to Dec 16, 2020
    Join CAMH on Wednesdays to brush up on your capacity to care for the frail and complex aging individuals.
    Apply here.

    Strengthening Families Together Virtual Series, Sept. 10- Oct. 1, 2020

    Share this webinar series by IAmMentalHealth with any caregivers to those with schizophrenia or a psychosis related illness. Learn more here.

    Osgoode Professional Development, Oct. 5, 2020 – Apr 28, 2021

    AFHTO is partnering with York University’s OPD to provide members 10% off a variety of health law programs for professional development. For discount code and course offerings, click here.

    AFHTO 2020 Conference, Oct. 8-9, 2020

    Registration has opened for Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world, our 2020 virtual conference! Members receive a significant discount so contact your administrator for your member access code. Early bird deadline Oct. 1. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: Helen Bevan and Jane Philpott at the conference & more

    Bits & Pieces: Helen Bevan and Jane Philpott at the conference & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • AFHTO 2020 registration open
    • 211 Ontario slides and video available
    • The role of social workers in interprofessional primary healthcare teams
    • Ontario releases COVID-19 management plan for schools and more
    • Engagement of patients with diabetes via virtual health apps survey
    • NPs can now sign for medication samples
    • Osgoode Professional Development discount for members
    • Upcoming events including Approaches to Health Care Consent and more

    AFHTO 2020 registration open

    Helen Bevan Dr. Jane Philpott

    Registration has opened for the AFHTO 2020 Conference, featuring sessions with Helen Bevan and Dr. Jane Philpott. There’s also a free morning with the Bright Lights Awards ceremony!

    We sent member access codes to the leadership of all teams whose renewal fees have been received so far, so you can register today!

    The working groups have now reviewed all submissions and a notification email has been sent to each contact person. If you are part of a group that has prepared an abstract, please ensure your group contact has received an email including the words “AFHTO 2020 Conference” in the subject between August 21 to 23. (Please have them check their junk mail as well.)

    If your contact person has NOT received this notification, please contact info@afhto.ca today.

    211 webinar

    211 Ontario slides and video available

    Slides and video for our Aug. 20 webinar, 211 Ontario – Connecting Patients to Community Programs and Services are now available. Visit our site to access these resources.

     

     

     

    The role of social workers in interprofessional primary healthcare teams

    Published in Healthcare Policy, this study seeks to determine the amount of social work services provided in CHCs and FHTs, identify the types of services that social workers provide in CHCs and FHTs and ascertain the methods social workers use to deliver services in CHCs and FHTs.

    Authors include Vela Tadic, Bruyère Academic FHT and Rachelle Ashcroft, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Find out more here.

    Ontario releases COVID-19 management plan for schools and more

    Several updates have been released within the last week including:

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

    Engagement of patients with diabetes via virtual health apps survey

    A York University researcher is seeking input from family physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners. The aim of their research is to improve practice and policy about the potential of Virtual Health Apps use in primary care settings with a special focus on vulnerable and marginalized patient populations. To provide your input, please fill out this survey.

    NPs can now sign for medication samples

    Q: Pharmaceutical representatives often leave medication samples at the clinic where I work as a nurse. Can I provide a medication sample to patients?

    A: Under federal law, nurse practitioners can accept and distribute medication samples to patients.

    To find out more visit the College of Nurses of Ontario site.

    Osgoode Professional Development discount for members

    AFHTO is partnering with York University’s OPD to provide members 10% off a variety of health law programs for professional development from Oct. 5, 2020 – Apr 28, 2021. Topics include among others AI in healthcare, consent and capacity and elder law. For discount code and course offerings, click here.

    Approaches to Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning & Goals of Care Conversations, August 27- September 17, 2020

    Four-part webinar series from Hospice Palliative Care Ontario for front line workers, health care/service providers and first responders. Find out more and register here.

    Ask me Anything About Health Privacy, September 2, 2020
    Join Kate Dewhirst’s final webinar and ask questions around Health Privacy. Register here.

    Strengthening Families Together Virtual Series, Sept. 10- Oct. 1, 2020

    Share this webinar series by IAmMentalHealth with any caregivers to those with schizophrenia or a psychosis related illness. Learn more here.

    COVID-19 and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Ethics, September 1, 2020

    Join this final webinar in this COVID-19 and IDD series hosted by the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine. They will address ethical questions and issues that have emerged in health care and support of people with IDD.
    Learn more here.

    Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – tool demonstration, Sep. 15

    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma. Find out more here.

  • AFHTO 2020 Conference: Registration now live

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: Registration now live

    AFHTO 2020 Conference logo

    Registration now open for the AFHTO 2020 Conference!

    Before 2020, anyone with experience in Ontario’s healthcare system thought they knew what change meant. Now COVID-19 has shifted our priorities with a focus on how to support our patients and our teams in new ways of delivering care.

    Primary care has risen to the challenge, but the ground is still shifting, and the future is uncertain. Interprofessional teams need to cross newly opened chasms to ensure they continue to provide patients and communities the care they require, all while they renew team dynamics to strengthen the foundation on which patient care rests.

    Join your peers tuning in throughout Ontario and beyond as we learn how to rebuild primary care for this new world.

    See the full Conference Schedule here. For general information, you can visit our conference page.

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2020 Conference!

  • The Role of Social Workers in Interprofessional Primary Healthcare Teams: Study

    Research paper published in HEALTHCARE POLICY Vol.16 No.1, 2020

    Abstract

    Background: In Ontario, Canada, social workers are employed in a number of primary healthcare (PHC) settings such as Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Family Health Teams (FHTs). However, many aspects of social work practice within PHC settings are unknown.

    Objectives: The objectives of our study are to determine the amount of social work services provided in CHCs and FHTs, identify the types of services that social workers provide in CHCs and FHTs and ascertain the methods social workers use to deliver services in CHCs and FHTs.

    Method: An analysis of a cross-sectional data set obtained from a survey conducted in June 2016 in Ontario was performed.

    Results: The majority of practices (84.2%) had a social worker, although several practices also hosted other types of mental health workers. In virtually all practices with social workers, they (and individuals designated as mental healthcare providers) were also involved in practice level efforts to support mental healthcare delivery. In several practices, the care they delivered extended beyond that related directly to mental healthcare, ranging from preventive care and health promotion (64.5%) to palliative care (16.8%). In several practices, these workers also offered group appointments related to healthy behaviour (43.6%) and self-management (~33%).

    Interestingly, the role of social workers in practices where they were the sole designated mental healthcare worker was not meaningfully different from practices where other mental health professionals work.

    Conclusions: In PHC, social workers deliver or support the delivery of mental healthcare, but their role extends beyond that domain to encompass a broader set of services that contribute to the individual’s health and wellbeing.

    Authors:

    • Vela Tadic, Bruyère Academic Family Health Team
    • Rachelle Ashcroft, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto
    • Judith Belle Brown, Department of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
      Western University
    • Simone Dahrouge, Bruyère Research Institute, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre

    Relevant Links:

     

  • Return to the Workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work

    SHARED BY the CMHA

    Shared August 17, 2020

    Return to the workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work is a guide to support the mental health of individuals as they plan safe transitions back into their workplaces and to help employers as they develop policies and procedures for supporting staff returning to the workplace. This toolkit is part of an effort to support the mental health needs of Ontarians and promotes principles of positive mental health and well-being while encouraging the use of additional supports. It has been reviewed and informed by diverse perspectives, including clinical leaders from the mental health and addictions community across Ontario. This toolkit aims to serve employees and employers across a variety of sectors. Readers are encouraged to use this as a guide to understanding how their mental health and the mental health of their colleagues has been affected by the pandemic and explore strategies to support themselves and others as the transition to the workplace occurs.

    More information is available here

     

    A NEW TOOLKIT TO HELP YOU GET BACK INTO THE WORKPLACE: AN INTRODUCTION

    • What to expect 

    RETURNING TO THE WORKPLACE AFTER A PANDEMIC:MENTAL HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES

     

    • How has the pandemic affected us? 

    • The cognitive triad 
    • Different thinking styles that can be unhelpful 
    • Tips for speaking with your employer 

    RETURNING TO THE WORKPLACE AFTER A PANDEMIC:THE EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE

     

    • Tips for speaking with your employees 
    • Creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace 
    • A note on telecommuting and remote work 
    • Your own well-being

     

    For the complete toolkit (PDF), click here.

     

    Return to: COVID-19 Resources: Management, Operations, HR and COVID-19

  • Social prescribing: The next step for equitable healthcare

    Healthy Debate opinion piece by Kate Mulligan and Kavita Mehta

    The data are in: people living with racism, low incomes and crowded housing are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The attention it has drawn to these inequities has healthcare providers re-examining their practices with respect to virtual care, active outreach and health equity.

    However, many are not sure what to do next. In addition to structural and policy changes, patients and healthcare practitioners need a straightforward, practice-based solution to help them take immediate action that can address health and social needs in real time. They need supportive structures that enable them to use both COVID-19 testing and routine healthcare visits as opportunities to collect vital sociodemographic data and to screen and refer people for access to food, housing, income supports, culturally safe supports and community connection. They need social prescribing, a way to integrate health care with community and social services to support people’s immediate social needs.

    Read the full article here.

    Relevant Links:

  • Bits & Pieces: IHP session leads, back to school advice, OTF youth grant & more

    Bits & Pieces: IHP session leads, back to school advice, OTF youth grant & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • We need IHP session leads
    • Back to school advice from a Markham FHT physician and a teacher
    • Reminder- 211 Ontario webinar Thursday, August 20- register now
    • Members’ stories
    • OTF Youth Opportunities Fund grant opportunity
    • Updated testing guidance and more
    • Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network (OBN) Fall series
    • Ontario Health services to enhance medical capacity in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes
    • Upcoming events including governing through COVID-19 and more

    We need IHP session leads

    Planning is on track for the AFHTO 2020 Conference and this includes the sessions for interprofessional healthcare providers! There will be a virtual group session on Wednesday, October 7, from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., and it will be followed by the IHP break-out sessions from 1:30 to 2:30.

    We’re looking for volunteers to lead the popular break-out sessions by coordinating topics, presenters, and a moderator.

    Leads are needed for the following professions: health promoter, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, psychologist, nurses, administrative staff and physician assistants.

    These one-hour sessions between peers need a lead to happen. If you’re interested, please contact Beth MacKinnon today. The lead will receive a $20 discount on their conference fee.

    helping your family prepare for return to school

     

    Back to school advice from a Markham FHT physician and a teacher

    Markham FHT ‘s Dr. Dana Abenstein and her husband Darren Abenstein, a teacher, created a resource to help families prepare their kids to return to school during the pandemic. We shared this on social media last week and it reached over 5800 on Facebook.

     

     

    Reminder- 211 Ontario webinar Thursday, August 20- register now

    211 Ontario: Connecting Patients to Community Programs and Services webinar shows how 211 can assist primary care teams. It will provide some baseline information about 211’s Accredited enquiry service and Standards driven resource database of benefit to patients when trying to access services in the community – particularly services during COVID-19, such as mental health services, food and other basic needs. Register here.

    Two Essex County NPLC staff show some of the devices to be used in the lending program

     

    Members’ stories

    Essex County NPLC: receives COVID-19 Emergency Support for Community Organizations grant to improve access to technology and enhanced digital services

    Georgina NPLC: Georgina NPLC’s COVID-19 testing drive-thru tests over 130 residents as negative

     

     

     

    Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Youth Opportunities Fund grant opportunity

    Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Youth Opportunities Fund has announced the deadlines for grant streams that aim to support projects improving the wellbeing of children, youth, and families facing systemic barriers. AFHTO members, especially Indigenous teams, and partners may be eligible for the System Innovations Stream.

    • Grant Amount: Up to $250,000 per year
    • Grant Term: 2 to 6 years
    • Organization Registration Deadline: September 16, 2020
    • Grant Application Deadline: October 14, 2020

    Find out more here.

    Updated testing guidance and more

    Several updates have been released within the last week including:

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

    Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network

     

    Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network (OBN) Fall series

    Update your knowledge of post-bariatric care and the management of patients living with obesity by joining other primary care providers and a multi-disciplinary team of specialist from the Bariatric Centres of Excellence. For more information and to register visit their site.

     

     

    Ontario Health services to enhance medical capacity in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes

    For anyone who also works in either long-term care or retirement homes, Ontario Health provides:
    1. LTC & RH Consult Line:   

    • For primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and medical directors in LTC and RH
    • Provides 24/7 access to general internal medicine specialists via a telephone consult line for urgent medical issues
    • The PCP/NP/Medical Director can call 1-8338-2HELPU to reach a specialist on-call  
    • For general inquiries or questions about this service email:  ltcrh.consult@wchospital.ca

    2.    VirtualCare App:   

    • For primary care physicians in LTC to remotely connect with clinical staff and residents
    • This service supports virtual video-enabled visits/medical assessments via laptop or tablet
    • Fully integrated with PointClickCare and MED e-care EHRs  
    • Watch a demo:  https://vimeo.com/415554798
    • Start onboarding today or let us know if you need further implementation assistance to complete your onboarding:   Contact info@ontariohealth.ca  or  call 1-877-302-1861

    These services continue to be available at no cost to homes and are accessible until October 31, 2020. Organizations with access to similar programs in their region (e.g. The LTC+ program in Toronto) are encouraged to continue to use those programs.

    Governing through COVID-19 and Beyond, August 25, 2020

    Webinar on governance at this time of   uncertainty and change. Topics include resumption of services; what governors  should know about Ontario Health Teams; and where we  can go from here to continue to strengthen organizational governance practices and prioritize board efforts. Register today!

    OTLCA Conference Call for Abstracts, August 21, 2020

    Submit your abstracts around the theme: Long Term Care 2020: Reimagining Change in Unprecedented Times being held virtually on October 26 and 27, 2020. Submit your abstract.

    Approaches to Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning & Goals of Care Conversations, August 27- September 17, 2020

    Four-part webinar series from Hospice Palliative Care Ontario for front line workers, health care/service providers and first responders. Find out more and register here.

    COVID-19 and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Ethics, September 1, 2020

    Join this final webinar in this COVID-19 and IDD series hosted by the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine. They will address ethical questions and issues that have emerged in health care and support of people with IDD.
    Learn more here.

    Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – tool demonstration, Sep. 15

    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma. Find out more here.

    ECHO Care of the Elderly, September 9 – December 16, 2020

    ECHO Care of the elderly community is now live for registration. Be ready to discuss dementia, responsive behaviors, frailty, pain, polypharmacy, medical cannabis and more this fall.
    Learn more here.

  • Essex County NPLC receives COVID-19 grant to improve access to technology and enhanced digital services

    Essex County NPLC receives COVID-19 grant to improve access to technology and enhanced digital services

    The Essex County Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic (ECNPLC) enhancing digital services to meet community needs.

    Essex County NPLC has received grant funding from the Canadian Red Cross, through the COVID-19 Emergency Support for Community Organizations Granting Program, to improve access to technology and enhanced digital services.

    Two Essex County NPLC staff show some of the devices to be used in the lending program

    The grant supports the Windsor Essex Health Program (WE Health). WE Health is a people first community-driven approach to addressing interruptions, reductions and the prevention of access and availability to primary and allied health services exacerbated by and resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The electronic device lending system (iPhone and tablet lending) and the creation of updated digital content, will allow people to access the live virtual appointments, one-on-one and group programming (substance use, physical, emotional and mental support programming), and pre-recorded digital material providing health information and helpful technique demonstrations.

    Digital service access supports the goal of accommodating services to meet community needs, while maintaining measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The program also bridges gaps between primary and allied health care providers transforming roadblocks into pathways that reduce systemic oppression.

    The inclusive multidisciplinary framework promotes unity, emphasizes the importance of commitment, shared responsibly for recognizing and addressing community needs, and identifies the people first approach as essential to overall community health. The grant will help with the purchase of 36 tablets, data services for the tablets, the production and distribution of up-to-date health videos. Please contact Elaine Coventry, MSW and Health Promoter, at 519-730-0446 for more information.

  • Georgina NPLC’s COVID-19 testing drive-thru tests over 130 residents as negative

    Georgina Post article published August 5, 2020

    By Mike Anderson

    More than 130 residents tested negative for COVID-19 after the Georgina Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic (GNPLC) launched a “pop-up” drive-thru testing site at the Georgina Sutton Arena Hall parking lot on July 29.

    According to GNPLC Clinical Director Beth Cowper-Fung, 133 tests were completed, including nine walk-ins, with no one testing positive for the virus.

    “All tests were negative. Some very happy folks will get to visit loved ones in other provinces or long-term care,” she said.

    While Ms. Cowper-Fung was hoping for a bigger turnout, with 400 swabs available for testing, she wasn’t sure they could have handled any more vehicles.

    “I was hoping to get more. But we were steady. And so even if we had 400 cars show up, I don’t know that we could have seen them all, and it would have been horrific to turn them away,” she said.

    “Those 133 people will now go out there into the community and say it doesn’t kill you. It’s not that bad. And so we may have more interest going forward.”

    While some residents were a little apprehensive about getting the test, they were grateful not to have to drive to Newmarket to get it done.

    More than a dozen vehicles lined-up for the start of the “no-appointment necessary” testing, which was offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    The first car to enter the parking lot was driven by Joan from Jackson’s Point, who has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and wanted to get tested for some peace of mind.

    “I do cough, and I just wanted to make double sure,” she said.

    “I think it’s a great idea because many people can’t get down to Newmarket or just don’t want to, because they’re afraid to go to the hospital where they might catch it.”

    That sentiment was echoed by Rachel, from Pefferlaw, who wanted to get a test because she hasn’t seen family members, including a sister who’s ill, in four months.

    “I think a lot of people have wanted something like this earlier. Because it’s too far to drive to Newmarket,” she said.

    Despite concerns that expanded community testing might lead to a spike in Georgina’s COVID numbers — currently six active cases with no new cases reported over the past seven days — several residents said that it’s necessary to curb the spread of the virus.

    “We’re doing a pretty good job. But with the beaches opening up, I’m concerned. It’s important to test because some people are carriers and don’t even know they have it,” Joan said.

    “I think testing is good. Because you’re not going to know who’s sick and who’s not, I think it’s for the best. We should know,” Rachel added.

    Rachel would like to see more drive-thru testing, as more people are coming from outside Georgina during the summer months.

    “A lot of them are acting foolishly and not obeying the laws.”

    Mayor Margaret Quirk also wants to see more community testing going forward.

    “If you’re asymptomatic and you’ve got the COVID virus, you need to know, and we as a community need to know,” she said.

    “At the very beginning of this pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the key to bringing the pandemic under control is testing, testing, and more testing.”

    Mayor Quirk also emphasized that testing on this scale, couldn’t happen without the leadership of the Georgina NPLC.

    “They have health care professionals. They know what they’re doing. This didn’t just happen overnight. This took a lot of planning. We, as a Town, don’t have the ability to put a testing site in. So it’s great that the nurse practitioners have stepped up to do it.”

    While the event was a logistical challenge, requiring contributions from various health agencies, the Town of Georgina, local not-for-profits and businesses, Ms. Cowper-Fung is considering more drive-thru testing events in the coming months.

    But she would like to streamline the process.

    While she said that the actual swabbing was fast, there was a lot of time spent handling IDs and processing paperwork.

    She’d like to double the number of administrative staff and pre-book tests, allowing forms and labels to be printed beforehand.

    Still, she estimates it took just 16 minutes from start to finish, if the vehicle was six car lengths behind.

    Test results, which typically take from 36 to 72 hours, are posted online at https://covid-19.ontario.ca and require an OHIP card number to access.

    If residents do not have an OHIP card or cannot access a computer, the staff at the GNPLC will assist them.

    Read the full article here

  • Bits & Pieces: ED mentorship, $83 million in grants, IHP sessions & more

    Bits & Pieces: ED mentorship, $83 million in grants, IHP sessions & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Reminder- ED Mentorship Program
    • Ontario Trillium Foundation redirecting $83 million in grants
    • IHP session leads needed for AFHTO 2020 conference
    • Primary care patient/client virtual care experience survey
    • New Chief Executive Officer for Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Reminder-COVID-19 ED interviews end soon
    • Updated COVID case definition, symptoms, guidance and more
    • Hospice Palliative Care Ontario tools mailed to teams
    • Invitation for primary care sites to collaborate on a research study on chronic low back pain
    • Upcoming events regarding 211 Ontario – connecting patients to community programs and services and more

     

    Reminder- ED Mentorship Program

    We are looking for EDs from different regions and working/funding models to join our ED Mentorship Program as mentors!
     
    Mentoring is about supporting people to develop their leadership skills. It’s a relationship based on trust that is designed to help a mentee take on increasing initiative, build confidence, and excel as leaders. New EDs can learn from others who have experience and who are willing to help them in developing their skills and expanding their knowledge.

    If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please complete this survey and we will be in touch. More information is here.

    Ontario Trillium Foundation redirecting $83 million in grants

    The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) will be redirecting $83 million from its Capital and Grow granting streams to support Ontario nonprofits through the Resilient Communities Fund. This is to support rebuilding the capacity of eligible non-profit organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19. Relevant details include:

    • Two intake deadlines: September 2 and December 2, 2020
    • Grants are for one year, starting from $5,000 to $150,000

    AFHTO members and partners may be eligible to apply. Find out if you’re eligible here.

    IHP session leads needed for AFHTO 2020 conference

    Planning is on track for the AFHTO 2020 Conference and this includes the sessions for interprofessional healthcare providers! There will be a virtual group session on Wednesday, October 7, from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., and it will be followed by the IHP break-out sessions from 1:30 to 2:30.

    We’re looking for volunteers to lead the popular break-out sessions by coordinating topics, presenters, and a moderator. Leads are needed for the following professions: dietitians, health promoters, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, psychologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, administrative staff, physician assistants, and chiropodists.

    These one-hour sessions between peers need a lead to happen. If you’re interested, please contact Beth MacKinnon by Tuesday, August 18, 2020. The lead will receive a $20 discount on their conference fee.

    Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey

    Primary care patient/client virtual care experience survey

    The rapid adoption of virtual care during the pandemic not only addresses the current needs but it will most likely shape the future of primary care delivery, beyond the pandemic. As a result, we formed a working group with a number of patients, primary care, health system and health research organizations to create the Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey.

    This is to help fill informational gaps to inform future planning and further support the implementation of virtual care in primary care. Different tools, guides and templates are available to help. This is a public survey which non-members can use as well, so feel free to share with your peers. Visit our site to find out more.

     

    New Chief Executive Officer for Indigenous Primary Health Care Council

     

    New Chief Executive Officer for Indigenous Primary Health Care Council

    Congratulations to Caroline Lidstone-Jones who has been appointed as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) effective September 1, 2020. Learn more here.

     

     

     

    Reminder: COVID-19 ED interviews end soon

    AFHTO, in partnership with the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, wants to understand the initiatives your team has taken on to continue to provide comprehensive primary care during this pandemic. Visit our site to fill out the Doodle poll to schedule your participation.

    Updated COVID case definition, symptoms, guidance and more

    Several documents have been updated and shared to the Ministry’s website as of Aug. 6 including:

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

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario tools mailed to teams

    Advance Care Planning, Goals of Care and health care decision making conversations are becoming more prevalent and more important than ever, with the aging population and COVID-19. Tools to help you and your patients have been mailed to your team either in March or July. You can use them in your waiting room and directly with your patients. Everything you, your patients and families need can also be found at SpeakUpOntario.ca   

    HPCO would like your feedback on whether you are getting more requests from patients to talk about health care decision making, if you found these resources useful, or if you’re looking to receive more resources. Please feel free to reach out to them at nav.dhillon@hpco.ca.

    Invitation for primary care sites to collaborate on a research study on chronic low back pain

    A PhD student at Queen’s University is looking for primary care sites to collaborate on his research on team-based primary care for the management of chronic low back pain. He is looking for them to participate in a virtual focus group (via Zoom) to understand their experiences. There is also the opportunity to assist with patient recruitment to participate in telephone interviews to understand their experiences with access. If you would like to learn more, please email Kyle at kyle.vader@queensu.ca and he can provide you with more information about how to get involved in this research.

    211 Ontario – connecting patients to community programs and services, August 20

    This webinar shows how 211 can assist primary care teams. It will provide some baseline information about 211’s Accredited enquiry service and Standards driven resource database of benefit to patients when trying to access services in the community – particularly services during COVID-19, such as mental health services, food and other basic needs. Register here.

    Governing through COVID-19 and Beyond, August 25, 2020

    Webinar on governance at this time of   uncertainty and change. Topics include resumption of services; what governors  should know about Ontario Health Teams; and where we  can go from here to continue to strengthen organizational governance practices and prioritize board efforts. Register today!

    The Lung Health Foundation Events

    Medicinal Cannabis – Treating Symptoms of Lung Cancer, August 17, 2020
    Learn more about the endocannabinoid system and apply to your practice. Find out more here.

    Medicinal Cannabis in Chronic Pain, August 24, 2020
    Enhance your knowledge by better understanding how to access medical cannabis. Learn more here.

    Child and Youth Mental Health Webinar Series for Primary Care Providers – Supporting Families With Screentime During COVID, August 19 & 26, 2020

    The CHEO is holding a 2-part webinar series that will cover on-demand topics around the use of technology by youth. Find out more here.

    ECHO Ontario Mental Health – Fall Programs, September 2020 – June 2021
    Join Project ECHO for any of their 6 mental health programs being offered this fall. Topics include addictions, DBT, Trans healthcare, OCD and IDD. View the offerings here.

    Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) – tool demonstration, Sep. 15

    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma.

    The system can be used by any provider and is fully integrated with OSCAR EMR and Telus PS EMR. Find out more here.