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  • H+K Memo on Ontario Government COVID-19 Press Conference

    MEMO:

    To: H+K Clients

    From: Hill+Knowlton Strategies

    Subject: Ontario Government Press Conference on COVID-19

    Date: March 16, 2020

    Context
    On March 16, 2020, Ontario Premier Doug Ford held a press conference to update on the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Ford was joined by Finance Minister, Rod Phillips; Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, Monte McNaughton; Minister of Health, Christine Elliott; and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams. Primary topics addressed during the press conference included new legislation being tabled to protect workers and jobs, as well as an update on Ontario’s provincial budget, previously scheduled for March 25, 2020.

    It is worth noting that the legislature is currently on an already scheduled recess with a scheduled return of March 23. On March 12, MPPs voted to give the government the authority to extend the break, if necessary, to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

    Read the full memo here.

  • Bancroft Community FHT Doctor presented with Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Award

    Article from My Bancroft Now, published March 11, 2020

    By Matthew Reisler

     

    It’s not often you can say you’re under the care of an award-winning Doctor, but those that see Dr. Steven Griffin can now say just that.

    Dr. Griffin was presented with the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Award last week in Toronto. “This award is for Doctors who have done outstanding work as physicians,” he explains. Griffin says it often goes to those that have done specific programs or filled a specific need. “But the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons made special mention at my award ceremony that this award is for the work I’ve done in the community of Bancroft during the 12 years I’ve been here,” he says.

    Griffin was nominated for the award by Tammy Davis who is Manager of Patient Services at North Hastings and also serves as a Councillor in Hastings Highlands.

    He was one of the first that signed up to become a Doctor through Hastings County’s Family Physician Recruitment Program, which began in 2006. “When I came to Bancroft I came here to be a Doctor because it allowed me to practice to the full scope of my practice as a Family Doctor,” he says. On top of working with the Bancroft Community Family Health Team, he does work at the North Hastings Hospital, works in the emergency department, does house calls and has recently become a coroner.

    Griffin is one of 18 Doctors that have signed on through the program with 16 currently practicing across Hastings County.

    When he started, he notes how there were lots of “orphan” patients and while there still are some in the community without a family Doctor, he says he’s proud of the work he and the team have done in helping those in need.

    “I’ve got to work with a lot of great residents and students and many of them have come to work with us,” Griffin says. He adds that he enjoys how he can go from speaking with a patient in the morning to seeing them around Town later in the day. “I feel very much part of the community here,” he adds. “It’s a real honour and privilege to be able to treat them, then to see them in these other areas.”

    Click here to read the full article.

  • Bits & Pieces: COVID-19 memo, changes to mental health system, AI fellowship & more

    Bits & Pieces: COVID-19 memo, changes to mental health system, AI fellowship & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • COVID-19 updates including memo and tools
    • Members’ stories
    • Ontario Health Teams and privacy: a legal perspective
    • Ontario government announces changes to mental health and addictions system
    • Fellowship in compassion and artificial intelligence
    • Integrating mental health services in primary care- deadline March 23
    • Spring registration for ECHO Ontario mental health programming now open
    • Deadline to join Prenatal Screening Ontario Advisory Committee extended
    • Insomnia focus groups invitation
    • Upcoming events including The Art of Doing More with Less

    COVID-19 updates including memo and tools

    For EDs, Lead Clinicians and Board Chairs:
    We understand you have quite a lot on your plate; however, the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health (Shared Services) have emphasised the importance of completing this short survey, to assist in tracking provider preparedness. Please do so as soon as possible. This is a direct link to the spreadsheet, with no need to log in.

    Health care providers facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.

    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), including memos from the Deputy Minister dated Mar. 6 and Mar. 9. If you have any questions, you can also email EOCOperations.moh@ontario.ca.

    New resource page: we now also have a new infection control resource page, with screening tools and more, including educational resources and tools from Public Health Ontario A reminder to please share any resources you have developed by sending them to info@afhto.ca.

    Ministry updates now twice a day: Every weekday at 10:30 a.m. the Ministry has been updating its dedicated web page with the most up-to-date information on the status of cases in Ontario, including: the number of cases currently under investigation; and the number of confirmed positive, negative and resolved cases.

    They will now update this page twice daily (10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST), seven days a week. It will also now include general information on each new confirmed case of COVID-19, including gender, age, public health unit, hospital (if applicable), where acquired and status.

    Members’ stories

    South East Toronto FHT: opening a COVID-19 screening and assessment centre

    Ontario Health Teams and privacy: a legal perspective
    On Feb. 28, BLG published their article Ontario Health Teams: Personal Health Information Sharing, Client Privacy and PHIPA Compliance. Read on to get their perspective.

    Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario's Mental Health and Addictions System

    Ontario government announces changes to mental health and addictions system
    Last week the Ontario government launched their Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System. The new Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence within Ontario Health will serve as the plan’s foundation. The plan’s four pillars include:

    1. Improving quality;
    2. Expanding existing services;
    3. Implementing innovative solutions; and
    4. Improving access.

    You can read the report here, visit the Ministry’s site to get the full plan in English or French, and you can also read H+K’s memo here.

    If you have questions or comments about the Roadmap, you can send an email to Roadmaptowellness@ontario.ca.

    Fellowship in compassion and artificial intelligence
    AMS Healthcare is offering up to eight (8) one-year fellowships of up to $75,000 to early and mid-career academic researchers and regulated health care professionals to study and develop expertise/ competence in the impact of DT/AI on compassionate care. An information call will be held on Monday, March 16. Find out more here.

    Integrating mental health services in primary care- deadline March 23

    Are you doing something innovative to integrate mental health services and supports in primary care delivery?

    The College of Family Physicians of Canada is partnering with the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Psychological Association to highlight innovative practices among family physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists that address common challenges and barriers to integrating mental health services in primary care across Canada and how best to influence patient, provider and system outcomes.

    They have extended the deadline for publication in the Innovation in Primary Care (IPC) series to Mar. 23. Find out more here.

    Project ECHO CAMH

    Spring registration for ECHO Ontario mental health programming now open

    ECHO Ontario Mental Health is a virtual training and capacity building model that supports primary and community care providers in delivering high quality, evidence-based mental health and addictions care in their local communities.

    It links expert interdisciplinary teams with front line care providers in order to share best practices, jointly discuss practical recommendations for complex client care, and build sustainable communities of practice. The program is offered at no cost, thanks to funding from the Ministry of Health. CME Credits are available for participants.

    BORN EOI Jan 2020

     

    Deadline to join Prenatal Screening Ontario Advisory Committee extended

    BORN Ontario is seeking family physicians with a special interest in prenatal care for the Prenatal Screening Ontario Advisory Committee.

    For more information email PSO@BORNOntario.ca. Deadline Mar.27, 2020. See poster pdf.

     

     

    Insomnia focus groups invitation
    Participate in a virtual focus group about system-level challenges and enablers to adopting the care outlined in Ontario Health’s Insomnia Disorder Quality Standard being developed by the Quality business unit at Ontario Health, formerly Health Quality Ontario. Your feedback will inform the recommendations for adoption to support the uptake of this quality standard.

    The Insomnia Disorder Quality Standard focus groups will be held on the following dates:

    1. Monday March 23, 2020 (12:00 – 1:00PM EST) – follow this link to register via Eventbrite  
    2. Friday March 27, 2020 (12:00 – 1:00PM EST) – follow this link to register via Eventbrite

    If you have any questions, please contact Mandy Lee, Quality Improvement Specialist at mandy.lee@hqontario.ca.

    The Art of Doing More with Less, March 18, 2020
    The final webinar in AFHTO and Grant Thornton’s Financial webinar series is next week! Join Christy McClelland and Sanjay Desai as we explore how non-profits can improve performance with financial sensibility. Register today!

    Electronic Asthma Management System (EAMS) – OSCAR Tool Demonstration, March 24, 2020
    Join this webinar for an hour-long demonstration to learn more about EAMS. Register here!

    Understanding Bronchiectasis Webinar, April 21, 2020
    Learn more about this neglected pulmonary disease. By the end of this webinar, you will be able to help patients self-manage the disease and avoid the acquisition of nontuberculosis mycobacteria. Find out more here

    RNAO Nurse Executive Leadership Academy, October 20-23, 2020
    Save the date for this 3-night knowledge exchange in Niagara Falls. Learn more today.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #96: Lung Health in Primary Care

    In this Issue:

     

    • Primary Care Lung Health Programs
    • Electronic Asthma Management System Tool for Oscar Users
    • Understanding Bronchiectasis
    • Vaping
    • Upcoming Webinars

    Primary Care Lung Health Programs
    In 2015, there were 60, 530 new Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) diagnoses for people in Ontario ages 35 and older and 883,400 Ontarians were living with a COPD diagnosis . 61, 580 Ontarians ages 1 and older were newly diagnosed with asthma in 2015, with 1.9 million living with an asthma diagnosis1. COPD and asthma are only 2 of the 5 major chronic respiratory diseases also including lung cancer, tuberculosis (TB) and cystic fibrosis. Primary care provides care for these lung health conditions and many more in team-based care settings; this document highlights some of the lung health programs within primary care.

    eAMS Tool for OSCAR Users – Webinar
    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.

    WHAT DOES THE eAMS DO?

    The eAMS was designed to help providers to bridge the main evidence-to-practice gaps that have been identified across care settings and are believed to be the major cause of poor disease control and healthcare utilization in patients with asthma.

    WHO IS THE eAMS FOR?

    The eAMS was designed by primary care providers, for primary care providers. The tool was designed to assist clinicians in busy real-world primary care settings. The system can be used by any health care provider but because the system makes prescription recommendations, the most common users are physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Other team members could also use the system and receive signoff from a prescriber for any required medication changes. The system is available for all asthma patients aged 16 years and older.

    Join the OSCAR CoP Webinar and Dr. Samir Gupta, to learn more about this tool!

    Understanding Bronchiectasis

    Bronchiectasis is not rare, but it is currently a neglected pulmonary disease which poses a significant burden to the health care system. Learning how to counsel patients regarding the modifiable factors can affect prognosis and improve the patients’ quality of life. Self-management support plays an important role in the patient’s ability to make lifestyle changes to reduce symptoms, prevent recurrent lung infections, prevent emergency department visits, hospital admission and decrease mortality.

    We’re pleased to be hosting a webinar with Bruyère Academic FHT, so that our teams can learn more about bronchiectasis. At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

    • Verbalize their understanding of bronchiectasis and how to help patients self-manage this disease  
    • Learn how to avoid the acquisition of nontuberculosis mycobacteria.
    • Understand the bronchiectasis self-management plan

    Learn more at an upcoming webinar- sign up here!

    Vaping
    The Heart & Stroke Foundation, in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Pipe, hosted a webinar on the impact of vaping on the health of Canadians. The youth vaping trend and the concept of nicotine as a gateway along with challenges of vaping for cardiovascular disease prevention were discussed within this webinar.

    To address some of the dangers of vaping in youth, on Feb. 28 Minister Elliott announced proposed regulatory changes that, if approved, would limit where flavoured and high nicotine vapour products are sold at retail. At the same time, the province intends to expand prevention initiatives and services to quit vaping.

    To better understand the impact of vaping, please listen to the webinar by Dr. Pipe with learning objectives that included:

    1. Examine and explain the controversies surrounding vaping and the importance of influencing healthy public policy.
    2. Describe the risks associated with vaping and the impact on cardiovascular disease prevention.
    3. Discuss how to engage in meaningful discussion about vaping and smoking cessation with individuals.
    4. Recognize the advantages and shortcomings of nicotine replacement therapy.

    Listen to this webinar here.

    Upcoming Webinars:

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #95 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: Updated COVID-19 case definitions, RISE update, member renewal & more

    Bits & Pieces: Updated COVID-19 case definitions, RISE update, member renewal & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • COVID-19 updates including updated case definitions
    • RISE update
    • Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine – newsletter updates
    • Home and community care modernization
    • Member renewal emails
    • March is Pharmacist Awareness Month
    • Social Work Week
    • Nutrition Month
    • New webinars in LeaderShift Applied Leadership E-Learning Series – How to Build Resiliency During Times of Change
    • Upcoming events including The Art of Doing More with Less

    COVID-19 updates including updated case definitions
    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), including the latest situation reports, updated case definitions, self-isolation fact sheets, and more. If you have any questions, you can also email EOCOperations.moh@ontario.ca.

    The Ministry has also implemented a number of governance structures to respond to the specifics of COVID-19, which may also include engaging our members at the five regional planning tables in the province.

    Health care providers facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.

    RISE update
    The latest update from Rapid-Improvement Support and Exchange (RISE) is now available. It includes reflections on the Ontario Health Teams (OHT) Provincial Learning and Improvement Collaborative Forum that occurred on Feb. 18 and 19, upcoming webinars on priority topics, and our latest resources:

    Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine – newsletter updates
    The Premier’s Council has provided an update on their work as well as an overview of what to expect from the Council this year with the release of their February newsletter. Highlights from the past year include the release of two reports:

    Home and community care modernization
    Last week the Minister announced changes to the delivery of home and community care. More details on how this modernization impacts our members will be shared once we read through the legislation and regulations.

    Member renewal emails
    Last week we sent out member renewal emails to lead physicians/NPs, EDs/Administrative leads and board chairs of all current AFHTO members. We look forward to your renewal!

    If you didn’t receive an email, please contact us at info@afhto.ca.

    http://www.ontarioprimarycareteampharmacists.ca/

    March is Pharmacist Awareness Month

    Family Health Teams, Nurse-Practitioner-Led Clinics and Community Health Centres include different healthcare professionals to help address many kinds of healthcare needs.

    Celebrate with primary care team pharmacists this month as we recognize the expertise and services they offer interprofessional primary care teams and patients! Thank you for all you do to support patients, families and the team!

    Learn more about how primary care team pharmacists embedded in primary care teams work to ensure medications are necessary, safe and effective by visiting visiting their site.

    Social Work Week

    Social Work Week

    It’s also Social Work Week. We recognise the valuable contributions social workers make with programs like our 2019 conference presentations:

    Their role was also explored in “The Emerging Role of Social Work in Primary Health Care: A Survey of Social Workers in Ontario Family Health Teams”, published in 2018.

    You can celebrate with OASW too. Digital posters and social media images can be downloaded here.

    Nutrition Month
    Please join our Registered Dietitians in celebrating the impact of good nutrition on our patients’ health outcomes. Examples successfully integrating this focus in primary care teams include:

    New webinars in LeaderShift Applied Leadership E-Learning Series – How to Build Resiliency During Times of Change

    There are new webinars being offered through LeaderShift’s Applied Leadership E-Learning Series. The next topic, How to Build Resiliency During Times of Change, is now open for registration.

    Organizational change—resulting from both internal and external factors—is no longer an “event”. We all know that change has become an ever-present reality in our organizations that has defined our new normal. Now that our work environments are always in flux, teams are experiencing what is called change resistance and change fatigue. The research tells us that part of the solution to these challenges is to bring an adaptive (vs. technical) leadership approach to managing change. It through adaptive leadership that we will find the role and importance of resiliency. Multiple timeslots are available in March.

    To learn more, register for free or view previous recordings in this series, visit their website today.

    Optimizing Your EMR For Safer Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management (Part 1), March 5, 2020
    This webinar is targeted towards family physicians and nurse practitioners in northern Ontario. Hosted by Ontario Health Quality and Ontario Pain Management Resource Partners. Learn more here.

    The Art of Doing More with Less, March 18, 2020
    This is the final webinar in AFHTO and Grant Thorton’s Financial webinar series! Join Danzel Pinto as we explore how non-profits can improve performance with financial sensibility.
    Register today!

    Rainbow Health Ontario Conference, April 21-23, 2020
    Register for Canada’s forum for LGBT2SQ health, being held in Niagara Falls this year. For more information, click here.

    ECHO Liver, March 12, 2020
    For 2020, ECHO Liver will be offering a quarterly evening series. The first is Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach to Liver Enzymes. Find out more here.

  • H+K Memo on Ontario Government’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy

    MEMO:
    To: Public Affairs Clients

    From: Hill+Knowlton Strategies

    Subject: Ontario unveils its mental health and addictions strategy, Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System

    Date: March 3, 2020

    Today, Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Associate Minister of Mental Health Michael Tibollo unveiled government’s mental health and addictions strategy, Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System. The plan, it is said, will provide a clear path forward toward offering Ontarians easier access to higher-quality care and supports in the community, which government also believes will significantly support them in their goal to end hallway health care.

    This plan comes following “extensive consultations” in communities across Ontario over the past year, which highlighted key challenges and barriers to access for mental health and addictions services and which the Roadmap seeks to address.

    Read the full memo here.

  • Ontario Government Announces Changes to Mental Health and Addictions System

    Ministry of Health news release – March. 3, 2020

    Ontario is launching Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System.

    Today, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, were at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences to unveil the new roadmap, which provides a clear path forward toward offering Ontarians easier access to higher-quality care and supports in communities across the province.

    The new Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence within Ontario Health will serve as the foundation on which Roadmap to Wellness is built. Historically, Ontario has had great success in building a world-class system of care, such as cancer care. The centre will be the coordinating, central provincial body that will leverage this experience to enable and drive the effective implementation of the plan’s four pillars:

    1.     Improving quality;
    2.     Expanding existing services;
    3.     Implementing innovative solutions; and
    4.     Improving access.

    Read the entire post here.

    Relevant Links:

  • Ontario Government Announces Changes to Home and Community Care

    Ministry of Health news release background- Feb. 25, 2020

    Ontario is modernizing home and community care services to enable the introduction of integrated and innovative models of care. Since its initial introduction, the Home Care and Community Services Act, 1994 and the delivery model it supports have not kept pace with a number of changing dynamics, including:

    • An aging population;
    • Changing client expectations on the different types of care;
    •  Increasing opportunities for care at home; and
    • Innovation in technology and delivery options.

    At the same time, the act has created long-standing barriers that have restricted innovation in the delivery of home and community care, including:

    • Rigid care coordination: Decisions about patient care are often made away from frontline care.
    • Siloed care: Patients often interact with home care separately from primary and hospital care, which often includes multiple assessments leading to delays in care.
    • Restrictive care plans: Patients have care plans with a set number of hours or visits with service maximums that can curtail care.

    In response, Ontario is introducing the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act and posting proposed new regulations under the Connecting Care Act, 2019 to bring an outdated system into the 21st century. Read the entire post here.

    Relevant Links:

  • Bits & Pieces: New PPE survey deadline, Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Queen’s Park Day & more

    Bits & Pieces: New PPE survey deadline, Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Queen’s Park Day & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • New PPE survey deadline and other novel coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
    • Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Queen’s Park Day
    • Minister announces changes to home and community care
    • Members’ stories
    • Improving cancer screening rates slides and video
    • Psychology Month
    • Public Health Infection Prevention and Control resources
    • Hypertension focus groups invitation
    • Upcoming events including The Art of Doing More with Less

    New PPE survey deadline and other novel coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

    For EDs, Lead Clinicians and Board Chairs: The Ministry of Health and Ontario Health (Shared Services) have extended the deadline to complete this short survey to end of day Thursday, February 27, to assist in tracking provider preparedness. Only 34% have responded and they have emphasized the importance of filling this out.
    While we have few cases in Canada, it may be declared a worldwide pandemic soon and this will help them identify where support is needed. They will work with suppliers to distribute resources accordingly.

    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus. “Health care providers facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.”

    If you have any questions, you can also email EOCOperations.moh@ontario.ca.

    Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Queen’s Park Day

    OCDPA partners, including AFHTO's Beth MacKinnon, with Speaker Ted Arnott

    On Feb. 24, the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance held an Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park to call on the province to prevent hospitalizations and reduce health care costs through initiatives to prevent chronic conditions. Priorities include:

    1. Setting measurable goals for prevention to increase Ontario’s access to data on this health care issue
    2. Introducing prevention into primary care such as access to professional services, screening and tools for healthy lifestyles
    3. Incorporate prevention into Mental Health Strategy
    4. Take measure to restrict youth access to vaping products.

    Minister announces changes to home and community care
    Today the Minister announced changes to the delivery of home and community care. AFHTO will be working with our partners to better understand how this affects our members.

    Members’ stories
    North Simcoe FHT – North Simcoe FHT to anchor new medical centre in Midland – “We are expanding the family health team programming, which is why we needed more space,” said executive director Andrew Shantz. “There are quite a few health-care partners coming along with us. We are creating a medical centre that will provide a variety of different services.”

    Improving cancer screening rates SDOH

    Improving cancer screening rates slides and video

    On Feb. 20 Drs. Aisha Lofters and Tara Kiran shared practical, evidence-based ways to improve cancer screening rates and reduce income-related disparities. Slides, video and a link to the toolkit referenced are now available.

    For another way to learn, you can also view Dr. Kiran’s tweet thread here.

     

    Dr. Judith Davidson, Bright Lights 2014

    Psychology Month

    It’s Psychology Month. Thank you to all the psychologists who work with primary care teams to offer innovative programs like:

     

    Public Health Infection Prevention and Control resources
    Public Health Ontario has provided links to several Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) resources to help build capacity in primary care:

    Hypertension focus groups invitation
    Participate in a virtual focus group about system-level challenges and enablers to adopting the care outlined the Hypertension Quality Standard being developed by the Quality business unit at Ontario Health, formerly Health Quality Ontario. Your feedback will inform the recommendations for adoption to support the uptake of this quality standard.

    The Hypertension Quality Standard focus groups will be held on the following dates:

    1. Tuesday March 3, 2020 (4:00 – 5:00PM EST)- Follow this link to register via Eventbrite.
    2. Thursday March 5, 2020 (12:00 – 1:00PM EST) – Follow this link to register via Eventbrite.

    If you have any questions, please contact Tanveer Singh at tanveer.singh@hqontario.ca.

    Optimizing Your EMR For Safer Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management (Part 1), March 5, 2020
    This webinar is targeted towards family physicians and nurse practitioners in northern Ontario. Hosted by Ontario Health Quality and Ontario Pain Management Resource Partners. Learn more here.

    The Art of Doing More with Less, March 18, 2020
    This is the final webinar in AFHTO and Grant Thorton’s Financial webinar series! Join Danzel Pinto as we explore how non-profits can improve performance with financial sensibility.
    Register today!

    Rainbow Health Ontario Conference, April 21-23, 2020
    Register for Canada’s forum for LGBT2SQ health, being held in Niagara Falls this year. For more information, click here.

    ECHO Liver, March 12, 2020
    For 2020, ECHO Liver will be offering a quarterly evening series. The first is Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach to Liver Enzymes. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: meeting the Minister, working together for change tools & resources & more

    Bits & Pieces: meeting the Minister, working together for change tools & resources & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Meeting the Minister to discuss pre budget recommendations
    • Working together for change
    • Members’ stories
    • Managing urinary incontinence in women: clinical tool
    • Novel coronavirus updates
    • Northern opioid learning community webinars, Mar. 5 & 26
    • Seeking volunteers for Early Chronic Kidney Disease priority panel
    • OASW call for proposals
    • Upcoming events including improving cancer screening and more
    AFHTO Board Executive Committee and CEO met with Minister Elliott on Feb. 13
    AFHTO Board Executive Committee and CEO met with Minister Elliott on Feb. 13

     

    Meeting the Minister to discuss pre budget recommendations

    On Feb. 13, our Board executive committee and CEO met with the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, the Hon. Christine Elliott, to talk about our pre budget recommendations with a focus on integrated care foundationally based in team based primary care and the importance of clinical leadership.

     

     

     

    Working together for change
    Connecting physicians regionally is a powerful way to spark change, to improve the delivery of comprehensive patient services, and to influence health service decision making. For those who wish to consider how they might best work together to strengthen the primary care sector – or for those who have already started! – check out Primary Care Physicians: Working Together For Change, Primary Care: Local Change Ideas, and other tools and resources on our website. This repository will be updated regularly!

    Members’ stories
    Elliott Lake FHT – budget committee approves funding for video medical clinic which was set up on a trial basis last year

    Managing urinary incontinence in women: clinical tool

    The Centre for Effective Practice has launched a new clinical tool: Managing Urinary Incontinence in Women.

    Many women feel ashamed when they experience urinary incontinence, which may prevent them from speaking to their doctors about it. If left untreated, the condition can lead more needed care later. This tool is designed to help primary care providers manage care for adult women (18+) who experience involuntary loss of urine.

    Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) updates

    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus. “Health care providers facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.”

    If you have any questions, you can also email EOCOperations.moh@ontario.ca.

    Northern opioid learning community webinars, Mar. 5 & 26
    Join the Ontario Pain Management Resources Partners as they explore how to optimize your EMR to support safer pain management and opioid prescribing. Including Sandeep Gill, AFHTO Clinical KTE Specialist and members, Drs. Sarah Newbery and Ryan Patchett-Marble, Marathon FHT, and Dr.Kevin Samson, East Wellington FHT.

    Target audience: Family physicians and nurse practitioners in northern Ontario who endeavour to access relevant data to support safer opioid prescribing and pain management, including primary care clinicians and support staff

    Register for:

    Seeking volunteers for Early Chronic Kidney Disease priority panel

    The Ontario Renal Network, part of Ontario Health, is recruiting primary care providers for the Early Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Priority Panel. Its purpose is to provide strategic direction for current and future initiatives related to early CKD, including supporting primary care providers in identifying and managing patients with CKD.

    The panel will meet on a regular basis about 6 times per year and will to have representation from various groups (e.g., administrators, allied health, physicians, patient advisors). If you’re interested in learning more or joining, please email daphne.sniekers@cancercare.on.ca by February 29, 2020.

    OASW call for proposals
    The Ontario Association of Social Workers has announced a Call for Proposals for the 2020 Social Work Provincial Conference, “Innovative Approaches to Complex Needs:  Social Workers Influencing the Future of Care”, on November 13 and 14, 2020.

    They encourage submissions from students, practitioners, policy makers, researchers and academics alike. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2020. Find out more.

    Improving cancer screening rates and reducing related disparities, Feb. 20
    On Feb. 20 join Drs. Aisha Lofters and Tara Kiran as they share practical, evidence-based ways to improve cancer screening rates and reduce income-related disparities. Register here.

    Is your work making you wheeze? Feb. 25, 2020
    Attend this webinar suitable for healthcare providers and other employees, hosted by the Lung Association. View all Lung Associations’ upcoming events here.

    Black Physician Association Ontario Annual Health Symposium, Feb. 29, 2020
    Keynote speaker will be the inspiring Dr. Lisa Robinson, Associate Dean of Inclusion and Diversity at the University of Toronto. Learn more here.

    Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Tools for Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care, March 12, 2020
    In the third webinar in the HPCO Winter webinar series, our Board Director Dr. Kevin Samson, along with Justin Wolting from the eHealth Centre of Excellence, will be presenting to assist health care professionals and support staff.
    Learn more here.