Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: advocacy

  • Strengthening mental healthcare delivery in primary care

    The OMA and the Primary Care Collaborative have released a joint policy paper with recommendations to strengthen mental healthcare delivery in primary care.

    The rate of new mental health and addiction diagnoses is increasing, exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of the pandemic. Approximately three-quarters of Canadians rely on their primary care provider to address their mental health needs, but there are longstanding system gaps that must be addressed to enhance the ability of primary care doctors to deliver mental health care.

    In a paper, titled Strengthening the delivery of Mental Health and Addiction Services in Primary Care, the Ontario Medical Association and the Primary Care Collaborative have identified the following policy actions that are necessary to ensure greater support for primary care providers and improve care in this crucial area:

    • Enhance primary care’s capacity to offer treatment locally by funding and establishing interprofessional care teams with expertise in treating moderate to severe depression and anxiety
    • Improve the ability of primary care providers to connect their patients who have moderate to severe depression and anxiety to local services by leveraging and expanding the navigation service, Health Connect Ontario
    • Expand access to harm reduction services, such as supervised consumption and treatment sites
    • Implement an Indigenous-led mental health and wellness strategy

    The paper was released on October 3, 2022.

    The full news release can be read here.

     

    About The Primary Care Collaborative
    The Primary Care Collaborative is an alliance of primary care organizations that joined together to collaborate on strengthening primary care as we move toward recovering from the pandemic. It is made up of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, the Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association, the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and the OMA’s Section on General and Family Practice.

  • AFHTO reflects on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

    AFHTO reflects on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

    The words are National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on an orange background with feathers to their right. Below it says Before reconcilation must come truth

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Every year, on September 30, we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day to honour and commemorate survivors and ancestors who were and continue to be impacted by the tragic and painful history of residential schools. The last residential school closed in 1996 and the effects of the system and colonization are still deeply felt in communities today.

    The Orange Shirt represents the stripping away of the freedoms, cultures, and practices experienced by Indigenous children and families and the opportunity to support and honor their healing journey. We keep the reconciliation process alive by commemorating this day.

    AFHTO continues to observe this day of learning, listening, and remembering. Before reconciliation must come truth. We encourage our members to seek understanding about the experiences of Indigenous peoples and recognize that historical and ongoing systemic wrongs have impacts that affects us all.

    Opportunities to learn, support, and show commitment to reconciliation, inclusion, and anti-racism:

    If you have not yet already, enrol in the IPHCC Foundations of Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) e-learning modules to learn the importance of adopting culturally safe and appropriate practices when serving Indigenous clients and patients.

    AFHTO acknowledges that we are on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.

  • Bits & Pieces: tomorrow #AFHTO2022 early bird deadline and more

    Bits & Pieces: tomorrow #AFHTO2022 early bird deadline and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Tomorrow is the #AFHTO2022 early bird deadline
    • AFHTO annual report featuring your stories
    • OurCare national survey launched
    • School immunization programs
    • Wellness check: dealing with transitions and managing stress materials
    • Bill 7 implementation memo and more
    • Reminder- UpToDate price changes coming in October
    • Next B&P after #AFHTO2022
    • Feedback requested on new quality standards – surgical site infections and eating disorder
    • Upcoming events including IPAC and more

     

    Tomorrow is the #AFHTO2022 early bird deadline

    AFHTO 2022 Conference logo- background is multicoloured streaks going towards an abstract event horizon

     

    After tomorrow, registration fees increase for both in-person and virtual.

    2021-2022 annual report with afhto logo. Title is reconnect & reimagine: moving forward together. The background colour is a yellow gradient and there are member submitted pictures.

     

     

    AFHTO annual report featuring your stories

    We released our 2022 annual report in the notice for our annual general meeting sent to the triad yesterday. Read for a reflection on the ways primary care teams have continued to rise to current challenges and lead the way in future health and social care delivery.

     

     

     

     

    OurCare national survey launched

    Dr. Tara Kiran, a researcher from MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Unity Health Toronto), and St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT physician, is leading an important project on the future of primary care. As part of the project, she is conducting a research survey to hear from people across Canada about their experiences and priorities. Study findings will be shared with policymakers and used to shape a blueprint for the future of primary care in Canada.

    Help the study team hear from as many people as possible. Use these materials to encourage patients and the public to take the 15-minute research survey.

    School immunization programs

    Due to the pandemic, there have been disruptions to school-based vaccine programs in Ontario. The Ministry of Health put out a guidance document to communicate the extended eligibility for publicly funded vaccines for school-based programs and there are informational webinars coming up to learn more about the issue.

    Click here to register for upcoming events and to view resources regarding vaccines for school-aged children.

    Wellness check: dealing with transitions and managing stress materials

    We cohosted this webinar with CMHA on Sep. 15. Due to the sensitive and interactive nature, no recording is available, but you can access the worksheet and other resources here.

    Bill 7 implementation memo and more

    Recent updates include:

    • RE: Bill 7 Implementation to Support Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery- EN and FR– MLTC, MOH and OH, Sep. 14, 2022
    • Appendix: Summary of ALC Regulation Changes- EN and FR– Sep. 14, 2022
    • LTCH Admissions for ALC Patients Field Guidance for Placement Co-ordinators – EN and FR– Sep. 14, 2022

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

    Reminder- UpToDate price changes coming in October

    AFHTO members are able to save on an individual subscription to UpToDate® and optional add-on products. (*Savings on annual and longer subscriptions only and based on subscription type).

    WoltersKluwer has informed us a price increase will go into effect October 1 for members, so now would be a good time to subscribe.

    EDs and Admin leads, if you need additional information to access these discounts, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Next B&P after #AFHTO2022

    Staff will be busy preparing to welcome you to the conference next week, so the next newsletter will be sent Oct. 18-19, the week after the conference.

    Feedback requested on new quality standards – surgical site infections and eating disorder

    AFHTO 2022 Conference, Oct. 12, 2022

    Join your peers from across Ontario and beyond as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

    Members get more than 50% off registration. Register with your verification code here.

    Community of Practice: Infection Prevention and Control in Primary Care, Oct. 4- 31, 2022

    Quarterly (CoP) meetings hosted by Public Health Ontario to support Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) programs in Primary Care settings.  

    Sessions will be held on several dates and times for different regions. Find out more here.

    Trillium Primary Health Care Research Day, Oct. 14, 2022

    In-person at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Find out more here.

    Social Prescribing Conference: Current Practices & Community Conversations, Oct. 20, 2022
    Virtual conference hosted by the Alliance. Find out more here.

    Practical Evidence for Informed Practice, Oct. 21-22, 2022
    Family medicine rapid fire conference. Find out more here.

  • Government’s 5-point Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery

    To EDs/admin leads, board chairs and lead clinicians of AFHTO member teams

    Dear members,

    This morning the government released its 5-point Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery.

    With a plan to focus on protecting hospital capacity and supporting long-term care, we are disappointed that there was no tangible supports for primary care as a key component in health system stability and recovery. Other than noting one way to ease emergency pressures on emergency departments- “increased access to the family health organization model of primary care will improve access to primary care and reduce demand for emergency department care”– the plan does not address the considerable backlog of mental health and addiction, chronic disease, cancer screening, and vaccination that is coming through your doors. And while primary care is only notionally addressed, mental health and addiction is not addressed at all.

    AFHTO will continue to advocate with our partners to push the government and Ontario Health to add needed supports in primary care. They have acknowledged primary care is an important part of the healthcare system and know the challenges it faces, so the question remains: why is it forgotten?

    Here are the highlights:

    Preserving our Hospital Capacity

    • Continue to provide access to testing for COVID-19, Paxlovid and Evusheld therapies for treatment for those who are eligible, with plans on expanding eligibility for Evusheld for high-risk populations in the coming weeks.
    • COVID-19 shots and flu shots will continue to be provided to Ontarians.
    • Free rapid antigen tests will continue to be available at participating grocery and pharmacy retailers as well as for workplaces, schools, and congregate settings.
    • Extend temporary COVID-19 physician funding.

    Providing the Right Care in the Right Place

    • Expanding the 9-1-1 models of care to include additional ailments and giving paramedics the flexibility to provide better, more appropriate care to divert patients from ERs.
    • There will be several initiatives to help avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, improve the process for ambulance offloading, and reintroduce respite services in long-term care.
    • Ontario is introducing legislation that, if passed, will support patients whose doctors have said they no longer need hospital treatment and should instead be placed in a long-term care home, while they wait for their preferred home.
    • Continue and expand funding of community paramedicine.

    Further Reducing Surgical Waitlists

    • Invest over $300 million in 2022–23 as part of the province’s surgical recovery strategy.
    • Work with hospitals to identify innovative solutions to reduce wait times for surgeries and procedures, including considering options for further increasing surgical capacity by increasing the number of OHIP-covered surgical procedures performed at independent health facilities.
    • Increase surgeries in paediatric hospitals and existing private clinics covered by OHIP, as well as fund more than 150,000 additional operating hours for hospital-based MRI and CT machines.

    Easing Pressure on our Emergency Departments

    • Increase access to the FHO model of primary care to reduce demand for ERs.
    • Launch a new provincial emergency department peer-to-peer program to provide additional on-demand, real-time support and coaching from experienced emergency physicians to aid in the management of patients presenting to rural emergency departments.
    • Adding 400 physician residents to support the workforce in northern and rural Ontario.
    • Working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to expedite the registration of doctors, including those from out-of-province and who may want to work in rural and northern emergency departments, so they can start working and caring for patients sooner.

    Further Expanding Ontario’s Health Workforce

    • Expand funding for the supervised practice experience partnership program which has already supported over 600 international nurses in getting licensed since January. The province anticipates that by the end of the fiscal year another 400 international nurses will gain the practice and language requirements necessary to work in Ontario.
    • Working with the College of Nurses of Ontario to reduce the financial barriers that may be stopping some retired or internationally trained nurses from receiving accreditation to resume or begin practicing by temporarily covering the cost of examination, application, and registration fees, saving them up to $1,500.
    • The province is aware that agency rates have increased significantly, creating instability for hospitals, long-term care homes and emergency departments. In response, Ontario will engage with frontline partners to better understand how to bring stability to hospitals and emergency departments, while protecting quality of care.

    The government notes these actions will “see faster access to health care, including lower wait times in emergency departments, lower wait times for surgical procedures and more care options right in their communities” and that “this will add up to 6,000 more health care workers. Combined with the initiatives included in the first phase of the plan that are adding 13,000 more staff, the two plans together are adding 19,000 more health care workers.” However, the actual number of health care workers that have left the system remains unknown.

    AFHTO will continue to work with the government and encourages local advocacy with MPPs. Many teams have new MPPs, so now is also a good time to reach out for introductions and to provide general info about the care you provide to some of their constituents. Those MPPs can then help inform government about the critical work you do in their communities, and how important it is for a stable, effective healthcare system that provides the best care and reduces demand on hospitals.

    The advocacy material from the campaign is still relevant – the advocacy is simply now to your MPP instead of multiple candidates –  and members can expect more material this fall after the Community Health Compensation Working Group has completed its Ontario Community Health Market Salary Review with our compensation consultant.

    Thank you for the work you all do every day. If you have any questions, please reach out to us any time.

    Yours in good health,
    The AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: where will children under 5 get vaccines and more

    Bits & Pieces: where will children under 5 get vaccines and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • COVID-19 vaccinations for kids under 5
    • Open letter to keep expanded access to care for uninsured people
    • Minto Mapleton FHT meets with MPP
    • Member stories
    • New toolkit to help health care providers deliver virtual care to Canadians
    • Paid COVID sick days back until March 31, 2023, and more
    • Reminder- nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 29, 2022
    • Reminder- AFHTO 2022 Conference networking leads wanted
    • Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council
    • Upcoming events including integrating hepatitis C care with safer supply practice and more

    COVID-19 vaccinations for kids under 5

    To help the ministry with their planning on where children under 5 are or will be receiving vaccines, please take a moment and complete this short survey that should take less than 2 minutes. We thank you very much in advance as your answers will be helpful in determining how widespread the vaccines will be given. Deadline Monday, August 1.

    Open letter to keep expanded access to care for uninsured people

    In March 2020, in response to community advocacy, the Ford government temporarily expanded access to care for uninsured people, by: (1) removing the three-month waiting period for OHIP which affects new immigrants, new permanent residents, and returning Canadian citizens; and, (2) creating a new funding stream for physicians and hospitals for providing medically necessary services to uninsured people (see details here).

    Healthcare for All Coalition has learned the government may be looking to imminently roll these changes back. They ask you to sign this open letter to urge the Ontario government to implement a permanent program to ensure universal access to healthcare services, independent of insurance status. Deadline Friday, July 29.

    If you have any questions, please contact healthcare4allcoalition@gmail.com.

    Minto Mapleton FHT meets with MPP

    Screenshot of virtual meeting- Minto Mapleton FHT with MPP

    On July 22, Minto Mapleton FHT met with their MPP Matthew Rae.

    “We all agreed that it felt really successful in educating him about how team based primary care is different from other sectors of the health care system. We gave many examples of how we are able to wrap around patients with members of the team to help them preventatively achieve good health and ultimately be most cost effective for the system.

    Mr. Rae shared that being born, raised, and currently residing in this riding makes him aware of care however, today’s presentation elevated his knowledge especially surrounding recruitment, retention and expansion of our team to support our community currently and in the near future.

    He also acknowledged that his riding is unique from other members of  caucus in that his entire riding is FHT for primary care. (Minto Mapleton, Mount Forest, Listowel/North Perth, and Stratford). This is very different than his colleagues in the GTA who are not in this model and therefore have different priorities. We asked what he needed from us to allow him to advocate accordingly and he felt that collaborating with AFHTO would be a great first step as our representing association.”

    If you are meeting with your MPPs and want AFHTO to connect, please let us know. Finding internal champions in government to help with advocacy efforts to expand team-based care is important as we ensure every Ontarian who needs it has access to team-based primary care.

    Member stories

    Couchiching FHT – Rec centre fees waived so students, patients can make waves

    Guelph FHT – 2021-2022 annual report

    Prince Edward FHT- County and Family Health Team welcome new physician recruiter

    Summerville FHT- 2021-2022 annual report

    Screenshot of Virtual Care Together Design Collaborative home page- healthcare excellence logo in top left, with a graphic of 2 women having a virtual meeting below

    New toolkit to help health care providers deliver virtual care to Canadians
    Canada Health Infoway and Healthcare Excellence Canada have released a new virtual care toolkit to give care providers the tools they need to provide safe, high-quality virtual care to their patients, regardless of experience. Topics include the appropriate use of virtual care, use and optimization of virtual care services and quality and safe virtual care interactions. Information in the toolkit was refined and tested by 25 teams in 10 provinces and territories through the Virtual Care Together Design Collaborative.

     

    Paid COVID sick days back until March 31, 2023, and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Reminder- nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 29, 2022
    Are you interested in serving on the AFHTO board of directors? The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. Please share this call for nominations with all who work in your team and with members on your Board. Find out more here.

    Reminder- AFHTO 2022 Conference networking leads wanted

    We have an hour in the schedule at the AFHTO 2022 conference for networking, and we’d like IHP session leads. Leads are responsible for programming while AFHTO staff will simply allocate the rooms. Smaller groups will be able to meet at a table in the ballroom. Limited space is available, so this is first come, first serve.

    If you are interested in leading an IHP session, please contact Beth MacKinnon by July 29, 2022.

    Reminder – apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

    Are you interested in advising AFHTO on the top issues facing IHPs in team-based primary care? Would you like to be a leader in working with IHPs in primary care to advocate for and to speak to the critical role of teams? Would you like to share and spread knowledge and learnings? If yes, please apply to join our IHP Advisory Council!

    We invite any IHP in a member team to apply by completing this survey by Friday, July 29.

    More information is here. Please share this opportunity with providers across teams.

    Integrating Hepatitis C Care with Safer Supply Practice, July 28, 2022

    Co-hosted by National Safer Supply Community of Practice and CATIE on World Hepatitis Day. Register here.

    Demystifying the Cloud for Nonprofits, July 28, 2022
    Hosted by TechSoup with presentation by Amazon Web Services. Register here.

    ECHO Care of the Elderly, Sep. 7-Dec. 21, 2022
    The latest cycle of the ECHO Care of the Elderly program focuses on Community care and providers. Find out more here.

    NPAO 2022 Annual Conference, Sep. 22-23, 2022

    This years’ Conference theme is The NP Experience: Pushing Boundaries Towards Common Goals. Find out more here.

    AFHTO 2022 Conference, Oct. 12, 2022

    Join your peers from across Ontario and beyond as we reconnect and reimagine, moving forward together.

    Members get more than 50% off registration. Registration with your verification code here.

  • Spring Highlights 2022: AFHTO Leadership Council

    The AFHTO Leadership Council met on June 14, 2022. Below are highlights from the spring 2022 council meeting, projects that are underway, and links to useful resources, including last week’s webinar on the Working for Workers Act.

    Compensation Markey Review in Primary and Community Care

    • We know that compensation rates across teams is a huge concern. Primary and community care providers/staff are underfunded compared to other areas of the healthcare sector, and funding for these roles has not kept up with inflation and cost of living increases.
    • AFHTO has begun work with 10 other associations to provide recommendations to government on reasonable and fair compensation in the sector, outside of acute care.
    • Our RFP has been issued, and a vendor is expected to be confirmed in August. The market review work will be complete in November. A summary of the work will be shared with members shortly.

    Vaccine Update in Primary Care

    • AFHTO received an update from the ministry last week on vaccines in primary care, including those given to Indigenous communities.
    • The Primary Care COVID Vaccine Update can be read here. If you are experiencing any challenges with vaccines in your community, please let us know.

    FHT Contract Consultation

    • FHT 2018-2022 contracts have been extended to March 2023, and AFHTO will be providing recommendations on an updated contract to the ministry in the fall.
    • There are now three working groups discussing the top three areas for modernization in the contract and who will be finalizing recommendations: governance, performance and accountability, and FHT/physician affiliation.
    • AFHTO will keep members apprised of this work and may reach out for more input. Stay tuned for more details!

    AFHTO Conference and Bright Lights Submissions

    • The AFHTO conference is on October 12, and nominations are now open for the Bright Lights Awards. Awards will be presented at the conference – which will be hybrid this year! – and fall in the conference themes:
      • It takes a team: collaboration inside and out
      • Health equity at the centre
      • Sustainable solutions to primary care problems
      • Mental health and addictions
      • Special recognition for underrepresented teams
    • Please check out the Bright Lights Nomination guide here!
    • Any questions, members are welcome to contact Paula Myers.

    Provincial and Federal Advocacy

    • The 2022 election is done, and a majority progressive conservative government has been elected. AFHTO looks forward to continuing our work with them. We expect to learn who the next health minister is shortly and will begin outreach this summer.
    • Thank you to all members for your excellent local advocacy. We encourage you to congratulate your MPP on their (re)election and begin/continue relationship building.
    • Please share any stories and pictures from the election with Beth MacKinnon to support AFHTO’s central advocacy.
    • AFHTO will be starting federal advocacy to encourage prioritization of funding to team-based primary care in Ontario. This advocacy will begin this summer.

    Resource Library Refresh

    • AFHTO is updating our members’ resource library with samples of by-laws, policy manuals, strategic plans, agreements, and more. Many of the samples we post are contributed by members for members, so we need your help!
    • If you have any resources or tools you are willing to share with other teams, please send them to us or to the member on our leadership council who will be reaching out to you. Stay tuned!
    • Members with any questions are welcome to contact Bryn Hamilton.

    Increase in Nurse Practitioners’ Scope of Practice

    • As of July 1, 2022, nurse practitioners will see an increase in their scope allowing them to order computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
    • NPs will now have the ability to:
      • Refer individuals to the Ontario Lung Screening Program (OLSP) and the High-Risk Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP)
      • Manage unattached OBSP participants with abnormal results
      • Authorize OBSP sites to arrange all assessment tests required for OBSP participants
    • NPs have been able to provide colonoscopy referrals for the ColonCancerCheck (CCC) program, but if they would like to be added to the OH list of providers who can support patients with an abnormal FIT result who does not have a primary care provider, they can put their names on the CCC attachment form.
    • Here are the slide deck and one-pager from Ontario Health for more information. Please share this with the NPs and other members on your team.  

    Managing Risk Post Pandemic

    • As the insurance industry experienced high claims during the pandemic, renewing in 2022 will be met with increased premiums and changes to policy packages. Sourcing for insurance that meets a primary care team’s need within its budget can be cumbersome. Working with an insurance broker can help a team compare its existing policy against what’s available on the market and to get an affordable renewal premium rate.
    • Starting the renewal process at least two months in advance of the coverage expiry gives enough time to evaluate the team’s insurance requirements and the quotes received.
    • To connect with an insurance broker or if you have any questions, please reach out to Sombo Saviye.

    Update on Temporary Retention Incentive for Nurses

    • Roll-out on this funding is slow but the ministry has told AFHTO it is a priority. They’re working on a funding package for approval by the minister, once appointed, as quickly as possible.
    • While timing is not confirmed, the ministry anticipates it may be late summer before nurses begin to see this first payment. The second payment would be in the fall.

    Mental Health Supports for Healthcare Providers

    • Ontario Health has started providing bilingual mental health and wellness supports for healthcare workers, a collection of services alongside the Ontario Psychological Association.
    • Frontline workers can self-refer to one of the five mental health hospitals where they will be matched with a social worker or psychotherapist for up to 6 sessions of 1-1 therapy. If they are deemed to require more sessions or may be best served by a psychologist/PA by the hospitals, the patient may be referred to an OPA psychologist for 8 (up to 12 sessions) of therapy covered by MOH. Check out their digital toolkit.
    • CMHA has also launched Your Health Space, a free mental health program designed to support healthcare organizations in addressing burnout and promoting psychological health and safety in the workplace.

    Working for Workers Act: Tools and Recording from Webinar

    • Maria McDonald from McDonald HR Law joined members of AFHTO, the Alliance, and the NPLCA on June 16 to review and answer questions on the “Working for Workers Act: What Employers Need to Know.”
    • The slide deck, recording, and draft policy can be seen here.

    Other Webcasts and Supports

    Apply to Join AFHTO’s Board of Directors!

    • Members are encouraged to apply to become a board member of AFHTO. There are four 3-year terms open and one 1-year term.
    • To apply, please complete this survey and send your CV to Beth MacKinnon. The deadline is July 29.
    • We encourage you share this invitation with all board members, physicians, and IHPs on your team. Three people on AFHTO’s board can also be non-AFHTO members.

    Apply to join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

    • There are several openings on AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council. A call has gone out in our weekly newsletter today, and members will also see an email on this soon.
    • EDs and admin leads are asked to encourage IHPs on their team to apply.
    • Any interested IHP is asked to complete this survey by July 29 and can contact Beth MacKinnon with any questions. More information is here.

    Thank you for the great work you all do, and please let us know if there are any other ways in which we can support you. We hope you all find a bit of down time this summer for some much-deserved rest.

    Sincerely,
    Your AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: #AFHTO2022 abstract deadline tomorrow and more

    Bits & Pieces: #AFHTO2022 abstract deadline tomorrow and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • AFHTO 2022 conference abstract deadline tomorrow
    • Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors are open until July 29, 2022
    • Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place materials available
    • Almost time for Election 2022
    • Member stories
    • Mental wellness supports, planning vaccination for the under 5-yr olds and more
    • Examining cannabis use and mental health concerns in youth
    • Reminder- seeking input on the structure of social work practice in primary care
    • Upcoming events including Clearing the Air on Asthma and COPD and more

    AFHTO 2022 conference abstract deadline tomorrow

    via GIPHY

    Run, don’t walk to submit your abstract. Your peers, colleagues from other health care sectors, non-profits, and the academic community are eager to hear from YOU. The deadline to submit for an #AFHTO2022 presentation is tomorrow, May 26, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.

    Confirmations will be sent within a business day of the deadline.

    Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors are open until July 29, 2022

    Are you interested in serving on the AFHTO board of directors? The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. Please share this call for nominations with all who work in your team and with members on your Board. Find out more here.

    Title screenshot

    Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place materials available
    On 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) presented on Practical Technologies that can Enable Ageing in Place. Materials are now available here.

     

     

    Questions to ask MPP candidates: Do you support team-based primary care? How will you advocate for expanding access to team-based primary care in Ontario and in our community? How will you ensure there is a sufficient healthcare provider workforce to sustain our healthcare system now and in the future?

    Almost time for Election 2022

    Advanced voting has opened and it’s almost time for the provincial election on June 2. Healthcare is a top issue for all parties AND the public, so use all the resources available to make your voice heard.

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

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

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

    Member stories

    Marathon FHT– Marathon FHT physician feted by medical school

    Summerville FHT – Help us fix family doctor shortage ‘crisis,’ GPs tell Ontario election candidates

    Upper Grand FHT– Care map workshop to help caregivers with burnout

    Mental wellness supports, planning vaccination for the under 5-yr olds and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Examining cannabis use and mental health concerns in youth

    Dr. Toula Kourgiantakis from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto is conducting a research study titled Examining Cannabis Use and Mental Health Concerns in Youth from the Perspectives of Youth, Parents, and Service Providers: A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach. To participate, you must be a service provider (physician, social worker, psychologist, nurse, pharmacist, or psychotherapist) in a health and mental health care setting, who works with or occasionally treat youth and or young adults (aged 16-24). Read more here.

    Reminder- 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 a 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. Read more here.

    Ontario College of Family Physicians/University of Toronto DFCM CoP, May 27, 2022
    Starting at 7:55 a.m, a short update on what you need to know about Monkeypox will also be discussed. Register here.

    Clearing the Air on Asthma and COPD: When Undertesting Leads to Overdiagnosis, June 8, 2022
    What are the barriers to pulmonary function testing? And how might clinicians and patients be supported to avoid over-diagnosis and over-treatment? They’ll discuss these questions and more on June’s Choosing Wisely Talks. Register here.

    Advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients June 17, 2022

    New, gender-affirming cancer screening guidelines have been developed to support the health and wellbeing of Transgender and Non-Binary clients. Register here.

    Spirometry Testing for Diagnosing Asthma and COPD in Primary Care – The Why and the How, June 16, 2022
    The goal of Choosing Wisely’s Let’s Clear the Air campaign is to avoid unnecessary treatment and misdiagnosis that can occur without a proper breathing test. To help, the Lung Health Foundation is hosting sessions to explore the why and the how of spirometry testing for the diagnosis of asthma and COPD in primary care. Register here.

  • Election 2022: It Takes a Team!

    Click here for the recording and deck from the advocacy webinar with Enterprise Canada on April 6  

     

    Click here for AFHTO’s ranking of all parties’ election platforms

     

    The 2022 provincial election wrapped up on June 2, and AFHTO is looking forward to working with the new government. 

    The pandemic exposed many gaps and problems in our healthcare system, so it is no surprise that health care is a top issue for all parties. AFHTO members are leaders and providers in the healthcare sector, so candidates are looking to hear from you. Your voices are powerful.

    Teams reached out to candidates. Shared success stories to encourage investment, shared challenges and solutions, and encouraged team members, family, friends, and patients do the same. The most powerful thing in an election is candidates hearing the same thing over and over from voters. If the central party hears something from enough candidates, it can become something they speak to — and perhaps even commit to investing in.

    But this takes your voices.

    And no one knows better than you that for people to receive the best primary care, it takes a team.

    Below are tools to help you with your local advocacy. We encourage teams include physicians and IHPs in the meetings.  

    Campaign Material

    1. Advocacy Toolkit

    • Key messages
    • How to participate in campaigns
    • FAQs
    • Email templates

    2. One-pager on team-based primary care

    3. How to Organize a Town Hall – Toolkit

    4. Social media graphics

    • Include a graphic with a succinct sentence about successes
    • Please always use #ItTakesATeam on Twitter. Other good hashtags are #ONelection and #onpoli
    • Please tag @afhto and we’ll retweet you!
    • Consider finding your candidates’ handles and tag them as well

    5. Social media animations

    6. Voter card

    • Share this with team members, patients, friends, and family
    • People can leave this by their door/phone to ask when a candidate reaches out, or it can be used proactively!

    7. Patient story map

    • This is to support patients who may join meetings – it’s not to give to the candidate

    8. AFHTO pre-budget submission

    • This speaks to challenges and solution in the healthcare sector
    • Please leave this behind at meetings!

     

    You’ve all been on the ground throughout a pandemic. Your voices are critical. And powerful. This election is an opportunity to be heard. The pandemic has exposed the weaknesses in the healthcare system, and it needs to be built back better with a focus on equity and assurance that primary care is its foundation. Every party knows health care is the priority, and they know speaking to people in the sector who can offer solutions – and committing to delivering on those solutions – is key to being elected.

    Think about success stories from your team to share with candidates and speak to why the care you provide is important to have available to anyone who needs it!

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

  • Bits & Pieces: advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients and more

    Bits & Pieces: advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients June 17
    • Welcome to Abisola Otepola
    • Reminder- Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar May 19
    • Just a couple weeks left for Election 2022
    • Clinical systems renewal funding guidelines and template
    • National Physiotherapy Month
    • Access to Evusheld, guidance for routine immunization and more
    • Impacts of transitioning cancer survivors to primary care
    • Updates to antimicrobial stewardship program & antimicrobial resistance comparison tool
    • Upcoming events including Inuit Wellness and Prosperity and more

     

    Advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients June 17
     

    New, gender-affirming cancer screening guidelines have been developed to support the health and wellbeing of Transgender and Non-Binary clients. These groups often have lower screening rates than their peers due to outreach that misses eligible clients and screening practices that can trigger gender dysphoria.

    We will hear from Ed Kucharski, a family physician who has led this work at Ontario Health and is a physician at SETFHT, about the guidelines and what needs to be in place to enable their use.

    We’ll also hear from two Alliance members who are leaders in care for 2SLGBTQ+ care and members of our 2SLGBTQ+ Health Equity Committee: Celeste Turner, an outreach worker, and Michelle Hurtubise, an executive director, will share their perspectives on how implementing these guidelines will affect health care planning, delivery, and outcomes at the individual and community levels.

    Register here.

    Abisola OtepolaWelcome to Abisola Otepola

    We’re happy to introduce Abisola Otepola, our new Director of Policy and Stakeholder Relations.
    Abisola joins AFHTO from the Ontario Public Service where she worked as a Manager to the Associate Deputy Minister of Health. She also previously worked as a Team Lead with oversight of the funding, policy, and performance of Ontario Health Teams, a population health model designed to end hallway healthcare and build a connected provincial health care system.

    At the Ministry of Health, she led and developed projects from design to scale, including a multi-year plan for scaling bundled care across the province. She brings a strong understanding of integrated care programs and a wealth of experience delivering on complex policy and programs across hospital, community, and primary care settings.

    Welcome Abisola to the team!

    Reminder- 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.

    When it comes to keeping Ontarians healthy, it takes a TEAM

    Just a couple weeks left for Election 2022

    It’s only a couple of weeks until the provincial election on June 2. Healthcare is a top issue for all parties AND the public, so use all the resources available to make your voice heard.

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

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

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

     

    Clinical systems renewal funding guidelines and template

    The FY 2022/23 Clinical Systems Renewal funding guideline and proposal template are now available.

    Interested OHTs, In Development Teams and other health care organizations should contact their OH Region (see below) to plan collaboratively and discuss their questions and the submission process. OH Regions are responsible for facilitating submission development and determining which should be submitted for funding approval.

    For more background see our February ebulletin.

    Scrabble tiles spelling out 'thank you' on a wooden ledge outside.

     

    National Physiotherapy Month

    For National Physiotherapy Month, we’d like to say THANK YOU to the amazing PTs in primary care teams – truly an example of the value that diverse professionals working together provide in healthcare.

     

     

    Access to Evusheld, guidance for routine immunization and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Refugee Healthline

    The Ministry of Health is supporting newly arriving refugees and people arriving through other exceptional humanitarian authorizations (e.g., Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel) by providing a toll-free, multi-lingual, Refugee HealthLine where they can connect with health care providers who deliver transitional health care and services, including primary care, specialist care, and mental health supports. Find out more here and here.

    Impacts of transitioning cancer survivors to primary care

    Primary care providers are tasked with providing safe and effective follow-up care for many cancer survivors.

    Ontario Health has developed a short survey to better understand your practice, your comfort level providing care to cancer survivors, the challenges you face, and your experiences in providing care for cancer survivors. Their goal is to use the results to develop tools and resources to support you in providing care to survivors and improving patient care across the care continuum.  

    The survey will take about 5-10 minutes to complete, and your input by Friday, June 17th, 2022, would be greatly appreciated. For any questions, please contact Meaghan Wright (Meaghan.Wright@ontariohealth.ca).

    Updates to antimicrobial stewardship program & antimicrobial resistance comparison tool
    Public Health Ontario has updated the Ontario Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Comparison Tool to provide more data and increase functionality. It will include recent data on hospital ASPs, updated Antimicrobial Use (AMU) data and trending in Ontario hospitals, and new antimicrobial resistance/antibiogram data for hospital, long-term care, and community settings. For questions or more information contact asp@oahpp.ca.

    Inuit Wellness and Prosperity: The Importance of National Seal Products Day, May 18, 2022

    Hosted by the IPHCC and presented by IPHCC Knowledge Keepers Circle member Vicky auf der Mauer. Find out more here.

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

    Quadruple Aim Measures for Ontario Health Teams (Part II), May 24, 2022
    Hosted by HSPN, they will review the approach to provider experience measurement and results from the Couchiching OHT. Register here.

    Clearing the Air on Asthma and COPD: When Undertesting Leads to Overdiagnosis, June 8, 2022
    What are the barriers to pulmonary function testing? And how might clinicians and patients be supported to avoid over-diagnosis and over-treatment? They’ll discuss these questions and more on June’s Choosing Wisely Talks. Register here.

    Spirometry Testing for Diagnosing Asthma and COPD in Primary Care – The Why and the How, June 16, 2022
    The goal of Choosing Wisely’s Let’s Clear the Air campaign is to avoid unnecessary treatment and misdiagnosis that can occur without a proper breathing test. To help, the Lung Health Foundation is hosting sessions to explore the why and the how of spirometry testing for the diagnosis of asthma and COPD in primary care. Register here.

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

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

    Your Weekly News & Updates

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

     

    Thank You Nurses with red chocolate hearts and red paper hearts

     

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

     

     

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

    Online appointment booking 2022/23 funding webinar materials available

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

     

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

    Election 2022: It Takes a Team

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

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

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

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

     

    Online OHIP renewal finally updated

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

    June 2- deadline to implement right to disconnect policy

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

    Long COVID: aiming for a consensus and more

    Recent updates include:

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

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

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

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

    2023 OCFP Family Medicine Summit call for abstracts

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

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

    Practical technologies that can enable ageing in place webinar May 19

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

    Register here.

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

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

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

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