Tag: Concurrent Sessions

Theme 1. Mental health and addictions

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session E
• Time: 11:00-11:45am
• Room: Pier 7 & 8
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives Participants will learn about the prevalence of depression in older adults. The definition and diagnosis of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in older adults will then be discussed with emphasis on the consequences of persistence of depression in older adults, including high burdens on caregivers, morbidity, and mortality (including suicide). Participants will then be oriented to a new research project that aims to fill the evidence gap around treatment of late-life depression with focus on different pharmacotherapy options (augmentation versus switching medications) and how aging may change the risk versus benefit ratio of these options.  Challenges of implementing a large-scale, multi-site study will also be discussed along with strategies for recruiting physician and patient participants to the study. Summary/Abstract Statement of Purpose: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a major health problem for the aging population: in most older adults, depression fails to remit with first-line antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Older adults with persistent depression experience significant medical consequences, place high burdens on caregivers, and suffer high suicide rates. Making it worse is the paucity of evidence-based treatments at a stage in life when medications benefit vs. risk ratio is crucial. OPTIMUM is a five city (4 US and 1 Canadian) large study that will use both quantitative and qualitative methods. It includes a pragmatic, adaptive randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the comparative benefits and risks of antidepressant strategies (augmentation versus switching medications) and how aging changes this balance of benefits and risks. Methods: OPTIMUM will randomize 1500 older adults aged 60+ to 10 weeks of one of three treatment strategies: aripiprazole augmentation, bupropion augmentation, or switch to bupropion. Participants who fail to remit will be randomized again following a step-wise treatment progression to one of two treatment strategies: augmentation with lithium or switch to nortriptyline. Participants who complete acute treatment will be followed for one year. This pragmatic RCT will be carried out in real-world primary care clinical settings and psychiatric clinics in Ontario. Primary care providers will provide treatments, with decision support from the study team. Stakeholder engagement including patients and professional or family caregivers will ensure the study methods and results are relevant to both patients and providers. Results: We will report on the challenges and results of operationalizing OPTIMUM with respect to REB and Health Canada approval, implementation of OPTIMUM across various primary care settings in Ontario, physician and patient recruitment strategies, partnerships and progress to date. Conclusions: Operationalizing pragmatic studies in primary care require attention to a variety of barriers and enablers which will be discussed during the presentation. Presenters

• Kyle Fitzgibbon, Study Coordinator, BSc., Centre for Addiction & Mental Health
• Athina Perivolaris, Director, RN, MN, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health

Authors/Contributors:

• Benoit Mulsant, Principal Investigator & Chair of Department of Psychiatry, MD, MS, FRCPC, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, University of Toronto
• Alastair Flint, Co-Investigator, Professor of Psychiatry & Staff Psychiatrist, MB, FRCPC, University of Toronto, University Health Network ,Toronto
• Daniel Blumberger, Co-Investigator, Medical Head & Co-Director, Associate Professor, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, University of Toronto
• Peter Selby, Co-Principal Investigator, MBBS, FCFP, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, DFCM, University of Toronto

Theme 6. The future of the regional approach to healthcare

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Pier 2 & 3
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives Strategies for collaborative Primary Care Network (PCN) development in a diverse urban setting including:

• Stakeholder engagement and relationship building between family physicians, specialists, health authority and community partners
• Developing and growing a shared vision of PCN
• Identification of service requirements, gaps and challenges
• Designing multi-year solutions to address patient and provider care needs
• Improving efficiencies and access across care transitions
• Focus on initiatives and projects that support an integrated network of primary care
• Using an iterative, prototyping approach to project development
• Aligning with local, provincial and national goals for primary care

Summary/Abstract Over the last year, the Burnaby Division of Family Practice (a community based group representing family physicians), Burnaby Health Services (representing the local health authority), and family physicians in the community collaborated to build a vision for sustainable PCNs in the region. A high engagement change approach (the Conference Model) was used to facilitate meaningful participation and ongoing commitment. Participants were brought together for three targeted conferences – Vision & Current State Mapping, Design, and Ongoing Implementation & Evaluation. This resulted in the creation of two key documents: a Blueprint representing the vision for primary care in the community, and an Outcomes Map of the projects, initiatives and sequencing required to reach this goal. The blueprint outlines six key components to transforming primary & community care delivery at the neighbourhood level:

• Team-based Care: Primary & Community Care Teams integrated into family practices
• Family Physician Practices Transitioning to Patient Medical Homes
• Family Physician Networks, Neighbourhood Network Integration
• Accessible Urgent Care Services
• Neighbourhood Health & Wellness Hubs
• Strengthened Integration of Municipal & Community Services

The Outcomes Map is an inventory of initiatives identified through the stakeholder engagement process. Each project is linked to a guiding principle or core attribute of a PCN (e.g. Increased inter-provider connection and collaboration) and prioritized based on dependencies and supporting initiatives. This presentation will highlight our approach to PCN development and its focus on collaborative design and long-term service planning. We will also be sharing our blueprint and multi-year implementation approach. Presenters

• Eunice Cho, Director, Burnaby Health Services & Hospital
• Charlene Lui, Board Chair, Burnaby Division of Family Practice

Authors/Contributors:

• Kevin Harrison, Project Lead, Burnaby Primary Care Network
• Will Hartenberger, Coordinator, Burnaby Health Services & Hospital
• Tomas Reyes, PMH Program Lead, Burnaby Division of Family Practice
• Charlene Lui, Board Chair, Burnaby Division of Family Practice

Theme 4. Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Pier 4
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the effectiveness of phone calls versus reminder letters as a method of recall for cancer screening at our Family Health Team
2. Explore equity issues related to cancer screening, including the sociodemographic characteristics of patients overdue for screening, as well as issues unique to patients who are transgender
3. Describe findings from qualitative research undertaken to co-design screening interventions with patients living with a low income
4. Discuss innovative methods to improve overall cancer screening rates and reduce related disparities in Family Health Teams in general

Summary/Abstract Due to its clear benefits for reducing morbidity and mortality, cancer screening is often used as a quality indicator in primary care. However, it can be difficult to achieve for primary care practices to achieve cancer screening targets, particularly if they serve many marginalized patients. The St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team (SMHAFHT) is a large academic primary care organization serving close to 45,000 enrolled patients at six clinical practices geographically dispersed within the inner-city of Toronto, Canada. Our patient population is diverse and includes many patients from marginalized groups, such as new immigrants, refugees, people who are homeless, those living in poverty, and those who identify as transgender. This interactive session will be an opportunity for attendees to learn more about quality improvement initiatives at the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team that has aimed to reduce disparities in cancer screening and improve overall cancer screening rates. We will review i) results of a randomized trial that we conducted, ii) an analysis that used patient-reported health equity data to understand gaps in screening, and iii) our efforts to understand cancer screening rates among our transgender population. As well, we will present findings from qualitative research to co-design solutions with patients living with a low income, and present preliminary findings from these co-designed solutions. Presenters

• Aisha Lofters, Authors & Contributors, Family Physician, St. Michael’ Hospital Academic Family Health Team
• Tara Kiran, Family Physician, St. Michael’ Hospital Academic Family Health Team

Authors/Contributors:

• Natalie Baker, Applied Health Research Centre, St. Michael’ Hospital

Theme 3. Expanding your reach Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Pier 9
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff

Learning Objectives Patients frequently tell us they like the team-based approach to care at Guelph FHT. They tell us they appreciate not only their physician AND their health care team, including nurse practitioner, mental health counsellor, pharmacist, nurse and dietitian. Improving access to care is a central mandate to our FHT.  For many years, Guelph FHT has offered team-based primary care to 90% of local residents (vs. 25-30% of Ontarians). But that wasn’t good enough!  Participants will gain insight into how the Guelph FHT extended team-based care to the remaining 10% through community partnerships, operational efficiency and resource optimisation. Summary/Abstract The Board of the Guelph FHT has been very clear: it is imperative that we understand and target the needs of our community.  Every patient deserves access to comprehensive team-based primary health care, and primary care providers support their patients through integrated interprofessional teams.   Since 2012, we have evolved, becoming an organization that provides better care for our whole community. Change has been incremental  and includes: A) Strong Community Partnerships: 1- Relocation of the Gestational Diabetes Management (GDM)program from Guelph General Hospital to the Guelph FHT 2- Implementation of Post -Partum Mood Disorder program supporting high risk populations in partnership with Guelph CHC 3- Provision of medical nutrition therapy to HIV/AIDS/Transgender patients through ARCH clinic 4- Initiation of the Rapid Access Addiction Clinic and Overdose prevention site in partnership with Guelph CHC and Stonehenge Therapeutic community B) Operational Efficiency to Enable Community-Wide Access to FHT Programs Schedule optimisation, efficient triage processes, structured discharge, and addressed no show rates are some strategies that led to built capacity to extend existing FHT programs to all Guelph residents. Programs including Primary Care at Home, Diabetes Care, exercise, INR, foot care, chronic pain, smoking cessation, wellness workshops, and geriatric psychiatry are available and accessible to the entire community.  C) Resource Optimization to Support Associate Practices  Through care assessment of efficiency, population need and practice workflows, we integrated 3 dedicated FTEs in non- FHT practices educator to support additional 17,000 patients beyond our 105,000 Guelph FHT rostered patients. Presenters

• Laura Adam, MSc., RD, CDE, Clinic Coordinator, Guelph Family Health Team
• Sam Marzouk, MB BCh MBA, Director Business Services, Guelph Family Health Team

Theme 3. Expanding your reach Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Harbour C
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives Participants will learn about how to provide excellent specialized geriatric care to their community in a team based format.  The composition of a Geriatric Care Outreach Team will be discussed as well as ways to provide services in various locations in the community including in patients’ homes, retirement homes, and community hospital.  We will discuss the benefit of a Geriatric Nurse Assessment with each patient and patient navigation and connection with other community supports.  We will discuss how Nurse Practitioners can play an essential role in the team to diagnose geriatric conditions as well as prescribe appropriate medications and deprescribe inappropriate medications. Summary/Abstract Our Geriatric Care Team, an outreach team in Huntsville, aims to help optimize the health, independence, and quality of life for frail seniors in our community and in our hospital.  We would like to show the benefits of our model of care and give other FHTs ideas regarding how they can model teams within their FHT and/or community after our team. We provide specialized geriatric care to at risk seniors in our community, particularly to those with cognitive impairment, dementia, mood issues, and frequent falls.  This program is an extremely effective way to provide specialized geriatric services to those that need it. It is consistent with Simcoe Muskoka LHIN’s plans for Local Specialized Geriatric Services which maintain or improve frailty, improve management and assessment of responsive behaviours, reduce caregiver burden, and increase patient/caregiver satisfaction with services and outcomes (SGS, 2016). Our team’s work is also consistent with Health Quality Ontario’s Quality Statement regarding Dementia Care for People Living in the Community (Health Quality Ontario, 2018) as well as their standard on Behavioural Symptoms of Dementia (HQO, 2018). Our Registered Nurses complete comprehensive geriatric assessments & assistance to our patients and their caregivers in making decisions related to care.  The Nurse Practitioner diagnoses and prescribes treatment or suggests treatment to the patient’s primary care provider or MRP at the hospital.  We work closely with primary care providers as well as in-hospital physicians, regional specialists, and community programs including Home & Community Care in order to optimize the health of our patients. Our team helps our patients navigate the health care system and acts as an access point for our patients and their caregivers. Presenters

• Melissa Kilpatrick, MN, NP-PHC, NP with Geriatric Care Team, Employee of Algonquin Family Health Team
• Judith Braun, RN, Lead RN with Geriatric Care Team, Employee of Algonquin Family Health Team

Theme 2. Healthy relationships, healthy teams Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Harbour B
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative Staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives This presentation provides an overview of the improvements possible with implementation of a full scope nursing role in a primary care practice.  Participants will:

1. Learn about the process of implementation, including educational supports, space needs accommodations, practice support processes.
2. Appreciate how interdisciplinary care based on understanding of scope, trust between providers, and clear communication practices improves patient access to increased primary care nursing and physician services.
3. Understand how practice improvements lead to improved access (same day care), improved continuity, and reduced emergency room visits and hospital readmissions within 30 days

Summary/Abstract This presentation will outline the process of increasing nursing scope in a primary care setting, beginning with outlining education that was provided to supplement nurses’ existing base of knowledge and skills. We will then review the areas of practice in which full scope nursing was utilized, such as Preventive Care (well baby care, prenatal, well woman care); Chronic disease prevention and management (lifestyle counselling, smoking cessation, asthma, COPD and diabetes care); Elder care(cognitive screening, advanced directives planning, palliative care); Acute care (UTIs, respiratory illnesses, wound care); Care coordination (prenatal patients, trans care); Specialized care (trans care, ADHD assessments and support); Procedures (injections, immunizations, spirometry). We will review the supports we put in place to support full scope nursing, including development of medical directives, communication practices to ensure access to timely physician consultation.  Incorporating full scope nursing allowed our patients access to an increased range of low threshold, barrier free services in house, and improved access to nursing and physician care.  This in turn resulted in same day access to primary care, improved continuity and reduced ER visits and hospital readmissions. Presenters

• Lindsay Chmarney, RN, Primary Care Nurse, Greater Peterborough FHO (Dr Lokanathan’s office)
• Brittany Murray, RN, Primary Care Nurse, Greater Peterborough FHO (Dr. Lokanathan’s office)
• Kelly Pensom, RN, Primary Care Nurse, Greater Peterborough FHO (Dr. Lokanathan’s Office)

Authors & Contributors

• Rhonda Vanderwal, MOA, Dr. Lokanathan’s Office
• Alison Welsh, MOA, Dr. Lokanathan’s Of

Theme 1. Mental health and addictions Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session D
• Time: 9:45-10:30am
• Room: Marine
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives The School Success Program with the Couchiching Family Health Team (CFHT) has partnered with The Integra Program at The Child Development Institute in Toronto to bring the Social Aces group to our community.  This is the first time Social Aces has been offered outside of The Integra Program. During this presentation, the speakers will endeavour to meet the following objectives:

• Provide information on the Social Aces group program
• Share research on the history of Social Aces and its efficacy
• Discuss the challenges of treating this population using traditional therapeutic methods
• Share initial findings and challenges around bringing this group to the Orillia population

Summary/Abstract Social Competence is a complex and interconnected set of knowledge and skills that come naturally to most people.  For children with learning disabilities, ASD, ADHD, anxiety, or self-regulation difficulties, social competence is a great challenge.  The Social Aces Group is a 10-week program for children who struggle with developing and maintaining friendships, resolving conflict with peers and siblings, understanding nonverbal social cues, and experiencing inclusion in their peer group.  Children and youth are matched carefully into groups of 3 to 8 in accordance with individual emotional regulation and social competence needs and treatment goals.  The program is activity based, allowing children the opportunity for “in the moment” teaching, group discussion, applications to real-world situation, and direct coaching. The Couchiching Family Health Team (CFHT) School Success Program has partnered with The Integra Program at the Child Development Institute in Toronto to bring this evidence-informed, therapeutic program to youth and their families who are dealing with learning disabilities and/or mental health issues (LDMH) and social competence challenges.  Until this year, the Social Aces group was only offered at The Integra Program of The Child Development Institute. The CFHT has been working with the Toronto-based program to bring this valuable service to our rural community. Until this group was offered at the CFHT, there were no other services in place to address social competence issues in a group format for the LDMH population. Presenters

• Cassandra Eriksson, MSW, RSW, Social Worker, School Success Program, Couchiching FHT
• Shelby Cook, MSW, RSW, Social Worker, School Success Program, Couchiching FHT
• Helen Hargreaves, MSW, RSW, Child and Family Therapist, The Integra Program, Child Development Institute

Authors & Contributors

• Cassandra Eriksson, MSW, RSW, Social Worker, School Success Program, Couchiching FHT
• Shelby Cook, MSW, RSW, Social Worker, School Success Program, Couchiching FHT
• Helen Hargreaves, MSW, RSW, Child and Family Therapist, The Integra Program, Child Development Institute

Theme 4. The “How to” stream Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session C & D
• Time: 8:45-10:30am
• Room: Harbour A
• Style: Workshop (session is structure for interaction and/or hands-on learning opportunities)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives In this workshop, you will build a road map to establishing an effective and meaningful PFAC at your FHT / NP led clinic. We will help you navigate and distill the considerable amount of existing patient engagement material, help identify the resources your team will need, and make a plan that considers your team’s distinct characteristics. Our staff and patient facilitators will share pearls and lessons learned along the way and work with you to ensure your process is meaningful to both staff and patients. Summary/Abstract Patient engagement is at the forefront of healthcare transformation in Ontario. In December 2016, Ontario passed the Patients First Act to “help ensure patients are at the centre of the health care system.” One way to include the patient voice in planning and decision-making at your FHT or NP led clinic is to establish a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC). But what does that mean for your team and what is involved? At this interactive workshop, PFAC members and staff from the Sunnybrook Academic Family Health team will walk you through the nuts and bolts of establishing a meaningful PFAC, from the initial idea to the first PFAC recommendations. How do you get buy-in from your staff? What resources are required? How much planning is involved? What do you need to consider in order for the PFAC to be successful? How do you recruit effective council members and what do they need from you? We will share our stumbles and success stories and advise as best we can as you take into consideration your team’s unique circumstances. Presenters

• Ingrid Wirsig, Program Coordinator / PFAC Staff Liaison, Program Coordinator / PFAC Staff Liaison
• Leigh Caplan, Diabetes Nurse Educator, Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team
• Corrie Procak, Administrative Assistant, Sunnybrook Diabetes Education Program
• Patricia Main, PFAC Member, Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team
• Candice Hulley, PFAC Member, Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team

Authors & Contributors

• Ingrid Wirsig, Program Coordinator / PFAC Staff Liaison, Program Coordinator / PFAC Staff Liaison
• Leigh Caplan, Diabetes Nurse Educator, Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team
• Corrie Procak, Administrative Assistant, Sunnybrook Diabetes Education Program

Theme 1. Mental health and addictions Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday October 25, 2018
• Concurrent Session C & D
• Time: 8:45-10:30am
• Room: Pier 5
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives

• Providers, IHPs and administrators will become familiar with several partnered supports for pain and opioid prescription management in primary care teams, including data from HQO’s myPractice reports, EMR queries developed by AFHTO volunteers, and CAMH’s opioid de-implementation program.
• Providers, IHPs and administrators will understand how new and advanced tools function together to create a network of resources aimed at helping providers to better support their patients who are living with pain.
• Participants will appreciate how these tools were used together in the context of an AFHTO-member team and will assess and apply these tools in their own team setting.

Summary/Abstract This will be a four-member panel including representatives from Health Quality Ontario (HQO), Algorithm Project (AP) Team (AFHTO member volunteers), the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), and an AFHTO FHT. Together, they will illustrate how these tools are part of a continuum of resources to help providers support their patients “who are living with pain” or “to better manage pain. Together, they will illustrate how these tools form a system of supports for providers who deal with pain management: After a team has assessed their own opioid-prescribing practices by reviewing their myPractice report from HQO, they can use the queries developed by the AP team to identify individual patients who might benefit from discontinuing or reducing their use of opioids. Once they have done this, thy can access computer-assisted clinical pathways to treat patients based on evidence and best practice recommendations, through CAMH’s opioid de-implementation project. This project also provides educational support for providers. After being introduced to these tools, participants will hear from a member of a primary care team that has joined the opioid de-implementation project. They will share their team’s experience in using these tools, describe how they were able to adapt them for their setting and incorporated into the interprofessional team’s workflow, and share how their patients are benefitting from these supports. Finally, we will present qualitative and quantitative data (where available) about the overall effectiveness of the program. Presenters

• David Kaplan, Provincial Clinical Lead, Primary Care, Health Quality Ontario
• Charles Bruntz, MSc, QIDSS, Timmins FHT
• Sarwar Hussain, CAMH
• Dr. Darren Larsen, Chief Medical Officer, Ontario MD
• Zoe Wong, Pharmacist, Southlake Academic Family Health Team

Authors & Contributors

• Maria Krahn
• Sarwar Hussain
• Catherine MacDonald
• Sara Dalo

Theme 2. Healthy relationships, healthy teams Presentation Details

• Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2018
• Concurrent Session B
• Time: 3:30 – 4:15pm
• Room: Pier 4 & 5
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Balance between both (e.g. Presentation of a best-practice guideline that combines research evidence, policy issues and practical steps for implementation)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff

Learning Objectives Participants will take away simple, practical tools and suggestions for improving team communication.  This presentation will also demonstrate the value in getting feedback from staff and how it can improve the work environment. Participants will learn how SETFHT has improved relationships amongst all staff and physicians by focusing on better communication and staff participation.  Participants will learn how doing some or all of these things, can improve employee engagement  and grow a positive work culture. Summary/Abstract SETFHT will share the many simple, but practical things we have implemented that have improved communication, positive relationships and culture.    From a communication perspective, we have a daily morning report that goes out with up to date, in the moment info that team members need to know.  This is supplemented by a weekly memo with more in-depth information.    From a meeting perspective, we engage with staff in many different ways. Our IHP staff and a physician champion meet monthly to discuss ongoing issues, challenges and proposed changes to the work they do.  Each IHP group has a physician champion who attends the meetings, supports the group and bring suggestions and concerns back to the physician group.  Management and the clerical staff meet at least three times a year to talk about ongoing changes, reinforce training on policies, and share ideas.  We have a monthly IT/Operations meeting with management representatives and the Lead Physicians from each site.   Management meets with the union representatives on a regular basis to get the pulse of what’s going on, and to talk about suggestions for improvements.  We hold all-staff meetings two to three times a year to bring everyone together to talk about operational changes and updates and changes in the healthcare system that will have an impact on our FHT.    Clerical staff are cross-trained and can do any task within their role and can work at either location as required. Several IHP staff work at both clinic sites as well. Presenters

• Stephen Beckwith, IT/Operations Lead, South East Toronto Family Health Team
• Stephanie Houghton, Human Resources Manager, South East Toronto Family Health Team