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Tag: COVID-19

  • Mount Forest FHT receives grant to reach Mennonite, Amish populations

    Wellington Advertiser article published July 15, 2020

    By Patrick Rafits

    WELLINGTON NORTH – The Mount Forest Family Health Team (MFFHT) has received a grant to help it provide virtual support to area Mennonite and Amish residents.

    The Centre Wellington Community Foundation (CWCF) announced on July 13 it has awarded a $10,880 grant to the Township of Wellington North.

    The grant enables the township to provide support to help the health team obtain appropriate technology and support services to assist Old Order Mennonite, Old Order Amish, and Dave Martin Group Mennonites with access to health services that must be delivered virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    A press release from the foundation notes the MFFHT catchment area includes approximately 5,217 Old Order Mennonites, Old Order Amish, and Dave Martin Group Mennonites.

    They rely on in-person visits to local health care services, as their beliefs do not permit them to have access to technology or only to access technology in a limited way.    

    “It’s crucial to find new ways to serve vulnerable populations in our community that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” said CWCF executive director Raymond Soucy.

    “This initiative achieves that in spades. CWCF is excited to be able to support this community initiative.”

    “Obviously this is fantastic news,” said Wellington North councillor Lisa Hern during council’s July 13 video conference meeting.

    “You hear a lot in the news about how COVID-19 is affecting different demographics and our Mennonite population is overlooked when people discuss that. So I’m very excited to see that we are not overlooking our Mennonite population.”

    “This is a great example of a partnership,” said township CAO Mike Givens.

    Township becomes ‘middle man’
    Givens noted the health team reached out to the township “to act as a middle man,” in the grant process.

    “They have the plan in place as it relates to technology and how they want to implement it with some of the Mennonite community, as well as some of the others that maybe don’t have access to the technology that the rest of us do,” Givens explained.

    He noted the health team will deliver the program, while the township’s responsibility includes fulfilling reporting requirements.

    “We’ve had a number of announcements over the last year with this partner and we’re getting a little more active and it’s nice to see these partnerships deliver results,” observed Mayor Andy Lennox.

    The grant is part of the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), funded by the federal government and administered locally by CWCF.

    The ECSF is a $350-million fund being implemented with Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, and United Way Centraide Canada, in partnership with local foundations across the country.

    Its goal is to provide support to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable Canadians.

    CWCF is encouraging organizations servicing Centre Wellington, North Wellington, Minto and Mapleton to apply for grants by going to www.cwcfoundation.ca.

    The granting program closes July 27 – or earlier, if all available funding is granted.

    “The Centre Wellington Community Foundation is reviewing and awarding funding weekly to support projects that help ensure no one is left behind in COVID-19 recovery measures,” foundation officials state.

    Read the full article here

  • Bits & Pieces: COVID-19 ED interviews, IHP advisory council & more

    Bits & Pieces: COVID-19 ED interviews, IHP advisory council & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • COVID-19 ED interviews
    • Reminder- applications for IHP Advisory Council close July 31
    • Perkopolis
    • Implications of the Psychotherapy Act- survey
    • Reminder – member renewal deadline July 31, 2020
    • COVID-19 section
    • Upcoming events regarding youth cannabis use and more

    COVID-19 ED interviews

    ED covid interviews

    AFHTO, in partnership with the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, wants to understand the initiatives your team has taken on to continue to provide comprehensive primary care during this pandemic. Showcasing your team’s work and how you stepped up will be crucial for AFHTO’s advocacy for the future of team-based primary care in Ontario.

    An email with the subject ‘Help AFHTO highlight your teams’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic’ was sent to EDs on July 8. Fill out the Doodle linked in that email to schedule your participation by this Friday, July 24.

    Reminder- applications for IHP Advisory Council close July 31

    Are you interested in advising AFHTO on the top issues facing IHPs in team-based care? Would you like to be a leader in working with IHPs in primary care to advocate for and speak to the critical role of teams? Would you like to share and spread knowledge and learnings?

    If yes, AFHTO invites you to apply to join the IHP Advisory Council! The council was established in 2018, and several two-year terms are now open. Any IHP who is part of a member team is welcome to apply. All applications will be reviewed by the AFHTO team, and new council members will be notified in the week of August 24. More detail is in the terms of reference, which can be seen on the IHP Advisory Council page on AFHTO’s website.

    As the summer IHP Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for the following week on Wednesday, September 2, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM, we suggest anyone applying hold that time now.

    If you have any questions, please contact Beth MacKinnon at beth.mackinnon@afhto.ca.

    July perks

     

    Perkopolis

    AFHTO members are eligible to sign up to get access to over 5000 perks through Perkopolis. Get discounts on shopping, attractions and more. EDs, if your team doesn’t have access yet, please email info@ahto.ca. 

     

     

     

     

     

    Implications of the Psychotherapy Act– survey
    University of Guelph researchers are looking for registered social workers, psychotherapists, medical practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, and psychologists in Ontario to participate in a 15-20-minute survey exploring practitioners’ responses and experience of the Psychotherapy Act, which was enforced in January 2020.

    Specifically, the research looks at how the Act is being taken up by regulated professionals and how it is impacting their relationship to their profession, other colleges, and institutions. Participating provides you a chance to anonymously voice your opinion and reflect on your experiences of the new legislation.

    Questions? Contact: Leslie at lvesely@uoguelph.ca or Dr. Olga Smoliak, at osmoliak@uoguelph.ca

    Reminder – member renewal deadline July 31, 2020
    Thank you to all the teams that have renewed their membership to date. This is a reminder the renewal deadline is July 31, 2020. If your leadership triad received the email ‘Avoid losing access- your AFHTO membership expires on July 31’ on July 10, and you have not sent a cheque or paid electronically, you will lose access to all benefits after this date, including a discounted rate to the AFHTO conference!

    COVID-19 section

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

    Youth cannabis use following legalization, July 22, 2020

    CAMH’s new Cannabis Knowledge Exchange Hub is hosting a webinar that will help you understand the prevalence of cannabis use among youth and review the changes in pre/post legalization. Find out more here.

    Person-Centered Decision-Making Workshops, August 1 – February 15

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario is hosting a PCDM workshop available virtually for the next 7 months, free of charge.
    Find out more here.

    Child And Youth Mental Health Morning Rounds And Lunch & Learns, August 11-27, 2020

    The CHEO is holding 4 sessions covering depression in adolescents, anxiety in toddlers and younger children, parent-child relationships and anxiety in adolescents. Find out more here.

    Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach to Fatty Liver, September 10, 2020

    Hosted by CAMH, join this didactic lecture by their interprofessional team and real de-identified patient cases presentations. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: apply for Indigenous and expanded midwifery programs, join our ED mentorship program & more

    Bits & Pieces: apply for Indigenous and expanded midwifery programs, join our ED mentorship program & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Apply for Indigenous Midwifery Programs and Expanded Midwifery Care Models- webinar July 16
    • Join our ED Mentorship Program!
    • AFHTO 2020 Conference: call for submissions, including Bright Lights
    • Guidance on managing type 2 diabetes and other updates
    • Possible discounts for Microsoft 365 and UpToDate
    • Prenatal screening and COVID-19
    • Nominate an outstanding physician for the CPSO Council Award
    • thehealthline.ca, CEP and primary care
    • Upcoming events regarding in-person visits and more

    Apply for Indigenous Midwifery Programs and Expanded Midwifery Care Models- webinar July 16

    The Ministry of Health (ministry) and the Association of Ontario Midwives (AOM) are inviting applications for two programs – Indigenous Midwifery Programs and Expanded Midwifery Care Models. Both include team-based care options. See the memo here.

    The Primary Health Care Branch is hosting a webinar on July 16, 2020. To participate, please send an email to midwifery@ontario.ca by 4pm tomorrow, July 15, 2020 noting contact information for interested participants and the ministry will reach out to those individuals with the webinar details.

    Join our ED Mentorship Program!
    Are you a leader with 3+ years of experience in a team-based primary care model? Are you interested in supporting new EDs in settling into their job? We are looking for EDs from different regions and working/funding models to join our ED Mentorship Program as mentors!
     
    Mentoring is about supporting people to develop more effectively. It’s a relationship based on trust that is designed to help a mentee take on increasing initiative, build confidence, and excel as leaders. New EDs can learn from others who have experience and who are willing to help them in developing their skills and expanding their knowledge.

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

    Podcast mic

    AFHTO 2020 Conference: call for submissions, including Bright Lights

    It’s time to highlight primary care. Present your ideas and initiatives at the AFHTO 2020 Conference

    This year’s conference will be a streamlined but with even more variety in presentation format.

    Podcasts. Webcasts. Rapid Fire sessions. We want your insight, from system and policy-level discussions to patient-focused inquiries into the ways teams can better serve their communities in a pandemic and beyond. Find out more here. Deadline July 29.

    You can also:

    • Shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by July 29. Awards will be presented at the AFHTO 2020 Conference Awards ceremony, on October 8, 2020. Read more here.
    • And Join a working group  by July 15 for a $20 discount on the registration fee (now available)

    Guidance on resuming cancer screening and other updates

    Resources and updates released recently include:

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

    Possible discounts for Microsoft 365 and UpToDate

    As mentioned in last week’s email to the leadership triad, AFHTO is looking at possible discounts for two platforms for teams:

    • Microsoft Teams is becoming a preferred platform for virtual meetings, including with the ministry and Ontario Health. Microsoft Teams comes with the purchase of Microsoft 365. If there is enough interest in licenses, we will ask about a reduced rate for bulk purchasing of Microsoft 365.
    • UpToDate is a computer and mobile device-based clinical reference tool. AFHTO has been speaking with UpToDate and there is potential for a discounted rate for teams; however, it depends on uptake. Please let us know if you are interested. If there is enough interest, we will arrange a contract with UpToDate.
    • If you are interested in Microsoft 365 and/or UpToDate, please complete this survey by Friday, July 17.

    Prenatal screening and COVID-19

    Temporary prenatal screening changes have been in effect since April 6, 2020. These changes have now been extended and will continue through to December 31, 2020.

    Visit Prenatal Screening Ontario’s website for more information.

    thehealthline.ca, CEP and primary care

    Thehealthline.ca has partnered with the Centre for Effective Practice to support primary care professionals with rapidly updated information that reflects current on-the-ground status for more than 15,000 priority health and social services.

    You can find updated service records integrated into the comprehensive provincial system navigation directory here.

    Nominate an outstanding physician for the CPSO Council Award

    The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSO) is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Council Award.  The Council Award honours outstanding Ontario physicians who have demonstrated excellence and embody society’s vision of an “ideal physician”.  Details about the selection criteria are outlined on their website. Deadline Sep. 28, 2020.

    Ramping Up In-Person Office Visits in Primary Care in the Aftermath of COVID-19, July 15, 2020

    Join the Choosing Wisely Canada community with Dr. Tara Kiran, Family Physician at St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team and Fidani Chair of Improvement and Innovation, University of Toronto. Dr. Kiran will share insights from her recent CMAJ article on how to weigh the benefits and risks of virtual and in-person care for patients and providers as we ramp up in-office primary care services. Find out more here.

    Having Difficult Conversations: webinar series, July 23 – August 13, 2020

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario and Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association are hosting a new 4-part webinar series, entitled Having Difficult Conversations: Tips & Strategies in the Context of COVID-19.
    Find out more here.

    Integrated Mental and Physical Health, June 5- August 28, 2020

    Hosted by CAMH, University of Toronto and Project ECHO. Find out more here.

    NPAO Annual Conference, September 24 – 25, 2020

    This year, the NPAO annual conference will be held digitally to connect NPs so they can hear updates in clinical practice to improve the delivery of healthcare in Ontario.
    Learn more here.

  • Update from the Primary Health Care Branch, transitions to a new normal, PPE, virtual care, and HR updates

    This email was sent to EDs/Administrative Leads, Board Chairs and Lead Clinicians of AFHTO member organizations.

    Dear triad members,

    We held our fifth round of regional ED calls on June 29 and 30. We’ve been holding these calls since March, and we will be pausing them for the summer as people break and prepare for the fall. We will look at resuming regular calls in September. To ensure we keep in touch, we will be arranging a province-wide ED call with ministry officials for the end of July or early August. Stay tuned for details!

    A third webinar for executive directors on Managing HR through COVID-19 with Maria McDonald of McDonald HR Law has been confirmed for July 29. Please see the HR section of this communique for registration details.

    Below is information on the topics discussed on the recent calls and on supports that we heard would be helpful.

    Update from the Primary Health Care Branch

    • The 2020-21 Annual Operating Plan Submission package was released on July 2 with a due date of mid-September. In recognition of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry is being flexible with the timeline and is not imposing a specific due date. A few years ago, AFHTO held a webinar with the ministry on how to complete AOP and Schedule A that newer EDs may find helpful – please click here for this archived recording.
    • It is going to be crucial for teams to report Q1 and Q2 accurately and to forecast for year-end as best they can to capture any COVID-related costs, such as PPE and IT. The ministry will be using this data to understand the additional cost pressures facing teams. This will be the basis used for additional funding requests. To help with forecasting the impact of the pandemic on your budget, you can adapt and use the COVID-19 Expense Forecast Checklist.
    • The FHT contract is set to expire in 2022. We hope to start work in the fall with the ministry to scope out opportunity for change and improvement through modifications to the contract.
    • AFHTO is also hoping to meet with the anti-racism directorate at the ministry to explore ways AFHTO and teams can help further address anti-racism and social determinants of health.

    Transitioning to a new normal

    PPE

    • PPE supply remains a concern. Many teams indicated they have a 1- to 3-month supply, but many others also indicated only a 1- to 3-week supply. Most teams expressed concern about PPE quantity for increasing in-person visits and a possible second wave in the fall.
    • Primary care is now included and recognized as a priority sector in the in OH’s ethical framework document used to guide distribution of the provincial PPE supply. However, the process for acquiring PPE through the regional tables appears to be inconsistent across the province, and even within regions. OH North has initiated a primary care PPE start-up allocation, and primary care entities in OH West have been successfully receiving PPE supplies regionally; however, access seems to vary across sub-regions.
    • Teams are encouraged to connect with their Regional Table Leads for PPE and Critical Supplies to access this inventory if regular supply chains are unavailable.  
    • AFHTO will continue to advocate for a consistent and sustainable long-term approach based on regional coordination.
    • We encourage teams to check out the resources posted on our site.

      Virtual care

    Human Resources

    • On June 24, AFHTO circulated a Temporary Pandemic Pay update and confirmed that eligibility of workers does include primary care team members who are redeployed to the COVID-19 assessment centres and other eligible workplaces (i.e. hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes).
    • The ministry will be rolling out pandemic pay funds through existing TPAs shortly. Teams that are leading FHT-run assessment centres should connect with their OH contact  at MOH.PPInquiries@ontario.ca to seek clarity on receiving their pandemic pay.
    • There will be two webcasts this summer:
      • There will be a webinar for EDs on Wednesday, July 29, at 11 AM with Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law, to discuss ongoing topics of concern around employer obligations, including matters related to staff challenges with childcare and mental health. A portion of the webinar will be to address pre-submitted questions. You can register for the webinar and submit your questions here. Webinar registration will require approval, which EDs will receive from AFHTO within 24-48 hours of registration. Registration will close end of day Tuesday, July 28.
      • AFHTO is organising a webinar that will provide guidance to boards on governance throughout COVID-19 and beyond. This will include guidance on the role of the board in resumption of services, what governors should know about the direction of OHTs, and where to go from here. Stay tuned for details!
    • A reminder that R&R funding was disbursed in April, and teams should be working on reallocating the increases. For guidance, please see the Recruitment and Retention Planning Document and the Compensation Guidance Document.

    AFHTO is working with partners to showcase how primary care has stepped up – and will continue to step up – to support Ontarians and to ensure a sustainable and equitable healthcare system. We have received ethics approval from the Office of Research and Innovation at the University of Toronto to proceed with our research project entitled COVID-19: Understanding how primary care teams stepped up to help support their communities and patients.

    We ask all EDs to spare up to 30 minutes for an interview with one of the researchers who is working with us on this project. We will send a poll out shortly to schedule a time for a call. The calls will happen throughout July and August.

    Keep checking out our COVID-19 section that we regularly update with news, tools, and resources, including the daily situation reports and regular memos from the ministry’s command table.

    Please contact us any time. We’re here to support you.

    Sincerely,

    Your AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: create YOUR virtual conference, cancer screening guidance & more

    Bits & Pieces: create YOUR virtual conference, cancer screening guidance & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Create YOUR virtual conference-deadline July 15
    • Guidance on resuming cancer screening and other updates
    • COVID-19 tip sheet-management of CT and MRI for recovery planning
    • Survey about COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines
    • Self-help booklet series for people with intellectual disabilities
    • Respiratory Health Forum – call for presentations
    • Upcoming events regarding virtual care and more

     

    Create YOUR virtual conference-deadline July 15

    AFHTO 2020 Conference logo-cropped

    Primary care has risen to the challenge of COVID-19, but the ground is still shifting, and the future is uncertain.

    Interprofessional teams need to cross newly opened chasms to ensure they continue to provide patients and communities the care they require, all while they renew team dynamics to strengthen the foundation on which patient care rests.

    In short, we need to rebuild primary care for this new world.

    Join a working group for our AFHTO 2020 Conference, Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world.

    We’re setting up groups for each of the five concurrent streams and for the Bright Lights Awards program. Sign up by July 15, 2020.

    Guidance on resuming cancer screening and other updates

    Resources and updates released within the last week include:

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

    COVID-19 tip sheet-management of CT and MRI for recovery planning

    Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) has developed a tip sheet to additional guidance specific to diagnostic imaging services for oncology – mainly computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – and provides practical considerations for organizations, radiologists, diagnostic imaging administration and referring physicians during COVID-19 recovery. Please review and share as appropriate with your colleagues who perform or support diagnostic imaging services.

    Self-help booklet series for people with intellectual disabilities

    CAMH has adapted COVID-19 Guided Self-help Booklet Series from The University of Glasgow. The series is for people with intellectual disabilities and can be used with the support of family members, friends, staff, and health care professionals. Find out more here.

    Survey about COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines

    Western University researchers are assessing the impact of the COVID-19 physical distancing guidelines on Ontario adults’ lifestyle-related health behaviours, wellbeing, and chronic disease development. This could provide future health promotion programs with relevant information to guide program planning.

    It takes about 15 minutes to fill out a survey. Participants could win a $100 grocery store gift card.

    Respiratory Health Forum – call for presentations

    The Respiratory Health Forum planning committee is looking for interested people and sites who would like to showcase their programs, innovations and/or outcomes.  
     
    For details on how to and to submit your Expression of Interest application, please visit their site. The deadline for submission is July 16, 2020.

    Choosing Wisely in Virtual Care as we Emerge from the COVID-19 Pandemic, July 8, 2020

    Join the Choosing Wisely Canada community in their virtual gatherings to discuss the shift to virtual care and its future in the healthcare system. Find out more here.

    COVID-19 and IDD: Mental Health Research and Practice, July 14, 2020

    Join the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and the Surrey Place’s expert panels discuss IDD. Discover resources and listen to research around the effects on adults with intellectual developmental disabilities during the pandemic.
    Find out more here.

    Integrated Mental and Physical Health, June 5- August 28, 2020

    Hosted by CAMH, University of Toronto and Project ECHO. Find out more here.

    HPCO CoPs, Ongoing

    HPCO hosts Community of Practice meetings virtually relating to the following fields:

    • Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning
    • Rural Hospice Palliative Care
    • Compassionate Communities.

    Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: Join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council, member renewal & more

    Bits & Pieces: Join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council, member renewal & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!
    • Reminder – member renewal deadline July 31, 2020
    • Which FHT physician has over 39,000 views on YouTube?
    • More resources for reopening and other updates
    • Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors close this Friday
    • Pandemic pay update
    • Thomas Edison and weight loss
    • Upcoming events regarding integrated mental and physical health and more

     

     

    Join AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council!

    Are you interested in advising AFHTO on the top issues facing IHPs in team-based 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, AFHTO invites you to apply to join the IHP Advisory Council. Applications are now open, and the deadline to apply is Friday, July 31. More information is here.

    Reminder – member renewal deadline July 31, 2020

    Thank you to all the teams that have renewed their membership to date. This is a reminder the renewal deadline is July 31, 2020. If you have not received a confirmation email titled “Team Name: Membership Renewal Confirmation M-20-invoice number”, we have not received your payment as of June 24. Please send your cheque or pay electronically to avoid losing access to your membership benefits.

    Dr. Sean Blaine of STAR FHT - “Matter of Masks: A family physician speaks out about mask complacency

     

    Which FHT physician has over 39,000 views on YouTube?

    That would be Dr. Sean Blaine of STAR FHT  for “Matter of Masks: A family physician speaks out about mask complacency.” That’s not the only one he’s done either.

    Read about it in this CBC article.

     

     

     

    More resources for reopening and other updates

    Resources and updates released recently include:

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

    Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors close this Friday

    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. Priority for the directors to be elected will be given to candidates who are:

    • Interprofessional health care providers (IHPs), especially those working in mental health and addiction;
    • Board members, especially community members in the position of Chair of the Board; or
    • Experienced in finance, including accreditation as a financial professional (e.g. CA, CPA, CMA).

    Deadline is July 3, 2020. Find out more here.

    Pandemic pay update

    Last week we sent an update to EDs and Administrative Leads regarding the implementation of pandemic pay. While eligibility has not changed from public announcements, we received a Ministry memo afterwards that may provide further clarification. It is available on our site for those with triad-level access.

    Thomas Edison and weight loss

    Enjoy this article in the spring issue of The Diabetes Communicator co-authored by Central Lambton FHT’s RD Emily Opthof and psychiatrist Dr. David J. Robinson.

    Integrated Mental and Physical Health, June 5- August 28, 2020

    Hosted by CAMH, University of Toronto and Project ECHO. Find out more here.

    HPCO CoPs, Ongoing

    HPCO hosts Community of Practice meetings virtually relating to the following fields:

    • Health Care Consent, Advance Care Planning
    • Rural Hospice Palliative Care
    • Compassionate Communities.

    Find out more here.

  • How STAR FHT doctor’s videos help navigate COVID-19 pandemic

    CBC article published June 24, 2020

    By Desmond Brown

    The COVID-19 pandemic has turned Stratford-based family physician Sean Blaine into an internet sensation of sorts — as a YouTube commentator offering tips to navigate the health emergency.

    Blaine says he has “a couple of ideas on how we can get through this thing together.” He has been sharing his views on why masks are an essential part of public health practice and why everyone should always have one at the ready.

    According to Blaine, the whole thing started because he was disappointed in the response to COVID-19.

    ‘Too late’

    “It began in April or so right in the heat of the pandemic. I was talking with a friend and … I was just frustrated because it felt like we were just kind of always behind it, always too late with everything we were doing,” Blaine told CBC News.

    At that time, he said the only reasonable exit strategy for dealing with the pandemic is to adopt widespread immunity testing to determine who among us possesses the required antibodies to keep the virus at bay.

    “I was feeling helpless and frustrated, and I remember one day I was on the phone chatting with a friend. I heard at the time that there were some Canadian companies that were developing some serological tests or immunity tests and I thought the government should just pour money into this.

    “I was ranting on the phone with my friend and he said … I want to film you doing this,” Blaine added.

    The rest, as they say, is history.

    With the help of documentary producer Craig Thompson, Blaine has been making short videos designed to help people protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

    The latest video, Matter of Masks, was posted on June 19. Within a week it amassed nearly 20,000 views.

    Positive reaction

    Based on the viewer comments, people appreciate what Blaine is doing.  

    “This is a clear message. Thank you Dr Blaine,” Dorothy Byrne-Jones wrote.

    “And yes carry a mask with you … Remember it is not about making a fashion statement. You don’t need to have one to match what you are wearing.”

    Meanwhile, Anne Anderson said the public should know, “my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” and if everyone has a mask, we are all protected.

    “Thanks for this, but people who won’t wear one believe they don’t need to because they are not sick or they are young … People still have it in their head that a mask doesn’t protect them and that’s all they care about,” Anderson added.

    “We have the ability to know whether people are immune to this disease or not, and that’s our ticket to de-escalating the measures we’re in and getting our economy back on track,” Blaine said.

    “Let’s solve the problem here and then share it with the rest of the world.”

    Read the full article here.

  • Bits & Pieces: members win Future Innovator Awards, AFHTO directors needed & more

    Bits & Pieces: members win Future Innovator Awards, AFHTO directors needed & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Members win Future Innovator Awards
    • Reminder – nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 3, 2020
    • Governance and leadership tools, resources and supports
    • Updated memo from OH, free phone outreach support for older adults and other updates
    • AFHTO’s Submission on Bill 175 – Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020
    • Discounts for CIHI Education Sessions
    • OCFP seeking Physician Connector
    • Upcoming events regarding shared governance and more

     

     

    Members win Future Innovator Awards

    The Change Foundation’s Future Innovator Awards

    The Change Foundation’s Future Innovator Awards recognizes six people, teams and/or organizations who have a strong vision for positive change for patients and caregivers and have the potential to make notable impact going forward. Members and member-affiliated organizations and individuals were recipients, including:

    Find out more about the awards here.

    Reminder – nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors open until July 3, 2020

    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. Priority for the directors to be elected will be given to candidates who are:

    • Interprofessional health care providers (IHPs), especially those working in mental health and addiction;
    • Board members, especially community members in the position of Chair of the Board; or
    • Experienced in finance, including accreditation as a financial professional (e.g. CA, CPA, CMA).

    Deadline is July 3, 2020. Find out more here.

    Governance and leadership tools, resources and supports

    Library

    Recently we reminded you about all the QI resources available on our site. Now we’re doing the same for governance and leadership. We know you’re exposed to so much information every day we thought a refresher would be welcome. Apart from recent examples like the Business Continuity Toolkit, they include tools, resources and training.

    See the list here.

    Updated memo from OH, free phone outreach support for older adults and other updates

    Resources and updates released within the last week include:

    • Update #5_Health System COVID-19 Response-from Matt Anderson, CEO, Ontario Health
    • TALK2NICE- poster and bulletin– free, nationwide over the phone outreach support service connecting older adults and disabled persons with social workers and social work students from the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly

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

    AFHTO’s Submission on Bill 175 – Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020

    On June 17 AFHTO presented its submission to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly on Bill 175: Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020. Our key recommendations are:

    1. Delay the passage of Bill 175, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020
    2. Embed care coordination in primary care
    3. Supporting the patient’s journey through the health and social system with one patient record

    Read more here.

    Discounts for CIHI education sessions

    AFHTO members may be eligible for Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) Non-Core Plan: Price A education sessions. Potential users can request assessment for eligibility by contacting help@cihi.ca before creating their profile on CIHI’s site.

    OCFP seeking Physician Connector

    In preparation for launching their Mentoring Program for Mental Health, Addictions and Pain, the OCFP is recruiting a Physician Connector. Deadline July 6, 2020.

    Health Care of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disability during the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Are We Learning and What’s Next? June 23, 2020

    Includes Dr. William F. Sullivan, St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT today at noon. Register here.

    Lunch & Learn: Social Prescribing in Research, June 24, 2020

    Hosted by the Alliance for Healthier Communities. Register here.

    Shared Governance: Working together to enable people-centred Integrated Care, June 24, 2020

    Integrated Care Virtual Community session. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: patient engagement in FHTs case studies, free iCBT & more

    Bits & Pieces: patient engagement in FHTs case studies, free iCBT & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Patient and family engagement in primary care case studies
    • Free internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy programs
    • Are teams in scope for the PPE Data Collection/ CSE Survey?
    • Team-based care supporting patient communities through COVID-19 slides and recording
    • New resources for re-opening, stress, grief, and bereavement support and more
    • United Way Halton and Hamilton wants to help you scale social prescribing- June 23
    • Upcoming events regarding virtual care for chronic respiratory disease and more

     

    The Change Foundation released Patient and Family Engagement in Primary Care: Building effective patient and family advisory councils in three Ontario communities

    Patient and family engagement in primary care case studies

    On Thursday, June 11, The Change Foundation released Patient and Family Engagement in Primary Care: Building effective patient and family advisory councils in three Ontario communities, a case study report featuring three FHTs. The report finds twenty key lessons in 5 categories- launching, recruiting, operating, relationships and sustaining.

    Teams featured:

    Find out more here.

    Free internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy programs

    The Government of Ontario is offering a variety of free mental health resources that they can access online. This includes internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) programs, such as AbilitiCBT, by Morneau Shepell, and Beacon Digital Therapy by MindBeacon.

    To access these supports, visit covid-19.ontario.ca. If you’re interested in learning more, please visit our site.

    Are teams in scope for the PPE Data Collection/ CSE Survey?

    On Tuesday, June 9 EOC Operations sent an email titled “Important Update on the Minister’s Order and Direction on PPE Data Collection/ CSE Survey”. We sent a copy to all EDs and Administrative Leads on Wednesday, June 10.

    As mentioned in April, teams are encouraged to collaborate with the FHO and FHN to submit a survey together. Multiple sites should be included within one survey. If the FHO/FHN teams can’t collaborate with the FHT then when the FHT submits the survey they should clearly identify that the data included is only for the FHT staff.

    Each location is to track individually, but everything is to be submitted in one document. Use the Excel document and make a tab at the bottom for each site (copy and paste the chart into each tab). One tab should be for the FHT and then each FHO/FHN has its own additional tab. If you have any questions, please email info@afhto.ca.

    COVID innovations webinar June 2020

    Team-based care supporting patient communities through COVID-19 slides and recording

    On Thursday, June 11 we presented the Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19 webinar. Slides and video are now available on our site.

    Interested in sharing initiatives your teams are a part of? Email us at improve@afhto.ca.

    New resources for re-opening, stress, grief, and bereavement support and more

    Resources released within the last week include:

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

    United Way Halton and Hamilton wants to help you scale social prescribing- June 23

    United Way Halton and Hamilton is interested in helping to scale social prescribing in a coordinated way in their region. They are hosting a webcast on social prescribing on June 23 at 1 pm to start the conversation, with the hopes of convening interested key stakeholders for roundtable discussions following this webcast. Register here.

    Ensuring Appropriateness and Quality in Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 17, 2020

    Join Choosing Wisely Canada for their Weekly Virtual Gatherings during COVID-19. This week they’re discussing how to apply resource stewardship principles to contribute to safe and quality cancer care during this time.
    Register here.

    Delivering Virtual Care to Manage Chronic Respiratory Disease: Tips for Healthcare Providers, June 17, 2020

    Discuss benefits and challenges, clinical tools and resources, barriers, and practical tips for providing virtual care for chronic respiratory disease. Register in advance.

    Social Prescribing in Practice Lunch & Learn, June 17, 2020

    Continue the conversation on Social Prescribing with the Alliance for Healthier Communities in this follow-up webinar.
    Learn more here.

    Digital Solutions: Adoption, Adaptation and their role in post-Covid19 health and social care delivery, June 18, 2020

    Join IFIC to discuss the balance between keeping people at home and in the community without adversely deferring necessary health services to those who need it. Learn more here.

    An opportunity to re-evaluate high value care and clinical preventive services, June 18, 2020

    Join this CFPC webinar as part of the COVID-19 Pivots. Learn more here.

  • Free iCBT programs supported by the Ontario government during the COVID-19 Pandemic

    Shared by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario

    As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact daily life for Canadians, mental well-being remains a strong focus. With the province slowly loosening restrictions and businesses starting to re-open, we’re seeing heightened anxiety around returning to work, fear of a second wave of the virus, and uncertainty about returning to normal social behaviours.

    The Government of Ontario continues to support Ontario residents by offering a variety of free mental health resources that they can access online. This includes internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) programs, such as AbilitiCBT, by Morneau Shepell, and Beacon Digital Therapy by MindBeacon.

    Both iCBT programs, which offer guided support by professional therapists, can help people develop skills and strategies to address symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression. The programs are also available in English and French. 

    To access these supports, go online to covid-19.ontario.ca. If you’re interested in learning more, please refer to the attached program materials. 
     

    For more information:

     

     

    FOR OTHER MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CLICK HERE.