Tag: Effective Use of EMRs

QI in Action eBulletin #129: Celiac Disease Awareness Month
In this Issue:
- Celiac Disease in Ontario
- Celiac Canada Webinars
- Celiac Resources
- Food for thought
- Past Webinars
- Upcoming Events
Celiac Disease in Ontario

May is Celiac Disease Awareness month and we join Celiac Canada in helping to bring this initiative to the attention of team-based Primary Care. The Ontario Ministry of Health has announced it is extending a pilot program for free celiac disease diagnostic testing through community based labs. This extension is active until March 31, 2024 and includes first time diagnostic blood tests (IgA and tTg IgA) for patients. The Minister of Health has recently informed Celiac Canada that these tests will become permanently covered by OHIP following the pilot’s completion.

Celiac Canada aims to raise the index of suspicion with physicians as it takes an average of 10 years from symptom onset to celiac diagnosis for Canadian patients. The majority of patients with celiac disease remain undiagnosed.

Celiac Canada Webinars
- Diagnosing Celiac Disease – Current Standards and Debate
  - Speaker: Dr. Ben Liebwohl
    Dr. Ben Liebwohl shares the current standards for diagnosis of celiac disease and debates over future methodologies including non-biopsy approaches.
- Nutrition Assessment and Management of Celiac Disease
  - Speaker: Dr. Donald Duerksen
    Dr. Donald Duerksen explains what tests are available and should be performed to help maintain your health and celiac disease.
- Disordered Eating and Celiac Disease
  - Speaker: Dr. Vanina Noejovich
    Dr. Vanina Noejovich talks about Eating in Celiac Disease – A Psychological Approach to Moving Past Fear of Eating.
- Gluten, Dementia and Celiac Disease
  - Speaker: Dr Iain Croall
    Dr. Iain Croall joined the CCA National Virtual Conference from Sheffield University, UK to provide an overview of the recent research and current understanding of the impact of gluten and celiac disease.
Celiac Resources
Food for Thought

Ontario has been the ONLY province in the country not to cover the blood screening test for CD.
This is despite the tests being part of standard clinical practice around the world. Ontario patients have had to pay anywhere from $60-$150 for the test. For many families, this cost is unaffordable. Since celiac testing is not on the standard lab requisition form, it is often missed by doctors in their health screening. This cost also impacts the ongoing disease management for currently diagnosed celiac disease patients who are required to monitor their bloodwork on an ongoing basis.

New free celiac blood tests could benefit 128,000 Ontarians and save $1 billion
News Provided by
Celiac Canada
Mar 30, 2023, 11:00 ET

The provincial government’s decision to make simple but crucial blood tests for celiac disease available at no cost to patients will improve the quality of life for as many as 128,000 Ontarians and potentially save Ontario’s health care system as much as $1 billion1, Celiac Canada said today.

Past Webinars

PHO Rounds: Health Conditions Attributable to Smoking and Alcohol by Public Health Unit in Ontario

Every year in Ontario, smoking and alcohol consumption are responsible for thousands of deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits. A new report by Ontario Health and Public Health Ontario provides estimates of the prevalence of smoking and alcohol use in the province and includes detailed estimates of the number of harms caused by smoking and alcohol consumption. The report also provides estimates of the number of cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, respiratory, communicable disease, neuropsychiatric, and injury harms. These are provided for all of Ontario and for each public health unit.

Upcoming Events

Check out some of the coming events

OHT Engagement Learning Series – Session 6 of 7: Engagement Methods
- May 16, 2023 11:30 am – 01:00 pm
This series focuses on building connections and competencies for meaningful patient engagement. This session will be the 6th of a 7-part engagement learning series. In this session, you will get to experience various co-design strategies and use of different virtual platforms. Learn how to co-design in a way that avoids tokenism. Eliminate barriers to engagement, and tailor engagement methods to different individuals and groups.

PHO Rounds: The 2023 Ontario HIV Testing Guidelines
- Tuesday, May 23, 2023 | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Intended audience: Public health physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, STBBI case managers, supervisors, Medical Officers of Health overseeing public health units, front-line physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners in public health sexual health clinics

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify population groups that should be tested for HIV according to the new Ontario HIV testing guidelines
- Describe scenarios and conditions where it is appropriate to test (and retest) people for HIV; and
- List additional HIV prevention interventions and when to recommend them.
In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #128 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
May 2, 2023
QI in Action eBulletin #127: Nutrition Month
In this Issue:
- Nutrition month resources
- Food for thought
- NEW- Eating Disorders Quality Standard
- NEW- Surgical Site Infections Quality Standard
- Share your experience and inform future prenatal care innovations
- Upcoming Events
Nutrition month resources
This month we join our Registered Dietitians in celebrating the impact of good nutrition on our patients’ health outcomes. Examples successfully integrating this focus in primary care teams include:

Webinars and conference sessions
Posters
- Coordinating Complex Paediatric Nutrition in the Medical Home Model
- Infant Nutrition & Sleep: Creating and Implementing a Program for Sleepy New Parents
Select Resources
- Owen Sound FHT holds ‘Adulting’ focused seminar for youth
- Trent Hills family health team nutrition program, helping people prevent or reverse lifestyle disease
- Nutrition Connections, a program hosted by the Ontario Public Health Association
Food for Thought
- “Registered dietitians’ beliefs and behaviours related to counselling patients on physical activity and sedentary behaviour from a theory of planned behaviour perspective”– BMC Nutrition article by University of Guelph researchers on Nov. 30, 2020
- Metabolic syndrome may be reversed through team-based lifestyle intervention program: Study
NEW- Eating Disorders Quality Standard
Ontario Health’s Eating Disorders quality standard consists of nine quality statements that describe what high quality care looks like for people with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. It applies to all care settings and the accompanying patient guide and caregiver guide can help inform conversations between health care providers and people with an eating disorder and their families and caregivers. Find out more.

NEW- Surgical Site Infections Quality Standard
Ontario Health’s latest quality standard consists of seven quality statements highlighting key areas for improvement to prevent surgical site infections for people having surgery that requires an incision. Its accompanying patient guide can help inform conversations between health care providers and people having surgery. Find out more.

Share your experience and inform future prenatal care innovations

BORN and Prenatal Screening Ontario are funded by the Ministry of Health with mandates focused on improving the health outcomes of individuals during and after pregnancy. Prenatal Screening Ontario, who currently oversees aneuploidy screening, is expanding its reach to offer high-quality prenatal screening for conditions amenable to populated-based screening to better inform care and prenatal management.

They want to hear about your experiences caring for pregnant individuals. Interviewees will receive a $50 gift card as a token of their appreciation. Sign up here.

Upcoming Events

Surgical Site Infections: A New Quality Standard for High-Quality Care in Ontario
Apr 13, 2023, 12:00pm
This session will introduce Ontario Health’s recently released Surgical Site Infections quality standard and describe how it can drive quality improvement and improve care for Ontarians across the health system. Register here.

Eating Disorders: A New Quality Standard for High-Quality Care in Ontario
May 5, 2023, 12:00pm
This session will introduce Ontario Health’s recently released Eating Disorders quality standard and describe how it can drive quality improvement and improve care for Ontarians across the health system. Register here.

QI Innovations: Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Outcomes
April 18, 2023
This year’s free QI Innovations conference is for mental health and addiction providers and system planners who are interested in data driven decision making and quality improvement. Register here.

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #126 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
March 16, 2023
QI in Action eBulletin #126: The Health Equity Questionnaire
In this Issue:
- The Health Equity Questionnaire: Standardized Entry of Social Determinants of Health into EMRs
- Resources for social determinants of health
- Food for thought
- Updated Primary Care Data Reports for Ontario Health Teams
- Help shape the future of virtual health care in Ontario
- Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care evaluation survey
- Virtual Care Guidance Statements Checklist for Clinicians and other resources
- Upcoming Events
The Health Equity Questionnaire: Standardized Entry of Social Determinants of Health into EMRs

To provide the most equitable care for our patients we need to know their social determinants of health. Current EMR specifications don’t require that this information is included in the dataset for each patient and EMRs don’t provide a standardized way to enter it.

The Health Equity Questionnaire (HEQ) has been developed to allow social determinants of health information to be entered into EMRs efficiently and in a standardized way, allowing it to be easily accessed, updated, and searched.

Questions and data elements from an extensive set of existing tools were collected, prioritized, and distilled into a practical new format designed around provider workflows. Many stakeholders, including several EDI specialists, were consulted.

At the time of a visit, clicking on the ‘HEQ’ button in the chart will bring up the Questionnaire form. The provider can then enter any information that may be relevant to the patient’s care and save it to the chart. Clicking the button again will bring up a new copy of the form which is pre-populated with any previously entered data and can be updated as needed. The form is designed to display all the information in an “at a glance” view which means that all the information is shown in one window without any clicking or scrolling.

The questions can also be sent directly to the patient via secure messaging. They can then answer any of the questions that they’re comfortable with and their responses will be automatically entered directly into their charts. If an HEQ form is not already in the chart, then a new one will be created. If there is an existing form in the chart, then it will simply be updated with their responses.

Care must be taken to ensure that the patient understands why the questions are being asked, that the information will be treated with the same confidentiality as the rest of their medical information, that it will only be used to provide them with the best care possible, and that they only need to provide whatever responses they’re comfortable with.

A video demonstration of the tool is available here.

The toolkit can be downloaded from the TELUS Health Practice Solutions Community Portal by navigating in Chatter to Groups, Active Groups and then the East Wellington Family Health Team group. Plans are in progress to migrate the toolkit to the other main EMRs as well.

Questions and feedback are welcome and can be directed to Dr. Kevin Samson kevin.samson@ewfht.ca.

Resources for social determinants of health
Webinars and conference sessions
Select Resources
- QI in Action eBulletin #120: Striving for Health Equity and Better Health Outcomes
- IPHCC Wise Practices Guide
- Social Prescribing in Practice , one of the resources listed in QI in Action eBulletin #100- Rx: Social Prescribing
- The war in Ukraine and refugee health care: considerations for health care providers in Canada
- 2SLGBTQI identity and dementia: an introduction for healthcare and social service professionals
- Rainbow Health Ontario
- Evaluating program planning using an equity framework – Queen Square FHT. Article published in Healthcare Management Forum. Please note that you need to pay for the full article.
- Ne-iikaanigaana Toolkit ‘All Our Relations’: Guidance for Creating Safer Environments for Indigenous Peoples
Food for Thought
Updated Primary Care Data Reports for Ontario Health Teams
INSPIRE PHC has posted the updated Primary Care Data Report for all of Ontario. These reports track key primary care health system indicators and guide attachment strategies in Ontario Health Teams (OHTs). The Primary Care Data Working Group produced reports specific to each OHT and are intended to provide a deeper understanding of the attributed population of each OHT. Find out more.

Help shape the future of virtual health care in Ontario
Help shape the future of virtual health care in Ontario! We are looking for patients and caregivers in Ontario to take a 15 to 20-minutes survey on the experiences and expectations with virtual care appointments as a patient or caregiver with a doctor, nurse, or another healthcare professional in a family practice. This study from the University of Toronto and the Bruyére Research Institute is led by Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft and Dr. Simone Dahrouge.

To take the survey, please click one of the links below:
- Patient: https://bit.ly/PatientVirtualCare
- Caregiver: https://bit.ly/CaregiverVirtualCare
As part of the recruitment efforts, primary care clinics will have the opportunity to receive a customized report based on the template regarding the experiences of their patients with virtual care. In addition, you can view the report last year on virtual care that was shared broadly to key decision makers. Should you be interested in participating or learning more, please contact Simon Lam, research coordinator, at sck.lam@utoronto.ca.

Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care evaluation survey
Ontario Health is conducting an evaluation of the ‘Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care’ developed in collaboration with an Expert Panel. You’re invited to complete this survey to capture your awareness of, access to and adoption of the Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care.

You may access the survey here.

The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, and your responses will remain anonymous. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Mimosa Zhao by email at zhao@theevidencenetwork.com.

Upcoming Events

Sickle Cell Disease: A New Quality Standard for High-Quality Care in Ontario
February 22, 2023, 12:00pm
This session will introduce Ontario Health’s recently released Sickle Cell Disease quality standard and describe how it can drive quality improvement and improve care for Ontarians across the health system. Register here.

Media Messaging on Equity: How do we do better?
March 6, 2023, 4:30 pm
The third-annual Vohra Miller Lectures in Critical Public Health Issues in collaboration with the Institute for Pandemics puts a spotlight on the media’s handling of equity issues, including health equity, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. What are the forces that shape media coverage of equity matters? What does the future of the media landscape hold and, what are the possibilities? Register here.

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #125 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
February 10, 2023
QI in Action eBulletin #121: Primary Care Ontario Practice-Based Learning and Research Network (POPLAR)
In this Issue:
- What is POPLAR and How to Join
- Examining the Work Done by Interprofessional Healthcare Providers
- Pan-Canadian Study on Outpatient Interventions for Mild to Moderate COVID-19
- CareCanvas: A New Tool to Support Practice Improvement
- Upcoming Events
What is POPLAR and How to Join
Content below developed by POPLAR

The Primary Care Ontario Practice-based Learning and Research Network (POPLAR) is an initiative of Ontario’s six University Departments/Sections of Family Medicine and the Alliance for Healthier Communities. POPLAR works with clinicians, researchers, and policy makers, providing information on the vital work primary care does, while supporting practices in delivering optimal care across Ontario.

POPLAR securely collects and de-identifies electronic medical record (EMR) data. Currently, over 1,000 primary care providers are contributing EMR data for over 1.5 million patients to the POPLAR database. The time and effort it takes to safely and securely contribute is minimal. All you need do is fill out a consent form and a brief survey; POPLAR staff will coordinate data extraction at your practice, with all safeguards in place.

If you are interested in registering, or if you would like to find out more information about POPLAR, please visit www.poplarnetwork.ca or contact info@poplarnetwork.ca.

Collectively, primary care’s voice can be heard by providing safe and secure access to real-world data; this is possible with your help!

Examining the Work Done by Interprofessional Healthcare Providers in Primary Care Teams
Content below developed by AFHTO & POPLAR

Interprofessional Healthcare Providers (IHPs) are key members of interprofessional teams. Disciplines include nursing, social work, clinical pharmacy, dietetics, chiropody and more. IHPs run programs that include, amongst others, diabetes education, mental health supports, and smoking cessation. However, the impact of patient encounters by IHPs and through IHP-led programs on health outcomes at a larger scale is challenging to capture.

Billing data are often used to measure and monitor services to patients provided by physicians on a provincial scale. Since IHPs do not bill OHIP, these data are of limited value for examining their work. AFHTO has been working on finding ways to show the value of interprofessional healthcare providers for many years and the standardized, cleaned, and curated provincial-level EMR data for analytics available through POPLAR provides an avenue to do this work.

Currently, AFHTO is working with POPLAR on a project that involves developing methods to determine which encounters involved IHPs from which discipline, and what types of encounters these were. Larger scale information on IHP work can then be used to correlate patient outcomes and IHP activity. Knowing more about what IHPs do and their impact on patient care and outcomes is a key aspect of planning for team-based care across Ontario.

To learn more about this project, visit us at the AFHTO Conference during Concurrent Session A: The Value of IHPs In Team-Based Primary Care: Large Scale Measurement and Effects on Outcomes.

POPLAR to Help Lead Pan-Canadian Study of Outpatient Interventions for Mild to Moderate COVID-19

Content below developed by CanTreatCOVID Team & POPLAR

While public health measures and vaccines have reduced the impact of COVID-19, most scientists predict that new variants will continue to emerge, and that the virus will become endemic. The Canadian Adaptive Platform Trial of Treatments for COVID in Community Settings (CanTreatCOVID) spans 6 provinces across Canada and aims to identify effective and affordable out-patient medications for COVID-19 so that they can be made readily available in community settings, including for those at a higher risk for hospitalization and death.

Currently, the evidence supporting existing medications is weak and provincial guidelines are complex, making decision-making by health care providers, provincial decision-makers, public health leaders, and patients extremely difficult. Adaptive platform trials (APTs) are designed to concurrently compare multiple interventions and allow the inclusion, exclusion, and removal of treatment arms over time-based on a decision algorithm. This makes APTs uniquely suited to studying medications for this novel and dynamic virus.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, APTs have been crucial in identifying what does and does not work in the treatment of COVID-19 among in-patients, and CanTreatCOVID hopes to replicate this success at the community level. The trial is open to Canadian residents aged 50 years and older, or between the ages of 18 and 49 with 1 or more chronic high-risk medical condition or immunosuppression. Eligible patients must also be within the first 5 days of experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 and test positive for the condition.

In Ontario, building on work done in the past 10+ years, POPLAR will be supporting CanTreatCOVID’s multi-faceted recruitment strategy through prospective recruitment of patients using EMR data from its primary care research and learning networks.

Recruitment of patients is set to launch in late 2022. To find out how you and your patients can participate, follow the project through their webpage and newsletter, or on Twitter using #CanTreatCOVID.

CareCanvas: A New Tool to Support Practice Improvement

Content below developed by the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine & POPLAR

The University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine and the POPLAR network are launching a new tool to support practice improvement. CareCanvas is an interactive web-based dashboard that summarizes clinical information from your practice EMR to make it easier to care for your patients. Three types of dashboards are available: one for physicians, one for clinics, and one for Ontario Health Teams.

CareCanvas summarizes more than 15 quality of care measures including information on diabetes, hypertension, prescribing, and immunizations. You can see trends in your practice over time and can compare your practice to your peers. For some measures, you can see differences in care by age, gender, and neighbourhood income. Click here to view the dashboard.

CareCanvas makes it easier for you to catch up on chronic disease and preventative care. Physicians can download a list of at-risk patients who would benefit from follow-up.

CareCanvas is private, secure, and available at no cost. Physicians will be able to use their OneID account to sign-in. Data will be updated approximately every 6 months.

To access CareCanvas, physicians need to use Telus Practice Solutions, Accuro, or Oscar and contribute their data to one of the seven Practice Based Research Networks that make up the POPLAR network.

Starting in November, CareCanvas will be available to existing UTOPIAN contributors, with plans to expand the program to all of POPLAR in early 2023. There is no limit to the number of physicians that can sign up and the value of CareCanvas will grow as more physicians participate and contribute data to POPLAR.

Upcoming Events

POPLAR Webinar Series: EDIIA in Research
Equitably improving primary health care requires research and practice-based learning that are thoroughly grounded in the principles of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility (EDIIA). POPLAR, Ontario’s provincial primary healthcare Practice-Based Learning and Research Network has the vision to advance equitable primary healthcare delivery and health outcomes for everyone in Ontario, and is hosting the following webinars for anyone who wants to learn more about building these principles into their work:

Part 3: Embedding Equity in Leadership and Teams- Measuring EDIIA
Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 12-1 pm | Dr. Nicole Kaniki, University of Toronto
Learn more and register here.

Part 4: EDIIA and Data – Building Capacity
Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 12-1 pm | Dr. Andrew Pinto, Upstream Labs
Learn more and register here.

NPAO 2022 Annual Conference
Thursday, September 22 to Friday September 23, 2022
This year’s theme is The NP Experience: Pushing Boundaries Towards Common Goals. Find out more here.

HSPN OHT Webinar: Leadership Survey Results
Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 12-1:30 pm
This webinar will provide new findings from the HSPN Organizing for Ontario Health Teams’ Survey comparing and contrasting current state with results from the same surveys undertaken in 2020 and 2021. Register here.

OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Conference
Thursday, September 29 to Friday, September 30, 2022
Learn how to take advantage of innovative technologies to realize more of their benefits and integrate them with your EMR workflows. Find out more here.

AFHTO 2022 Conference
Wednesday, October 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 here.

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #120 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
September 15, 2022

Bits & Pieces: Wellness Check – Dealing with Transitions and Managing Stress, and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue

Wellness Check: Dealing with Transitions and Managing Stress Sep. 15
Farewell to Sombo Saviye
Ontario Health seeking Regional Clinical Leads
EMR queries for under 5 vaccines and more

Deadline to nominate a partner or healthcare inspiration for an AFHTO Board award this Friday
Upcoming events including COVID-19 vaccination for kids under 5 and more

Wellness Check: Dealing with Transitions and Managing Stress Sep. 15

Uncertainty and unpredictability have been constants throughout the duration of the pandemic as has the need to navigate transitions. In a webinar hosted in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario, participants will have the opportunity to gain insight into change processes and their impact on workplace mental health from Nancy Hood, the head trainer of the Your Health Space program.

Strategies for managing hybrid working models and combating stress will also be explored. Learn more and register here.

Farewell to Sombo Saviye

It is with deep emotion we announce that Sombo Saviye will be leaving AFHTO for a new role supporting an MPP.

Sombo has been with AFHTO for over 9 years, most recently as Manager, Finance and Corporate Affairs. Her colleagues have been known to not so jokingly refer to her as the heart of the team, keeping everything running so smoothly.

We’re going to miss Sombo but know she will bring so much to her new role. And it’s great to know that a person with great integrity is moving to support an elected candidate! Please join us in giving her our sincerest best wishes. Her last day with AFHTO will be Friday, August 26th – any questions related to her work can be directed to info@afhto.ca.

If anyone is interested in joining our team in a similar role, you can find details here. Deadline August 19, 2022.

Ontario Health seeking Regional Clinical Leads

Ontario Health is seeking expressions of interest from experienced clinicians to provide clinical leadership and collaborate with regional partners to evolve the health system in Ontario. A few postings are especially relevant for the primary care community:

Regional Clinical Lead, MHA (RHP, excl. physician)
Regional Lead, Primary Care
Regional Lead, Palliative Care (physician)
Regional Lead, Palliative Care (RHP, excl. physician)
Regional Lead, Mental Health and Addictions (physician)

You can find more details here.

EMR queries for under 5 vaccines and more

Recent updates include:

EMR queries for under 5 vaccines – OntarioMD, August 2022

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

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates

Deadline to nominate a partner or healthcare inspiration for an AFHTO Board award this Friday

The AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award.

Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 19, 2022.

Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

COVID-19 vaccination for kids under 5, Aug. 19, 2022
Next in the series ‘Changing the way we work’ from the COVID-19 CoP by OCFP and UofT DFCM. Register here.

ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network, starting Aug. 19, 2022
New sessions in this learning series hosted Ontario’s Bariatric Centres of Excellence starting August 19th and various dates in September. 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.

Data To Action: Making Your Data Visible and Useful, Sep. 28, 2022
Hosted by TechSoup Connect’s Ontario chapter. Register here.

OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Conference, Sep. 29-30, 2022
Virtual conference hosted by OntarioMD. 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. Register with your verification code here.

August 16, 2022

Infection Control Resources and Tools
Originally posted Mar 10, 2020. Last updated June 15, 2022 *NEW*

We have created a list of infection prevention and control tools and resources. New and updated resources will be added to the top of each list as they become available.

IPAC shareables
- #StoptheSpread campaign communications toolkit | OHA, October 14, 2020
- Sharables for the COVID Alert App | Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, July 31, 2020
Public Health Infection Prevention and Control resources

Public Health Ontario and other organizations have provided Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) resources to help build capacity in primary care:

Personal Protection
- PHO IPAC Recommendations for Use of PPE for Care of Individuals With Suspect or Confirmed COVID-19 | PHO Ontario, June 2022 *NEW*
- PHO Infection Prevention and Control Measures Based on COVID-19 Transmission Risks in Health Care Settings | April 2022 *NEW*
- Infection Prevention and Control at Work: Basic Awareness Training (online module) | PSHSA, February 12, 2021
- Medical Isolation Gowns in Health Care, PHO, July 7, 2020
- Optimizing Supply of PPE during the COVID-19 Pandemic | Ontario Health, May 10, 2020
- Cleaning & Storing Face Shield * | Unity Health Toronto, April 24, 2020
- Precautions when working in healthcare settings | PSHSA
- Putting on PPE
  - Putting on Full PPE (video) | PHO
  - PPE conservation Strategies (video) | North York General Hospital
  - PDF Summary
- Taking Off PPE (video) | PHO
- Updated IPAC measures | PHO, April 6, 2020
- PPE use during COVID-19 | Ontario Health, March 25, 2020
- OMA – Recommendations for use of PPE | OMA, March 17, 2020
- Online education- infection prevention and control | PHO (weblink)
Clinical Office Practices
- Ontario Guide to Developing Your COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan | Government of Ontario, April 2022
- PHO COVID-19 Workplace Resources | PHO, 2022
- Cleaning & Disinfection for Public Settings | PHO, April 2022
- COVID-19 Safety Checklist for Workplaces | Government of Ontario, March 2022
- Air Quality Checks – PHO Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems in Buildings and COVID-19 | PHO. March 2021
- Interim Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern for Health Care Settings | PHO, Apr 2021
  - Community Based Clinical Practices and Infection Prevention and Control – A review and a new beginning for 2021 and beyond (Webinar slide deck) | PHO & OMA, Feb 17, 2021
- COVID-19 Guidance: Primary Care Providers in a Community Setting | Ministry of Health, Revised Nov 9, 2020
- IPAC Assessment for Primary Care, Specialty and Walk-in Clinics during COVID-19 | Public Health Ontario, October 21, 2020
- COVID-19 IPAC Fundamentals Training, PHO
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) – Online Learning, PHO
- COVID-19 Safety Plan (MOH template)* | Village FHT, July 2020
- Health and Safety Guidance during COVID-19 for primary care employers | PSHSA
- Environmental Cleaning And Disinfectants For Physicians’ Offices | BC Ministry of Health
- Protecting Patients and Physicians during the Pandemic (resources) | CFPC
- Protecting Patients and Physicians during the Pandemic (webinar recording) | CFPC, April 9, 2020
- IPAC department | PHO (weblink)
- Resources for clinical office practice | PHO (weblink)
- Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning for Prevention and Control of Infections in Health Care Settings (PDF) | PHO (weblink)
- Resources related to prevention of IPAC lapses | PHO (weblink)
- Online education – reprocessing | PHO (weblink)
- Infection Prevention and Control | Public Health Agency of Canada
For general and public-facing infection recommendations, see the COVID-19 information for Patients, Caregivers and the Public page

Screening Tools *NEW*

Guidance
- Ontario Screening for Covid-19 Guidance for Employers (Protecting Workers) | Government of Ontario, April 25, 2022
- PHO Environmental Scan and Rapid Review of COVID-19 Symptom Screening Tools in the Post-vaccination Era | PHO, Aug 2021
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised January 4, 2022
- Vaccine screening and consent form | MOH, January 23, 2021
- Guidance on the navigation of patients with influenza-like illness | Ontario Health, October 6, 2021
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised September 21, 2020
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised August 6, 2020
- COVID-19 Patient Screening Guidance Document | MOH, Revised June 11, 2020
- COVID-19 Patient Screening Guidance Document | MOH, May 17, 2020
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised May 25, 2020
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised May 14, 2020
- Reference Document For COVID-19 Symptoms | Ministry of Health, Revised May 11, 2020
- COVID-19 Patient Screening Guidance Document | MOH, May 2, 2020
- The Ministry has developed two documents that can be used to assist with COVID-19 screening. The first is the COVID-19 Symptoms document that can be a resource for partners who are looking for an up-to-date symptoms list. The second is a Patient Screening Guidance document that can be used to help screen people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. They are available in English and French on the Ministry’s website and will be updated as the situation evolves. | Ontario Ministry of Health
EMR Screening Forms & Toolbars
- Telus PS Toolbar | Dr. Adam Stewart, Central Hastings FHT/FHO
- Telus PS & OSCAR | eCE, Updated April 22, 2020
- P&P | Hamilton FHT
  - Instructions on how to import here
- Accuro
  - The form has been published to the Accuro database; search for “Coronavirus COVID-19 Screening April22202” – created by eCE
Other Screening tools
- COVID-19 Screening Questionnaire * | City of Kawartha Lakes FHT, October 20, 2021
- COVID-19 Screening Protocol* | Southlake Academic FHT, May 11, 2020
- COVID-19 Screening Protocol (flowchart)* | Powassan & Area FHT, April 2, 2020
- COVID-19 Acute Infectious Illness Screening Tool (PDF) | North York FHT, March 18, 2020
Testing
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, Revised August 25, 2021
- COVID-19 Quick Reference Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance | MOH, Revised September 14, 2021
- A Quick Reference of Key Information on Testing and Primary Care | OH, September 29, 2021
- Provincial Antigen Screening Program – Intake Portal | Ministry of Health, May 13, 2021
- COVID-19 Quick Reference Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance | MOH, Revised March 5, 2021
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, Revised March 5, 2021
- Quick Reference Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance| MOH, Revised February 18, 2021
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, February 17, 2021
- Sample Medical Directive #028 – Collection and Ordering of Nasopharyngeal Swabs and Deep Nasal Swabs for Testing of COVID-19* | Thames Valley FHT, Dec 2020
- Sample Medical Directive #028 – Implementer Performance Readiness* | Thames Valley FHT, Dec 2020
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, August 14, 2020
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, August 6, 2020
- Quick Reference Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance | MOH, July 29, 2020
- Additional direction on testing for COVID-19- English and French | MOH, May 24, 2020
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, May 14, 2020
- Provincial Testing Guidance Update | MOH, May 2, 2020
- Quick Reference: Public Health Guidance on Testing and Clearance | MOH, May 2, 2020
- COVID-19 Provincial Testing Guidance Update| Ministry of Health, April 15, 2020
- COVID-19 Testing Guidance Update | Ministry of Health, April 8, 2020
Other Resources
- PHO FAQ on IPAC Recommendations for Use of PPE in Health Care Settings | PHO, June 2022 *NEW*
- New Emergency Order – Working at home and masking/physical distancing rules | McDonald HR Law, January 15, 2021
- COVID-19 Resource List | COVID-19 CoP for Ontario Family Physicians
- COVID-19 Community Service Provider Resources | Toronto Region COVID-19 Mental Health and Addictions Working Group, EEnet
  - IPAC Q&A for community settings – weekly webinar series | CAMH IPAC specialist Dr. Renee Logan
- Prince Edward County COVID-19 Assessment Centre PROPOSAL* | Prince Edward FHT & Quinte Health Care, March 31, 2020
- Considerations in the use of homemade masks to protect against COVID-19 | Health Canada
- Health Canada – Optimizing the use of masks and respirators during the COVID-19 outbreak
- Guidance N95 Beyond Shelf Life | MOH, February 27, 2020
- North York Toronto Health Partners COVID-19 Resources
- General resources and updates from public health units
Research
- COVID-19 Rapid Reviews | Alberta College of Family Physicians, CFPC and PEER
  - COVID-19 Bottom Line Summary (PDF) | May 8, 2020
  - Is there a difference between mask types in preventing viral respiratory infections for healthcare workers? (EN) (FR) | April 20, 2020
  - Covert data on COVID-19- Evidence for asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 (EN) (FR) | April 14, 2020
Some resources have restricted access: * Members-only resources, ** Triad-only resources

Return to: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

Disclaimer: The information in this resource centre represents general guidance developed by AFHTO and their partners, gathered through a rapid, non-systematic scan of relevant and valuable guidelines with an intent to support you in a timely fashion. The information reflects best knowledge at the time of writing and is subject to revision based on rapidly changing circumstances and conditions. As new best practice evidence emerges, recommendations may evolve. The resources above should be considered supplementary guidance and are not meant to replace clinical judgement or organizational directives.
June 15, 2022

Bits & Pieces: Bright Lights coming soon and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue

Bright Lights nominations open soon- reviewers needed
Reminder- Advancing equity in cancer screening for gender-diverse clients, June 17
Cyber Security Centre of Excellence updates
Speak Up Ontario is now Advance Care Planning Ontario
Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 and more

Psychological impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare workers
EMR best practices, tips & advice
Deadline approaching for 2023 OCFP Family Medicine Summit call for abstracts
Upcoming events including Indigenous Health Care Conference and more

Bright Lights nominations open soon- reviewers needed
Bright Lights nominations open soon. If you didn’t get a chance to submit an abstract or would just like to raise your profile at the conference and beyond, consider nominating your team for an award.

We just need a couple more people on the review committee. If you’d like to learn more about your peers’ contributions and get a $35 discount on your registration fee, please apply here. Deadline June 22, 2022.

Reminder- 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. Register here.

Cyber Security Centre of Excellence updates
The latest email from this centre, part of the Cyber Security Division, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, features upcoming modules (e.g., Structuring Your Organization’s Cyber Security Program) and an updated resources page. Read more and sign up for updates here.

Speak Up Ontario is now Advance Care Planning Ontario

Along with this rebranding they have multiple new resources to assist the public and health service providers with Advance Care Planning conversations and Goals of Care discussions.

Websites:

www.advancecareplanningontario.ca – a guide for the public
www.pcdm.ca – for Health Care Professionals to learn about their role in Advance Care Planning conversations, Goals of Care discussions and Consent and Capacity

Advance Care Planning Ontario Mobile App

Videos:

Translated Resources– new edition of the Advance Care Planning Guide is available for purchase in English, French, Punjabi, Italian, Spanish, Chinese and Tagalog

Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 and more

Recent updates include:

Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 in Ontario – MOH, updated June 2, 2022

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

Psychological impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare workers

Researchers from the University of Victoria and University of Toronto are inviting healthcare workers to take part in an online survey examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ wellbeing. They aim to understand how people who work in healthcare settings have been impacted, and what kinds of policies, practices or supports could help support this vital workforce.

Whether you provide direct patient care, work in a supportive role, or provide administrative support/leadership, they would like to hear from you and understand your experiences through this pandemic. The survey takes around 40-50 minutes to complete and can be directly accessed by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3tJCvPN

Participants will be offered a $5 Tim Hortons gift card and be entered into a draw to win one of several prizes up to $500.

This study’s Research Ethics ID number is H21-02858. Further information can be obtained from Principal Investigators Brianna Turner (briannat@uvic.ca) and Theone Paterson (tpaterson@uvic.ca).

EMR best practices, tips & advice

Do you wish you could discuss your electronic medical record (EMR) with other healthcare providers who also use it and get useful and time-saving tips? You can join an OntarioMD (OMD) EMR Community of Practice (CoP).

CoP members share best practices, tips, and advice on digital health tools at quarterly meetings. Your EMR vendor is also there so you can ask them questions. CoPs are available for Accuro® (QHR Technologies), Clinic Information System (P&P Data Systems), OSCAR Pro (WELL Health), and TELUS PS Suite electronic medical record (EMR) users.

Find out more about OMD EMR Communities of Practice

Join the CoP for your EMR

Deadline approaching for 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.

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.

Indigenous Health Care Conference, June 10, 2022
Virtual event hosted by NPAO. Register here.

On-Demand Insomnia Interventions: First-Line Treatment for Insomnia in Primary Care program

Courtesy of Queen’s Health Sciences CPD team. Find out more here.

Palliative Care in Practice, June 16 & 17, 2022
2-Day in-person CPD event for NPs, MDs, PAs hosted by Queen’s Health Sciences. Find out more here.

Online Appointment Booking, June 21, 2022
Ontario Health webinar featuring a panel of primary care providers to learn about the benefits of using online appointment booking in primary care practices. Register here.

Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative webinar June 23

In this webinar, we will hear about the work of the Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative as it pertains to identified priorities around fall indicators and falls risk screening and assessment and how we can better align our efforts across the province. Find out more here.

June 7, 2022

Monkeypox Update, Planning Vaccination for the Under 5 and Please Fill in a Quick Survey
Dear Members,
We hope you are all doing well and staying safe as we all navigate through this current wave of COVID-19, while closely monitoring the situation concerning monkeypox cases that have been reported in Europe, the US and now in Quebec and Ontario. Please find attached the following information from the Chief Medical Officer of Health:
As the Ministry continues to learn more about this disease, we will ensure that we will share any information that we do receive. In the meantime, we all know COVID-19 is not over and this particular wave has had a tremendous impact on HHR capacity. We hope you’re all staying safe and getting outdoors for some fresh air after a long winter.

In the meantime, vaccination continues for COVID-19. The Ministry has shared the most recent update on Vaccine Implementation in Primary Care (week of May 16th). In this slide deck you will see that vaccination numbers for fourth doses for 60+, third doses for over 12+ and second doses for 5- to 11-year-olds are seeing only gradual moves. Discussion is also just starting on planning for vaccination for the under 5-year-old age group, which will rely very heavily on primary care and pediatricians. To better understand the current state and to start the planning process, please take a moment and fill in this very quick vaccine survey so we can ensure we set up the sector is supported in this next phase of vaccination: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/May2022VaccineSurvey. Please fill in by June 3, 2022, if possible.

In the meantime, please find below some additional information and updates.

Evusheld and Paxlovid
- Evusheld, a prophylactic treatment authorized for the prevention of COVID-19 in immunocompromised individuals, has been available for several weeks. From Ontario Health:
  - Memo on how to access Evusheld EN FR
  - Information about Evusheld (Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab) EN
  - Patient Handout EN FR
- Materials related to prescribing Paxlovid, an oral antiviral medication that can help reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in people at higher risk of serious illness due to COVID-19, has already been shared but here are materials you may find of interest:
- From Ontario Health:
  - Memo to primary care providers – Tools for identifying high-risk patients eligible for Paxlovid (April 29, 2022) EN FR
  - Guidance for health care providers: Access to COVID-19 antiviral treatment (April 11, 2022) EN FR
  - Patient handout – Antiviral treatment (April 11, 2022) EN FR
  - Paxlovid use in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and patients on dialysis with COVID-19 ( April 13, 2022) EN FR
- From the Science Advisory Table and the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy – What Prescribers and Pharmacists Need to Know and Paxlovid for a Patient on a Direct Oral Anticoagulant
- eHealth Centre of Excellence Paxlovid prescription form for Telus PS Suite, OSCAR and Accuro EMRs
Vaccines
- Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Administration guidance from the Ministry of Health (April 29, 2022) EN FR
- Novavax is available through local PHUs for patients who are unable or unwilling to receive mRNA vaccines
- From there Ontario Medical Association (for physicians) – a new resource on Indigenous patients and COVID-19 vaccine distrust (sign in to access), including practical steps to gain understanding and build cultural safety into your practice. This resource was co-designed with the IPHCC.
Other Resources and Supports
- From the eHealth Centre of Excellence, a new post COVID-19 condition EMR tool (for Telus PS Suite and soon Oscar) that captures and tracks the progression of symptoms associated with the condition over time. This tool will allow you build a comprehensive plan based on symptoms – you do need to log into the community portal to download.
- A reminder of the excellent tools on the Confused About Covid by OCFP/UofT DFCM that has a number of practical resources for patients.
Events
PHO Primary Care IPAC Community of Practice

Public Health Ontario is hosting a community of practice series that will review key concepts and support resources for Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) in Primary Care settings. Intended for those who oversee or implement IPAC in Primary Care settings, the series will be held over four sessions starting late May. Find your regions and more here.
- Register here for the West Primary Care Series.
- Register here for the Central West Primary Care Series.
- Register here for the Central Primary Care Series.
- Register here for the East Primary Care Series.
- Register here for the North Primary Care Series.
Ontario College of Family Physicians/University of Toronto DFCM Community of Practice
Next COVID-19 Community of Practice will be held on Friday, May 27th starting at 7:55 a.m. and will include speakers:
- Dr. Jeff Kwong, Epidemiologist, Family Physician, Toronto Western Family Health Team, Toronto, ON
- Dr. Gerald Evans, Infectious Disease Specialist and Chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON
- Dr. Daniel Warshafsky, Senior Medical Consultant at the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto, ON
A short update on what you need to know about Monkeypox will also be discussed. Please register here.

Ontario Health
A reminder that the Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP Monthly Series is held every second Wednesday of the month from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Click here to register.

Once again thank you for all you are doing to keep your patients and the community safe. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Stay safe.

Yours in good health,
The AFHTO Team
May 24, 2022
QI in Action eBulletin #115: Role of Primary Care in Vaccine Distribution, Funding Opportunities, Partner Updates
In this Issue:
- Understanding the Role of Primary Care in Vaccine Distribution
- Clinical Systems Renewal Funding
- Primary Care Data Reports for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs)
- Updates from eHealth Centre of Excellence
- NEW Online Smoking Cessation Program
- Upcoming Webinars
New Research Project! We want to hear from you!
AFHTO has partnered with Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft on a study focused on understanding how and in what ways primary care contributes to vaccine distribution, challenges experienced by primary care in the transition of vaccine distribution, as well as generating recommendations about primary care’s ongoing and future roles in vaccine distribution, including COVID-19 boosters.

This study will be in the format of focus groups with EDs, MDs, NPs, nurses, QIDSS and IHPs.

If you are interested in participating, please complete this poll for your availability, by February 16, 2022.

For any questions, please connect with Sandeep Gill: sandeep.gill@afhto.ca.

Clinical Systems Renewal Funding
The Ministry of Health (MOH), through Ontario Health, has approved up to $3.96M in dedicated funding each year in FY2021-22 and FY2022-23 for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and In Development (OHT) Teams to support investments that reduce the fragmentation of clinical systems with a focus on Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and Hospital Information Systems (HIS). Funding is intended for innovative projects that lay a foundation to further streamline healthcare systems resulting in better integrated care outcomes. For more information, please click here.

Primary Care Data Reports for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs)
The Primary Care Data Working Group has produced OHT-specific Primary Care Data Reports (PCDR). The reports use standard health administrative measures in primary care in conjunction with measures for attachment to a primary care provider to deliver a standardized document for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs). These reports are intended to provide a deeper understanding of the attributed population of each OHT from a primary care lens. To learn more about the reports, please click here.

Updates from the eHealth Centre of Excellence: New and upcoming digital health tools for primary care

The eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) has been developing several different decision support tools that can be integrated into primary care EMRs to facilitate access to best practice evidence at the point of care:
- Development of the Long COVID tool jointly with Ontario Health is nearing completion for Telus PS Suite, with the Oscar version currently in development
- Development for the Osteoporosis toolkit in Oscar is complete and the Accuro version is now in development; this tool is already available for the PS Suite
- The Falls Prevention EMR tool developed jointly with the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) has finished development and should be available soon for PS Suite
- Work has begun with Surrey Place on the new “Health Check” tool, which aims to help with documenting a comprehensive health assessment for adults with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
These tools will be made available for download directly from the community portal. If you have any questions and would like to see a specific tool developed, please reach out to: EMRtools@ehealthce.ca.

The eCE Automates team continues to provide virtual assistants or “bots” that help to create more efficient workflows for clinicians and their staff:
- The COVID-19 vaccination bot is continuing to help clinicians with their COVID-19 vaccine documentation, supporting 3rd and 4th doses within the PS Suite EMR, with development underway to bring this bot to Accuro
- The new Bernie Lab ordering bot is currently in development with a planned release in the coming months – stay tuned!
- They are working on a new automation project named ASAPP (Automated Solutions Assisting Priority Populations), which will build on the existing bot processes by running additional advanced algorithms to identify high risk patients
Feel free to get in touch here if you are interested in learning more.

Ongoing exploration is occurring through the HEAL (Healthcare Experience and Advancement Lab) initiative to help understand and prioritize future automations within both clinical and administrative spaces. If you are interested in providing input as to what tasks you would like to see automated, consider signing up for HEAL and they will be in touch.

NEW Online Smoking Cessation Program: STOP on the Net

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has launched an online smoking cessation program called STOP on the Net, available to adults in Ontario interested in quitting tobacco cigarette smoking. Eligible participants can receive a free 8-week NRT kit containing nicotine patches and gum/lozenges mailed directly to their address!

Learn more about STOP on the Net by reading the flyer and visiting www.stoponthenet.com.

Upcoming Webinars:
OMD Educates Webinar: Targeting Patient Populations in Primary Care – A Practical Approach
February 23, 2022
Learning Objectives:
- The importance of identifying a specific patient population and how it relates to your practice (Examples: Chronic Disease, Smoking, Diabetes Management, Mental Health, COVID-19 Vaccination Status, etc.).
- Which digital tools and external reports are available to aid in identifying a specific population (Examples: MyPractice Reports, SARS, Insights4Care (i4C) Dashboard, Searches, EMR specific tools, etc.).
- Practical tips on how to find and use these tools in Accuro® EMR, PS Suite EMR and OSCAR McMaster (OSCAR PRO).
This session will include a panel discussion and Q&A followed by virtual breakout room workshops for Accuro EMR, PS Suite EMR and OSCAR McMaster (OSCAR PRO) users that will give you a better understanding of the tools and how to integrate them into clinic workflow

Presented by Dr. Anil Maheshwari, Dr. Lee Donohue, and Dr. Vineet Nair, OMD Physician Peer Leaders with support from OMD Practice Enhancement Consultants.

Register here

MyPractice: Primary Care Report: Using Data for Improvement, February 28, 2022
Ontario Health is hosting a webinar for primary care providers on using the antibiotic prescribing indicators in the MyPractice: Primary Care report to drive improvements in patient care. This is the second of an ongoing accredited series that will focus on using data from the MyPractice: Primary Care report for quality improvement.
Register here

Segmenting your OHT population: Stories from the Field (Part III), February 22, 2022
Hosted by HSPN
Registration: Click here

Supporting caregiver well-being within Ontario Health Teams: Building caregiver resilience and reducing the risk of caregiver burnout, March 2, 2022
Hosted by Ontario Caregiver Organization
Registration: Click here

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #114 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
February 10, 2022
COVID-19 Outpatient Therapies, Vaccination Updates and Other Updates
Dear members,

January has been an incredibly difficult month, and we want to thank you and your teams for all that you have done, and continue to do, for your patients. Encouragingly, the latest update on COVID-19 projections from the Science Table indicates that while hospital and ICU admissions continues to be high, Ontario data shows that vaccination (including third doses) is providing strong protection against serious illness.

The Ministry of Health issued a memo on the gradual resumption of selected clinical activities on February 1st, in addition to updated COVID-19 Directive #2 for Healthcare Providers and accompanying Q&A. The Ministry notes that latest modelling for hospitalizations and new admissions indicates that we have likely reached the peak of the current wave and will see a gradual decline in new hospitalizations in the coming weeks, and the revised Directive #2 allows the cautious and gradual resumption of diagnostic imaging, cancer screening and scheduled ambulatory clinics, and non-urgent and nonemergent surgeries as operationally feasible.

See the Ministry of Health’s Provincial testing guidance and the implementation of antivirals in Ontario slide deck, released February 2nd, for an overview of Ontario’s COVID-19 testing strategy, expanded use of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs), antiviral pathway within 5 days of symptom onset, and other important information.

Please find below for additional resources to aid your teams as we look forward with cautious optimism to the end of the Omicron wave.

COVID-19 Outpatient Therapies
- From the Ontario Science Table: Fluvoxamine, What Prescribers and Pharmacists need to know:
- Antiviral treatment for COVID-19 – eligibility and where to get it.
- Ontario Health information package for primary care providers on access to outpatient therapies from January 31st:
  - Memo to primary care providers on access to outpatient therapies,
  - Guidance for primary care providers on these therapies (sotrovimab and Paxlovid)
  - List of sites distributing Paxlovid, and
  - A referral form for COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) EUA Treatment
This template patient script from the OCFP, updating on available COVID-19 treatments, can be adapted for community-based practices. The OCFP has also updated their Considerations for Balancing Demands, including more info on caring for symptomatic and COVID +ve patients.

Referral forms in Telus PS, Accuro and OSCAR
The North York Family Health Team has kindly digitized the referral form and made it available for all Telus PS and Accuro users in the province. Special thanks to Suja Arackal, Data Manager at the North York FHT.
- For Accuro users:
  - Both the forms (“Ontario COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody(mAb) EUA Treatment Referral” & “List of sites distributing Paxlovid”) are available in Accuro cloud.
  - Please follow this link for instructions on how to download a form from Accuro cloud.
- For PSS users:
  - Please download the custom form “Ontario COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody(mAb) EUA Treatment Referral” and the handout “List of sites distributing Paxlovid” using this link.
  - Instructions on how to import a handout in PSS: Click here
  - Instructions on how to import a custom form in PSS: Click here
Thank you to Lisa Hawkins, QIDSS with the Champlain Region FHTs and Dr. Kevin Lai in North York for their assistance in developing the form for OSCA users.
- For OSCAR users:
  - There are two options for you to choose from depending on your EMR compatibility. Please click here for more details.
You can also find the OCFP summary of the OH Guidance for Primary Care Providers – Access to Sotrovimab and Paxlovid for outpatient therapies for COVID-19 here.

COVID-19 Vaccination
- Memo from Alison Blair, Associate Deputy Minister on January 25th noted that “As the province now has confirmed stable supply of the adult Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine over the coming weeks, we are eliminating the requirement to prioritize its use for the 12-29 age group at this time.”
- Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) released updated advice on January 25th from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) regarding the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children 5 to 11 years of age.
- Updated “I am pregnant or breastfeeding. Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine?” from The Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH)
- New “I’m pregnant. How can I keep safe? What should I do if I get COVID?” from ConfusedAboutCOVID.ca
All about RATs
The provincial stock of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) is now in good supply and can be used for staff and patients. Primary care will see their backordered RATs from provincial stockpile in the next week or two and can also order additional tests from the provincial stockpile. ConfusedAboutCOVID.ca has a good fact sheet on “When should I use Rapid Antigen Test?” you can share with your patients. You can order the RATs here.

*NEW: note that symptomatic household members of patient-facing healthcare workers (includes primary care) are now eligible for PCR testing.

Long COVID
- COVID-End Canada’s update on “What is the best-available evidence about the management of long COVID symptoms and care models for long COVID patients”
COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centres
A reminder that clinical assessment centres have been stood up to support assessment, diagnosis, and disposition planning for people whose symptoms cannot be safely self-monitored at home but are also not experiencing severe symptoms that would require emergency care.
See:
- COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centres (CACs): Information for Primary Care Providers from the Centre for Effective Practice
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document that also explains the difference between the COVID-19 clinical assessment centres and COVID-19 assessment centres
Events
Ontario Health Community of Practice
- Primary Care and COVID-19 Support Community of Practice January 12th Ontario Health CoP meeting recording can be accessed online. In this recording you will hear Dr. Chris Simpson speak about COVID Clinical Assessment Centres and Dr. Mangin provides updates to the COVID Monitoring pathways for primary care.
- The next CoP meeting is on February 9th from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and will focus on further discussions on monitoring and Post COVID-19 Condition clinical guidance for primary care. Katie Hogue, NPLCA President, will speak to her experience up in Parry Sound. Register here.
Ontario College of Family Physicians Community of Practice
- The OCFP COVID-19 CoP February 4th session on Responding to the Omicron Surge – Part 2 can be accessed here. The slide deck from the session is also available here.
- The next CoP session will be Friday, February 18th from 7:55 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and registration details coming soon.
Ontario Medical Association and OCFP Town Hall
- On February 3rd the OMA and OCFP hosted a Town Hall on COVID-19 and children with Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, and other experts. Watch the recording here.
In the next week we are expecting the updated Primary Care Guidance document which will provide updated guidance on how to manage in-person care with updated IPAC, screening and testing guidance. We will ensure we share that as soon as it is available.

Once again thank you for all you are doing to keep your patients and the community safe. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours in Good Health,

The AFHTO Team
(in collaboration with the Primary Care Collaborative)
February 4, 2022

Tag: Effective Use of EMRs

In this Issue:

Celiac Disease in Ontario

Celiac Canada Webinars

Celiac Resources

Food for Thought

Past Webinars

Upcoming Events

In this Issue:

In this Issue:

In this Issue:

Your Weekly News & Updates

IPAC shareables

Public Health Infection Prevention and Control resources

Personal Protection

Clinical Office Practices

Screening Tools *NEW*

Guidance

EMR Screening Forms & Toolbars

Other Screening tools

Testing

Other Resources

Research

COVID-19 Rapid Reviews | Alberta College of Family Physicians, CFPC and PEER

Your Weekly News & Updates

In this Issue:

Screening Tools NEW