Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: Health Promotion & CDPM

  • QI in Action eBulletin #98: Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19

    QI in Action eBulletin #98: Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19

    In this Issue:

    • Team Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19 Webinar

    • Virtual Visits: Beginning to End Q&A Document

    • QI Resources

    Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19 Webinar

    Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19 Webinar

    On June 11, 2020 (12-1pm EST) AFHTO, in collaboration with 3 primary care teams, will be hosting a webinar to share initiatives teams are currently doing to help support patients in their communities during COVID-19. Learn from these teams about how they created virtual care communities, helped long-term care homes, engaged with patients via social media and much more! Teams that will be presenting are South East Toronto FHT, Brockton Area and Kincardine FHTs, Arnprior & District FHT, North Renfrew FHT, West Champlain FHT, Madawaska Valley FHT and Petawawa Centennial Family Health Centre.

    COVID-19 Member initiatives table

    Register here for the webinar!

     

    We have also created a table highlighting the great work teams are doing! Help us grow this list by emailing improve@afhto.ca to share what your team is doing.

    Let’s make this into a webinar series! Email us at improve@afhto.ca to share what your team is doing. You may be featured in an upcoming webinar!

     

     

     

    Virtual Visits Q&A Document – One on One & Group Visits

    Virtual Visits Q&A Document

    On Wednesday, May 20 we held a discussion around virtual visits (one on one & group) with our expert panel. Panelists went through multiple components of how to conduct a virtual visit and a Q&A portion.

    The recording, slide deck and Q&A document for the webinar are available here. As a follow up AFHTO and the panelists have created a Q&A document for a few questions that were not covered such as:

    • How are providers conducting phone call visits remotely?
    • Is it necessary to repeat consent at every virtual visit?
    • How do you obtain consent for group programs?
    • What Mental Health Programs are being run virtually and open to the public?
    • What platforms are teams using for secure messaging?

     

     

    QI Resources
    Below are measurement and quality-related tools, resources, slides, and videos. You can flag these emails or bookmark the related posts, so they will be easy to find for future reference.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #97 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

     

  • QI in Action eBulletin #97: Quality Improvement on the Go

    QI in Action eBulletin #97: Quality Improvement on the Go

    In this Issue:

    • Team Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19

    • Quality Improvement in Primary Care Council Updates

    • Primary Care Practice Reports

    • Upcoming Webinars

    COVID-19 Member initiatives table

     

    Team-Based Care Supporting Patient Communities Through COVID-19
    Primary care continues to step up and ensure our patients get the care they need. From the beginning of this pandemic to now as the province transitions to re-opening services, teams have rapidly been adapting to change. It is important that teams’ innovative initiatives are shared as they continue to do quality improvement initiatives on the go. To facilitate this sharing, we have created a table highlighting the great work teams are doing!

    Email us at improve@afhto.ca to share what your team is doing. You may be featured in an upcoming webinar!

     

    Quality Improvement in Primary Care Council Updates

    With rapid change comes QI on the go. QI in PC Council members are helping teams adapt to these rapid changes. With an increased urgency to connect with vulnerable, isolated, and high-risk patients during this challenging time, QIDSS and QIDSS-like folks have created queries to help identify who these patients are.

    • Barrie and Community FHT has created a script that teams can use to reach out to their patients.
    • Sudbury District NPLCs has created a script and documentation for Accuro which can be found here.
    • City of Lakes FHT has created a Telus PS Encounter Assist, Screen Tool and Script that can be found here.

    QI in PC Council members have also started two working groups to address important areas during COVID-19:

    • Let’s Measure the Impact of Primary Care during COVID-19 Working Group will be specifically focusing on standardizing patient and provider experience survey questions for primary care.
    • Standardized Queries for Chronic Diseases & High-Risk Patients Working Group will help identify standardized queries to identify patients with chronic diseases and at a high-risk.

    QI in PC Council members continue to support teams with the rapid transition to virtual care. Some of the resources council members and AFHTO have created are:

    Primary Care Practice Reports

    The MyPractice: Primary Care Family Health Team report is typically released bi-annually with the next report release scheduled for May 2020. Due to COVID-19, the next release will be postponed.
    Ontario Health Quality will notify you by email once your report is refreshed and include it as an attachment. It will also be made available in the MyPractice web portal. In the meantime, you can still access your previous reports by logging in here: www.hqontario.ca/pcreport.

    Upcoming Webinars:

    Virtual Visits: Beginning to End Webinar– May 20, 2020 (12:00-1:00 pm EDT)
    Please join us for a discussion around virtual visits (one on one & group) with our expert panel. During this IHP-focused webinar, panelists will go through multiple components of how to conduct a virtual visit and a Q&A portion. Click here to register!

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #96 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

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

    In this Issue:

     

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

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

    eAMS Tool for OSCAR Users – Webinar
    The Electronic Asthma Management System (eAMS) is an evidence-based clinical decision support system developed to improve your ability to deliver best care for patients with asthma.

    WHAT DOES THE eAMS DO?

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

    WHO IS THE eAMS FOR?

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

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

    Understanding Bronchiectasis

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

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

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

    Learn more at an upcoming webinar- sign up here!

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

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

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

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

    Listen to this webinar here.

    Upcoming Webinars:

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

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

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

    Your Weekly News & Updates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    http://www.ontarioprimarycareteampharmacists.ca/

    March is Pharmacist Awareness Month

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

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

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

    Social Work Week

    Social Work Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Your Weekly News & Updates

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

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

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

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

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

    Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance Queen’s Park Day

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

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

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

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

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

    Improving cancer screening rates SDOH

    Improving cancer screening rates slides and video

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

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

     

    Dr. Judith Davidson, Bright Lights 2014

    Psychology Month

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

     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Bits & Pieces: prescriptions are for more than just drugs, new location & more

    Bits & Pieces: prescriptions are for more than just drugs, new location & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Prescriptions are for more than just drugs
    • Our new location
    • Novel coronavirus updates including Q & A on personal protective equipment supply
    • Reminder- Improving cancer screening rates and reducing related disparities, Feb. 20
    • Lung cancer screening for people at high risk
    • The Promise of Virtual Care slides and video
    • Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto online education modules
    • Lung health needs assessment
    • Upcoming events including the Primary Care Virtual Community and more

    Prescriptions are for more than just drugs

    Ontario Health Teams should use ‘social prescribing’ to improve our health and wellbeing.

    Healthy Debate opinion piece by Kate Mulligan, Director of Policy and Communications at the Alliance for Healthier Communities and Kavita Mehta, CEO, AFHTO

    Most of the conversation about ending hallway health care in Ontario has focused on the back door of the hospital – moving people out of hospital and back into communities. But what if we could focus on the front door and prevent hospitalization in the first place? And what if we could do this by strengthening partnerships between health and social services, which are known to impact determinants of health?

    Read the full article here.

    AFHTO will be working with the Alliance on spreading social prescribing in team-based primary care and is looking forward to working collaboratively together on this important work.

    AFHTO new location lunchroom view

    Our new location

    We’re happy to announce we have officially moved into office space subleased from the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

    We’re now sharing space with OCFP and Centre for Effective Practice staff in the heart of downtown Toronto. Phone extensions will be updated today but our main line is working. All email addresses remain the same.

    “Co-locating provides AFHTO an opportunity to strengthen our partnerships and align opportunities for joint advocacy, policy and resource development. By moving downtown, we are also closer to our Ministry, Ontario Health and political contacts which helps with strengthening our relationships”, explains Kavita Mehta, CEO, AFHTO.

    Novel coronavirus updates including Q & A on personal protective equipment supply

    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus, including with the latest situation reports and Q & A on personal protective equipment supply. “Health care providers facing immediate challenges with their personal protective equipment supply levels can email the ministry at EOCLogistics.MOH@ontario.ca.”

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

    Reminder- Improving cancer screening rates and reducing related disparities, Feb. 20
    Primary care plays a central role in cancer screening, but screening efforts don’t reach everyone. St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT worked with patients living with low income to understand barriers to screening and co-design solutions. On Feb. 20 join Drs. Aisha Lofters and Tara Kiran as they share practical, evidence-based ways to improve cancer screening rates and reduce income-related disparities.

    Register here.

    UHN Lung cancer screening

    Lung cancer screening for people at high risk

    Ontario’s Lung Cancer Screening for People at High Risk programming is now available at the University Health Network. Teams can support patients in pursuing low-dose CT screening either through providing a referral or inviting them to self-present by calling 416-340-4154.  

    The following is the entry criteria:

    • Current or former smoker age 55 to 74
    • Have smoked cigarettes daily for at least 20 years in their lifetime (not necessarily 20 years in a row).

    For eligible self-presenters, screening staff will contact the primary care provider for a mandatory physician referral to authorize LDCT for screening. For more information, please visit their site.

    HQO virtual care

    The Promise of Virtual Care slides and video

    Ontario Health (Quality) has posted Quality Rounds Ontario on the topic of The Promise of Virtual Care recorded session and the slide deck on their website. Questions and answers will be posted on Quorum in the coming weeks. One of the most common questions was where viewers could find a copy of the OTN Primary Care eVisit evaluation; click here to access that evaluation.

     

     

    Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto online education modules
    Co-developed with geriatric clinical experts from Ontario, 2 new educational modules in the sfCare Learning Series have been launched for clinicians, which build on the knowledge from the introductory modules on the topics of delirium and urinary incontinence:

    Lung health needs assessment
    The Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) and the Ontario Lung Association (OLA) are seeking feedback from family physicians, primary care nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers who treat patients with respiratory conditions about their clinical education needs relating to lung health. Respond to the survey here.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, Feb 13, 2020
    The Primary Care Virtual Community brings together leaders in primary care interested in enabling meaningful system change. The virtual community is a collaboration developed by the OCFP and AFHTO and convened by The Change Foundation. This session’s focus is organizing primary care – learn from 9 communities across Ontario who are strengthening primary care by bringing the sector together.

    Register today!

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

    Advance Care Planning Lead Trainer Program, Feb. 11 & 13, 2020 (and more)
    Are you a health service provider who has the support to build and sustain a team of volunteer facilitators? Hospice Palliative Care Ontario invites you to participate in this interactive training program that will guide you in training your volunteers to facilitate community Advance Care Planning presentations to the general public. Find out more here.

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

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

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

  • Bits & Pieces: practising equity-focused health care, improving cancer screening rates & more

    Bits & Pieces: practising equity-focused health care, improving cancer screening rates & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Practising equity-focused health care
    • Novel coronavirus updates including OMA summary guidance
    • Improving cancer screening rates and reducing related disparities, Feb. 20
    • Reminder- shortening the diagnostic odyssey: rare disease in primary care, Feb. 12
    • Members’ stories
    • Spotlight on organizing primary care, Feb. 13
    • Two new quality standards – anxiety disorders and OCD
    • Call for participation-toxicity management models of care working group
    • Upcoming events on Advance Care Planning Lead Training and more

    St. Michael's Hospital Academic FHT SDOH booklet

     

    Practising equity-focused health care

    Over the years St. Michael’s Academic FHT has won a Bright Light Award for, and presented at the conference on, their work addressing the social determinants of health. They have a website focused on their continuing efforts, including tools, income security health promotion, and integrating SDOH into QI programs.

    They also have a comprehensive brochure. Feel free to review for ideas for your own team.

     

     

     

     

     

    Novel coronavirus updates including OMA summary guidance

    We continue to update the relevant page on the Novel Coronavirus, including with the latest situation reports. The Ministry of Health has updated guidelines for primary care, along with posters and a website for healthcare providers. The latest update is a summary guidance document from the OMA.

    The OCFP has also put together Tips for Screening for 2019-nCoV which includes clinic preparedness that you may find helpful. If you have any questions, you can also email EOCOperations.moh@ontario.ca.

    For EDs, Lead Clinicians and Board Chairs:
    The Ministry of Health and Ontario Health (Shared Services) are requesting you complete this short survey by end of day tomorrow, Wednesday, February 5, to assist in tracking provider preparedness. This will help them identify where support is needed, and they will work with suppliers to distribute resources accordingly.

    Improving cancer screening rates and reducing related disparities, Feb. 20
    Primary care plays a central role in cancer screening, but screening efforts don’t reach everyone.

    St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT worked with patients living with low income to understand barriers to screening and co-design solutions. On Feb. 20 join Drs. Aisha Lofters and Tara Kiran as they share practical, evidence-based ways to improve cancer screening rates and reduce income-related disparities. Register here.

    Reminder- Shortening the diagnostic odyssey: rare disease in primary care, Feb. 12

    On Feb. 12 Sanofi Genzyme’s rare disease education webinar will increase your awareness about two rare inherited disorders – Fabry disease and Pompe disease and will highlight why primary care is essential in reducing the long and cumbersome diagnostic delays these patients experience. You may also leave with the realization that these rare diseases are not as rare as you think. Register here.

    Members’ stories
    Akausivik Inuit FHT- Canada honours Qapik Attagutsiak, 99, wartime Inuit bone collector. As a midwife, she helped deliver hundreds of babies and helped set up Akausivik Inuit FHT.

    Spotlight on organizing primary care, Feb. 13

    Join us for our next Primary Care Virtual Community session on February 13th 8:00am-9:30am, Ontario’s innovative collaborative designed to unleash the power of primary care in health system change. More than 1,000 people have now connected through this virtual community, a collaboration developed by the OCFP and AFHTO and convened by The Change Foundation.

    As a community, we have co-defined a list of High Impact Actions that are felt to spark meaningful improvements in primary care. Building on the momentum from our most recent Primary Care Virtual Community held in November 2019, we will be continuing to shine a spotlight on the high impact action of organizing primary care.

    In our upcoming session, the community will engage with those in primary care from across Ontario on the emergent ways in which primary care is self-organizing and building meaningful connections locally.

    We will be hearing nine primary care clinicians as they share their experiences and learnings on how they, in partnership with others, have been able to enable and accelerate the local organization of primary care. Register today!

    Two new quality standards – anxiety disorders and OCD
    Ontario Health (Quality) has released two new quality standards:

    They come with patient conversation guides and recommendations for system adoption too. Questions? Contact QualityStandards@HQOntario.ca.

    Call for participation-toxicity management models of care working group

    Cancer Care Ontario is seeking GPO, GP and Nursing representation for a Models of Care Working Group to improve the delivery of toxicity management for adult cancer patients currently undergoing systemic and radiation treatment. If you’re interested in participating, please contact Ada Payne, Lead, Models of Care at ada.payne@cancercare.on.ca by February 15, 2020.

    Quality Rounds Ontario: The Promise of Virtual Care, Feb. 6, 2020
    With opening remarks by Bill Hatanaka, Board Chair, and Matthew Anderson and Incoming President and CEO, Ontario Health. Register today.

    Advance Care Planning Lead Trainer Program, Feb. 11 & 13, 2020 (and more)
    Are you a health service provider who has the support to build and sustain a team of volunteer facilitators? Hospice Palliative Care Ontario invites you to participate in this interactive training program that will guide you in training your volunteers to facilitate community Advance Care Planning presentations to the general public. Find out more here.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, Feb 13, 2020
    The Primary Care Virtual Community brings together leaders in primary care interested in enabling meaningful system change. The virtual community is a collaboration developed by the OCFP and AFHTO and convened by The Change Foundation.

    Register today!

    Shifting the feeding and eating conversation – An introduction to Satter Feeding Dynamics and Eating, Feb 28, 2020

    Hosted by Nutrition Connections, this workshop will provide a deeper understanding of the Satter Feeding Dynamics Model (fdSatter) and the Satter Eating Competence Model (ecSatter), along with strategies for application. Learn more here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #94: Quality and Measurement New Beginnings

    QI in Action eBulletin #94: Quality and Measurement New Beginnings

    In this issue

    • Moving Forward with AFHTO’s Quality Agenda
    • Formation of the Quality Improvement in Primary Care Council
    • Mental Health and Addictions Support
    • Support for Teams
    • Tools and Resources (including standardized EMR queries)
    • Webinar videos and slides (including opioid stewardship)
    • Workshops, events and presentations (including focus on follow up)
    • Upcoming Webinars

    Moving Forward with AFHTO’s Quality Agenda

    2019 was a challenging and busy year with ongoing health system transformation changes along with changes to the QI program at AFHTO. Despite the sunset of D2D, AFHTO will continue its efforts to support teams in the field of quality and demonstrate the value of team-based primary care.

    Quality improvement remains a key focus, and AFHTO’s Quality Steering Committee (QSC), in partnership with key stakeholders, is currently working on a priority list and areas of focus for this year. As we begin this new year, we wanted to provide you with a wrap-up of 2019 along with resources that will help projects this year.

    If you would like to share a tool, resource or highlight a successful program or service in your team, we would love to hear from you! Please fill out this quick survey.

    Formation of the Quality Improvement in Primary Care Council

    In January of 2019, the Quality Improvement in Primary Care (QI in PC) Council was formed. The QI in PC council consists of 5 appointed QIDSS and QIDSS-like individuals with the goal to support the QIDSS Community of Practice (CoP) and strengthen collective QI capacity across the sector.

    The priority areas for the group are primary care QI priorities, EMR queries and much more. eCE has partnered with AFHTO to help support this council in areas such as 7-day post-hospital discharge follow up.

    The members of the council include:

    • Cameron Berry, QIDSS, Kawartha North FHT
    • Abigail Scott, Data and Quality Improvement Analyst, Queen’s FHT
    • Brice Wong, QIDSS, Windsor FHT
    • Mitch Chartier, QIDSS, Elliot Lake FHT
    • David Raan, QIDSS, Humber River FHT

    Contact the council by emailing: qiprimarycouncil@emaildodo.com.  

    Mental Health and Addictions Support

    AFHTO continues to advocate for more supports in primary care, especially as it pertains to ensuring more patients have access to team-based care, in particular in the areas of mental health and care coordination. This year, the Mental Health and Addictions webinar series in collaboration with CMHA & AMHO will continue and you can participate in the remaining 3 parts.

    AFHTO, along with our mental health and addictions and primary care partners, is co-leading the development of a OHT Guidebook for Mental Health and Addictions and Primary Care Integration which will be helpful not only to those teams that are moving forward with OHTs in their community but will also be helpful with program planning at the local level.

    We are also partnering with other organizations like OntarioMD, Ontario Health, CEP, eCE, OCFP, ECHO project and the Ontario Pain Management Resources (OPMR) group partners to help support a learning collaborative for the NorthWest LHIN addressing opioids prescribing.

    The Algorithm Project team at AFHTO is in the final stage of completing a MEQ tool/query that will be compatible with OSCAR, Telus PS and Accuro. If you’re interested in piloting these tools, please reach out to us at improve@afhto.ca.

    Support for Teams:

    AFHTO has a library of resources that you may find helpful in developing your programs and services and with your Quality Improvement Plan. As always, if you have an innovation you want to share please let us know, by completing this quick survey.

    Measuring tape

    Tools and Resources:

    We have so many tools and resources available for members, but since they have been announced throughout the

    years, we thought a refresher would be welcome, especially since we know you’re exposed to so much information every day.

    Just a reminder that in our Dec. 17 communique we provided you a comprehensive list of Governance and Leadership tools, resources and training. .

     

    Below are measurement and quality-related tools, resources, slides and videos. You can flag these emails or bookmark the related posts, so they’ll be easy to find for future reference.

    Webinars:

     

    Business chart

    Workshops, Events and Presentations

     

    Upcoming Webinars:

    If you have a suggestion for a webinar/QI in Action eBulletin topic or if you would highlight a tool, resource, successful program and/or innovation please let us know by filling out this quick survey.

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #93 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced, Clinton & North Perth FHTs accredited & more

    Bits & Pieces: Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced, Clinton & North Perth FHTs accredited & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced
    • Clinton, North Perth FHTs and others accredited with commendation
    • 2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans launched
    • Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network Series starting January 2020
    • Upcoming events on virtual care and more

    Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced
    On Nov. 25, 2019, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, announced the Mississauga Ontario Health Team, known as Mississauga Health, as one of the first teams in the province. AFHTO members in Mississauga Health are Credit Valley FHT, CarePoint Health and Summerville FHT.  Read more here.

    And today she announced the Hamilton Ontario Health Team, known as the Hamilton Health Team.  AFHTO members are Hamilton and McMaster FHTs. Read more here.

    Over the next few weeks, the Ministry will be rolling out 24 OHTs across the province. To stay up to date we encourage you to subscribe to the Connected Care Updates.

    And please let AFHTO know if your OHT is being announced and share any media announcements so that we can spread the word.  

    Clinton, North Perth FHTs and others accredited with commendation

    Representatives from the Huron Perth Sub-Region Accreditation Prototype

    Clinton FHT and North Perth FHT were part of the Huron Perth Sub-Region Accreditation Prototype (HPSAP) that was accredited by Accreditation Canada the week of Oct 21st, 2019. They were awarded Accredited with Commendation. The focus was system improvement and standardization of service delivery. Read the report here.

    2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans launched
    Health Quality Ontario (HQO) has launched the priorities for the 2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs).

    The 2019/20 QIPs prioritized three core themes: timely and efficient transitions, service excellence, and safe and effective care. Only minor changes to the QIP priorities were made for 2020/21. QIPs will continue to be submitted by individual organizations to Health Quality Ontario (soon to become part of Ontario Health) and will be due by April 1, 2020. Find out more here.

    ECHO Bariatric

    Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network Series starting January 2020
    Do you know how to work with your patients with obesity who have received specialty care from a Bariatric Centre of Excellence?

    Build clinical expertise by joining one of project ECHO’s series of sessions to discuss patient cases and learn about leading surgical and medical treatment options for patients with obesity, strategies to identify and prevent potential post-operative complications after bariatric surgery as well as tools and resources to assist you in the management of these patients.

    For more information and to register visit their site.

    The Digital Health Toolbox: Enabling High-Performance Teams In The Delivery Of Integrated, Patient-Centred Care Webinar, Nov. 28, 2019
    Learn how to implement digital health tools within your teams after participating in this webinar co-hosted by AFHTO and the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE). Register today!

    Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Major Depression And Anxiety Disorders, Nov. 27, 2019
    Join CADTH and HQO for a webinar on accessing mental health support outside of a therapist’s office. Register to attend in-person or online. Learn more here.

    NPAO MAID Workshop Toronto, Dec. 4, 2019
    Join this free, accredited, all day workshop on MAID, held by NPAO in Toronto. Learn more here.

    Increasing Access To Patients Through Virtual Care Visits Webinar, Dec. 10, 2019
    Listen to the Minto Mapleton and Peterborough FHTs share how they integrated digital health tools in their programs. Register now!

  • QI in Action eBulletin #91: Breast Cancer Screening

    In this issue

    • What is Breast Cancer?
    • Recommendations on Breast Cancer Screening
    • Initiatives by Teams
    • Resources and Research
    • Support Services for Patients and Caregivers
    • Upcoming QI Events
    • Other Resources

    What is Breast Cancer?

    • Breast cancer starts in the cells of the breast and be described in two ways1:
      • Invasive: breast cancers that grow past the walls of the milk duct and into the surrounding tissues1
      • Non-Invasive: breast cancers that remains contained within the walls of the milk duct1

    Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening

    • Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommends:
      • The Task Force recommends against screening women aged 40 to 49 years old
      • The Task Force recommends in favour of screening women aged 50 to 74 years with mammography every 2-3 years
    • HQO recommends magnetic resonance imaging as an adjunct to mammography for breast cancer screening in women at less than high risk for breast cancer  
    • HQO recommends ultrasound as an adjunct to mammography for breast cancer screening

    Initiatives by Teams
    Our teams are doing some great work with breast cancer screening. Below are some initiatives that your team can implement if you’re looking to enhance cancer screening.

    • Quarterly Reconciliation between the EMR and SAR reports
    • EMR queries to search for patients overdue for their screening
      • With EMRs teams are also documenting whether breast cancer screening was offered and if the patient declined
    • Using flags within EMRs generated via queries
    • Broadcasting a message via HealthMyself or OCEAN to patients
    • Integrating cancer screening promotion into flu shot clinics while patients wait for 10-15 minutes post immunizations

    Resources and Research

    Support Services for Patients and Caregivers

    Upcoming QI Events:

    Other Resources:

    • The eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) is committed to supporting the OHTs throughout the application and selection process. To understand exactly how the eCE can support OHTs with the digital health components outlined in the full application, read eCE’s Role in the Full OHT Application.  
    • Speak to a drug information pharmacist for any questions about opioid tapering, switching, interactions and withdrawal through the Opioid Prescribing Hotline.

    References

    1. Breast Cancer. (2019, June 11). Retrieved from https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/types-of-cancer/breast-cancer .

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #90 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.