HOLIDAY HOURS
The AFHTO office will be open Dec. 19- 23, but with significantly reduced staff. The office will close Dec. 26, and reopen on Jan. 3, 2023. We will be monitoring the info@afhto.ca inbox for urgent items only during this time.
Our very best wishes of the season. Please stay warm and safe.
Message being sent on behalf of Sara Dalo, Board Chair and President, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
On behalf of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), I am writing to let you know that our CEO Kavita Mehta has made the difficult decision to leave AFHTO to spend more time with family and explore future ventures. Kavita first joined AFHTO as a Board member in 2009 and was the first non-physician President and Chair in 2012. She was then subsequently hired as the CEO of AFHTO in December 2016 and has been critical in helping to support the organization in advancing its mission and mandate to advocate for expansion of team-based primary care in Ontario.
This news brings mixed emotions for all of us who have had the pleasure of working with Kavita these many years. As many of you may know, Kavita has been working at advancing primary care, specifically team-based care, for over 17 years starting first at the policy-level at the Ministry of Health in the Primary Health Care Branch before moving into a role as an Executive Director in a Family Health Team in East Toronto. During that time, she has been able to leverage her strong partnership skills and deep knowledge in primary care to advocate and advance AFHTO as a strong collaborator and a trusted voice for the sector.
Having served on The Change Foundation Board of Directors for five years, Kavita has always been a strong supporter of integrated care through ensuring that interprofessional team-based primary care be the foundation of health system reform, with a focus on patient co-design and improving the patient and caregiver experience. In addition, Kavita saw the value in establishing more formal partnerships to further demonstrate and promote the capabilities of team-based care through evidence-based research. Her advocacy meetings with elected officials are always grounded in member stories about the impact of team-based care with patients and the community to ensure that they truly understood why every Ontarian deserved access to an interprofessional primary care team.
Over the last two years she convened and chaired the Primary Care Collaborative, an alliance of our comprehensive primary care organization partners (AFHTO, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Alliance for Healthier Communities, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic Association, OMA Section on General and Family Practice) who were joined together by common purpose to build on the collaborative work during the COVID-19 pandemic and onwards with health system transformation and integration. Through her leadership, the PCC was able to provide a collective and cohesive voice to the Ministry, Ontario Health and the government with the purpose of influencing policy by creating a unified voice towards resolving barriers or challenges that prevent comprehensive primary care from being the foundation of the health system.
Through her collaborative spirit and strategic direction/focus, Kavita leaves AFHTO in a strong position with our primary care partners, the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and other sector partners. These partnerships are central to AFHTO’s work and will be critical in ensuring her legacy remains as we work towards creating a stronger health care system for all Ontarians.
On behalf of the Board, we want to thank Kavita for her ongoing commitment to AFHTO, to interprofessional team-based care and to primary care. We will miss Kavita’s leadership, both at AFHTO and in the primary care sector, but I am sure you join me in wishing her well in her future endeavours. Kavita’s last day with AFHTO will be on March 10th, 2023. The Board will be undertaking a search for the new CEO and further details will be forthcoming.
Sara Dalo
Board Chair and President, AFHTO
On October 12 AFHTO named the winners of our eleventh Bright Lights Awards at our ceremony at our annual conference. These innovators have improved access to primary care through their leadership, outstanding work and significant progress made toward improving the value delivered by interprofessional primary care teams throughout Ontario. Bright Lights Award winners are innovators and team players whose work has an impact on the healthcare system and in the lives of their patients and communities.
The review committees made up of AFHTO members chose the winners from among dozens of nominations. AFHTO gave awards for each of our four conference themes, as well as a spotlight award for excellent work by an underrepresented primary care team. The winners will receive a $750 education grant each courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim.
In addition, AFHTO’s board presented an award to a physician leader who supported the public and healthcare professionals alike in a hard-hit community and continues to tirelessly advocate for ongoing support.
Board Award: Dr. Lawrence Loh
In recognition of: Providing Leadership to Support the Vulnerable During the Pandemic
This year, the board has recognized Dr. Lawrence Loh, the medical officer of health (MOH) for Peel Region, and new ED and CEO of CFPC, for his creation of a partnership model that will serve the community well beyond the pandemic.
The five recipients of Bright Lights Awards are listed below. Click on the links to read a summary of their achievements:
1. New Vision Family Health Team
Award Category: It Takes a Team: Collaboration Inside and Out
Achievement: New Vision ICT Geriatric Pilot Project
New Vision FHT assembled an integrated care team for older, non-rostered adults in Waterloo, reducing the waitlist for a geriatrician and optimizing patient care.
2. Queen Square Family Health Team
Award Category: Health Equity at the Centre
Achievement: Nurse Practitioner-led Gender Clinic
Led by Erin Ziegler, Queen Square FHT developed the Nurse Practitioner-led Gender Clinic to provide safe and gender-affirming primary care to transgender and non-binary individuals.
3. North York Family Health Team
Award Category: Sustainable Solutions to Primary Care Problems
Achievement: Creating the Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Program (CSP)
North York FHT created the Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Program (CSP), which provides continuity of care for people who have been treated for cancer with an interprofessional team.
4. North Shore Family Health Team
Award Category: Mental Health and Addictions
Achievement: Care coordination for patients who experience mental health struggles
North Shore FHT used an increased approval for a part-time navigator position for intake, assessment and care coordination services for patients who experience mental health and/or socio-economic struggles.
5. Wawa Family Health Team
Award Category: Spotlight Award
Achievement: Quality Patient Navigation Support
Wawa Family Health Team expanded their Medical Abortion Program to include a virtual component, serving dozens of urban women, in addition to local patients.
Congratulations to all our winners and nominees! And to see all our nominees please visit the 2022 Hall of Fame.
The call for nominations for the 2023 Bright Light Awards will go out in June 2023. All AFHTO members are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Every year, on September 30, we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day to honour and commemorate survivors and ancestors who were and continue to be impacted by the tragic and painful history of residential schools. The last residential school closed in 1996 and the effects of the system and colonization are still deeply felt in communities today.
The Orange Shirt represents the stripping away of the freedoms, cultures, and practices experienced by Indigenous children and families and the opportunity to support and honor their healing journey. We keep the reconciliation process alive by commemorating this day.
AFHTO continues to observe this day of learning, listening, and remembering. Before reconciliation must come truth. We encourage our members to seek understanding about the experiences of Indigenous peoples and recognize that historical and ongoing systemic wrongs have impacts that affects us all.
Opportunities to learn, support, and show commitment to reconciliation, inclusion, and anti-racism:
If you have not yet already, enrol in the IPHCC Foundations of Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) e-learning modules to learn the importance of adopting culturally safe and appropriate practices when serving Indigenous clients and patients.
AFHTO acknowledges that we are on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
Register for #AFHTO2022 -early bird deadline today, Sep. 28!
New session
Program host and other volunteer opportunities
One of our program hosts had to cancel so we have an opening! These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca by this Friday, Sep.30 if you’re interested.
We also have volunteer opportunities onsite for deeply discounted registration, such as registration desk, attendee assistance at breakfast and lunch and wayfinding. Email us for more information by this Friday, Sep. 30.
Conference Highlights:
Q&A with Fernando Tavares, Primary Health Care Branch, Ministry of Health- for EDs and Admin Leads
AFHTO “Bright Light” Awards Ceremony – Awards will be presented at lunchtime on October 12, 2022, for a celebration recognising the outstanding patient-centred care interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario deliver. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.
Closing Plenary with Bee Quammie- The Power and Pitfalls of Resilience
Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.
We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
This Group Learning program has been reviewed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and is awaiting final certification by the College’s Ontario Chapter.
MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION
Attendance at this program entitles certified Canadian College of Health Leaders members (CHE / Fellow) to:
– Full conference, 2.5 Category II credits
– On-demand sessions, maximum of 2.75 Category II credits towards their maintenance of certification requirement.
Register for #AFHTO2022 before Sep. 28!
We are pleased to welcome Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones to the AFHTO conference this year. She will provide some opening remarks and then stay to help hand out the awards at the Bright Lights Awards Ceremony. Come and celebrate the amazing work led by our teams over the last year!
Going Hybrid- what does it mean?
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New sessions
Sessions filling up
Some concurrent sessions are nearly full. If you’ve already registered and haven’t picked your sessions yet, don’t hesitate- do it now before your preferred session is gone!
Program host and other volunteer opportunities
One of our program hosts had to cancel so we have an opening! These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca if you’re interested.
We also have volunteer opportunities onsite for deeply discounted registration, such as registration desk, attendee assistance at breakfast and lunch and wayfinding. Email us for more information.
Conference Highlights:
Q&A with Fernando Tavares, Primary Health Care Branch, Ministry of Health- for EDs and Admin Leads
Closing Plenary with Bee Quammie- The Power and Pitfalls of Resilience
Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.
We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
Featuring Bee Quammie
The Power and Pitfalls of Resilience
What if we didn’t need to be so resilient? Bee Quammie takes a new approach to addressing resilience by outlining the ongoing need to do the work for each other so that there are fewer obstacles to face that require such perseverance.
While it’s meaningful to celebrate the resilience of individuals, we must also push for change in the systems and norms that have made resilience a necessity for many. Full description here.
New sessions
Hotel deadline Sep. 19
A block of rooms at the Sheraton has been set aside at a discounted rate. Book by September 19th to take advantage of the $285 group rate (plus tax, single/double occupancy); after this date, availability and prices cannot be guaranteed. Click here to book online.
Program host and other volunteer opportunities
One of our program hosts had to cancel so we have an opening! These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca if you’re interested.
We also have volunteer opportunities onsite for deeply discounted registration, such as registration desk, attendee assistance at breakfast and lunch and wayfinding. Email us for more information.
Conference Highlights:
We’ll also release more information about other sessions so stay tuned!
Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.
We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
Time to harness that back-to-school energy and register for the conference– there are less than 3 weeks to the early bird deadline!
Networking update
Social workers can sign up for focus groups by Sep. 9. Details on this and sessions for other groups and interests here.
Volunteer opportunities
We have volunteer opportunities onsite for deeply discounted registration, such as registration desk, attendee assistance at breakfast and lunch and wayfinding. Email us for more information.
Conference Highlights:
We’ll also release more information about other sessions so stay tuned!
Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.
We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
A Fireside Chat with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health – The Role of Primary Care during the Pandemic and Beyond
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We are pleased to welcome Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Catherine Zahn, and Ontario Health CEO, Matt Anderson, to the AFHTO conference this year at our pre-conference fireside chat on Oct. 11! Together, we will have an informal conversation about the current state of health care in Ontario, including their reflection on the role of primary care during the pandemic and in the build back of the health care system in the province.
Moderated by AFHTO’s past president, Dr. Allan Grill, this session will be an important opportunity to hear about the work the government is doing. We encourage members to join and to submit questions by Sep. 23, 2022.
Want to come for free?
We have several openings for program hosts. These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca if you’re interested. Deadline Aug. 31, 2022.
Updates and deadlines
Conference Highlights:
We’ll also release more information about other sessions throughout the summer so stay tuned!
Patients and students welcome! For general information, you can visit our conference page.
We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2022 Conference!
To EDs/admin leads, board chairs and lead clinicians of AFHTO member teams
Dear members,
This morning the government released its 5-point Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery.
With a plan to focus on protecting hospital capacity and supporting long-term care, we are disappointed that there was no tangible supports for primary care as a key component in health system stability and recovery. Other than noting one way to ease emergency pressures on emergency departments- “increased access to the family health organization model of primary care will improve access to primary care and reduce demand for emergency department care”– the plan does not address the considerable backlog of mental health and addiction, chronic disease, cancer screening, and vaccination that is coming through your doors. And while primary care is only notionally addressed, mental health and addiction is not addressed at all.
AFHTO will continue to advocate with our partners to push the government and Ontario Health to add needed supports in primary care. They have acknowledged primary care is an important part of the healthcare system and know the challenges it faces, so the question remains: why is it forgotten?
Here are the highlights:
Preserving our Hospital Capacity
Providing the Right Care in the Right Place
Further Reducing Surgical Waitlists
Easing Pressure on our Emergency Departments
Further Expanding Ontario’s Health Workforce
The government notes these actions will “see faster access to health care, including lower wait times in emergency departments, lower wait times for surgical procedures and more care options right in their communities” and that “this will add up to 6,000 more health care workers. Combined with the initiatives included in the first phase of the plan that are adding 13,000 more staff, the two plans together are adding 19,000 more health care workers.” However, the actual number of health care workers that have left the system remains unknown.
AFHTO will continue to work with the government and encourages local advocacy with MPPs. Many teams have new MPPs, so now is also a good time to reach out for introductions and to provide general info about the care you provide to some of their constituents. Those MPPs can then help inform government about the critical work you do in their communities, and how important it is for a stable, effective healthcare system that provides the best care and reduces demand on hospitals.
The advocacy material from the campaign is still relevant – the advocacy is simply now to your MPP instead of multiple candidates – and members can expect more material this fall after the Community Health Compensation Working Group has completed its Ontario Community Health Market Salary Review with our compensation consultant.
Thank you for the work you all do every day. If you have any questions, please reach out to us any time.
Yours in good health,
The AFHTO Team