Dr. John McDonald, a 2014 Bright Lights Award recipient is interviewed for a profile on his work providing inter-professional health care to patients and promoting the system across Ontario and beyond in the Brantford Expositor. Click here to read the full article.
Tag: Highlights
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Governance principles for primary care teams
Family Health Teams and Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics have matured over the 5 – 9 years that each organization has been in existence. Contracts between MOHLTC and FHTs expire on March 31, 2016, with this comes the opportunity to develop a much more mature and meaningful approach to governing these organizations, from the Ministry and through to the board of each FHT and NPLC, to deliver high-quality primary care and improve the health of people in the communities served.
Principles to guide our way forward
Principles for governance of primary care organizations
Given the strong level of support indicated through the survey of leaders of AFHTO member organizations AFHTO adopts the following governance principles: FHTs and NPLCs are not-for-profit corporations in a health system mandated to provide appropriate, equitable, sustainable care. Their boards:
- Are accountable to the patients, funders and members of their organization.
- Ensure their organizations are appropriately managed and advocate for appropriate resources so that patients can access high-quality comprehensive care that is sustainably delivered and strives to meet patient and public expectations.
- Ensure the culture of their organization supports development of high-functioning interprofessional teams.
- Provide leadership to harmonize and optimize policies and practices for effective and efficient teamwork within the organization and with other entities contributing to the health and health care of the organization’s patients and community.
- Provide leadership and collaborate with other organizations to spread best practice and encourage growth in capacity so that all Ontarians can have access to high quality interprofessional comprehensive primary care.
- Ensure that patients and community members are engaged in the development of programs and services.
These principles describe the more mature relationship the leaders of AFHTO’s member organizations want to have with their funders, members, staff and other stakeholders. They will guide AFHTO’s work in advocacy and in developing learning opportunities and support for members to succeed in their roles as governors and leaders.
Principles for accountability and reporting to funders
The strength of the survey results also lead AFHTO to adopt the following principles for accountability and reporting to funders. These principles will guide AFHTO’s advocacy with government, on behalf of members, on development of the next set of contract templates:
- Financial and clinical reporting should minimize duplication in data collection and reporting.
- Accountability should be defined in terms of collectively agreed upon measures that reflect value delivered.
- Reporting requirements should place more emphasis on the work of the team to achieve outcomes and less on individual member activities and patient encounters.
Principles for determining accountability measures
While AFHTO members are strongly in favour of accountability and reporting based on meaningful measures, they are also cautious about how these measures will be determined. Leaders who attended the Oct. 15 leadership session provided the following guidance on principles for determining accountability measures that should be followed by AFHTO, the Ministry and any other stakeholders involved in the process:
- MOHLTC must engage in a collaborative process to define outcome measures to be used for reporting.
- Input from providers/engagement of AFHTO membership is essential.
- MOHTLC must provide adequate support so that FHTs/NPLCs have the capacity (i.e. the people and technology needed) to collect and report their data.
- Measures must be meaningful, measurable, consistent and comparable.
- More specifically, measures must be evidence-based, clinically important, include process and outcome, be easy-to-track on an on-going basis, clearly defined and standardized for meaningful comparisons, and aligned with other Ministry priorities and reporting requirements.
- Measures must also incorporate patient experience, and involve patients in what the measures will be.
- The approach to accountability measurement must be sufficiently flexible to account for variation in patient complexity and their social determinants of health, in regional and rural-urban settings, and in size and maturity of teams.
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Kingston FHT psychologist’s work in insomnia therapy profiled
Dr. Judith Davidson, a 2014 Bright Lights Award recipient for her treatment of patients with chronic insomnia, is interviewed for a profile exploring her use of cognitive behavioural therapy in the Kingston Whig Standard and the Queen’s Gazette. Click below to read the full articles.
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AFHTO 2014 Conference: In Partnership with Patients
- “Nothing about me without me.” At the close of the AFHTO 2014 Conference, Dr Tia Pham, lead physician at the South East Toronto FHT, reminded the audience of these famous words on patient partnership from Don Berwick, founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
- “It’s the patient’s experience that counts.” Concluding comments from Dr Joshua Tepper, CEO of Health Quality Ontario and physician at the St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT, at the Bright Lights Awards dinner.
- “May I help you?” Advice from patient/caregiver advocate, Sandra Dalziel, for putting up a simple sign in clinics that communicate a critical message and core value to patients and staff.
- “Caregivers are the unpaid jewels of the healthcare system.” An important reminder from patient/caregiver advocate Sara Shearkhani, on the need to fully engage with them as key members of the patient’s team.
Close to 900 people took part in the AFHTO 2014 Conference – In Partnership with Patients: True Integration of Care.
Proceedings were opened by the Honourable Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins, who spoke to the key role FHTs and NPLCs are making in the transformation of Ontario’s health system. As he closed, he acknowledged the key challenge of recruiting and retaining staff in these organizations. “This is very much front of mind for me,” he told the audience, and AFHTO followed up with a media release to give public reinforcement to this need. Much of the Minister’s speech focused on one of the three core themes of his mandate – “Putting patients at the centre.” This theme ran throughout the conference from Dr. Sholom Glouberman’s thought provoking opening to the closing panel discussion – “In partnership with patients: How far have we come? How far must we go?” Themes of partnership shone throughout the conference with the 48 concurrent sessions; 74 poster presentations; 15 networking sessions for the various types of health professionals working in primary care teams; the leadership session attended by 200 executives, lead clinicians and board members from AFHTO member organization; and the 5 EMR User Sessions spearheaded by AFHTO’s communities of practice partnering with EMR vendors.
The AFHTO annual conference is the best learning and networking opportunity for people who work in and with family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics and others providing comprehensive, interprofessional primary care. Please help us to continue:
- Submit your evaluation survey: If you didn’t fill in the form at the conference, please take a moment to do so now.
- Book your calendar NOW for the next AFHTO conference on October 28-29, 2015, once again at the Westin Harbour Castle.
The value of the AFHTO 2014 Conference continues.
Click on the links below to access:
- Slide presentations from the concurrent session and poster gallery (updated 2024)
- Application for Certificate of Attendance
- Please complete and return the form to apply. This certificate may be used to apply for up to 10.25 CME Mainpro-M1 credits and maintenance of certification for Certified Canadian College of Health Leaders members for 4.75 Category II credits.
- Winners and photos from the AFHTO 2014 Bright Light Awards
- AFHTO Annual Report to the Members – October 2014
- Names and biographies of AFHTO’s newly-elected 2014-15 Board of Directors
Thanks once again to the volunteers who contributed to the success of the AFHTO 2014 Conference – speakers, working group members, program hosts, networking hosts, registration desk volunteers. Thank you as well to our sponsors and exhibitors. It’s truly an honour and pleasure to work with so many highly talented, enthusiastic and committed people across the AFHTO community. We look forward to seeing you next year – October 28-29, 2015!
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AFHTO calls for quick action on government’s Primary Care Guarantee
800 Primary Care Providers meet in Toronto to share best practices and push for enhanced primary care.
Toronto, ON (October 16, 2014): The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO) called for the Wynne government to take quick action to implement one of its election commitments: a guarantee that every Ontarian has access to primary care. “The evidence is in. When patients have access to high quality, team-based primary care they stay healthier longer, get sick less, and we save the health system money by staying out of hospital,” said Angie Heydon, Executive Director of AFHTO. “Evidence from around the world, and more recently in Ontario, demonstrates that the introduction of primary care teams are providing patients with better care, at the best value.” The Association’s members provide primary care in over 200 communities, serving over 3.5 million patients throughout Ontario. AFHTO announced support for the government’s election commitment to guarantee timely access to primary care in Ontario. They also rolled out several key solutions they believe will help ensure the government meets the commitment:
- Introduce immediate measures to help primary care teams recruit and retain health care professionals like dietitians and nurse practitioners that are leaving primary care
- Expand access to interprofessional primary care teams in the province
- Enhance the capacity of primary care teams to measure and track patient outcomes
The Association’s annual conference is taking place October 15 and 16 in Toronto. During the conference AFHTO also announced their third annual Bright Lights Awards, which recognize individuals for their leadership and work to improve the value of services delivered by primary care teams in Ontario. Winners were selected from over 60 submissions in a nomination process that took place in August of this year. A full list of winners can be found below. Profiles of the winners and their work are detailed here. About AFHTO: The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario is a not for profit organization representing Ontario’s interprofessional primary care teams. AFHTO works to support the implementation and growth of primary care teams by promoting best practices, sharing lessons learned, and advocating on their behalf. Evidence and experience shows that team-based comprehensive primary care is delivering better health and better value to patients.
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AFHTO’s 2014 Annual Report to the Members is now available
The 2014 Annual Report gives insight into the progress of AFHTO members – family health teams and nurse practitioner-led clinics – collectively supported by their association, to move toward their shared vision. This is a vision where all Ontarians would have timely access to high-quality and comprehensive primary care, and that care is informed by the social determinants of health, delivered by collaborative teams in partnership with patients and communities, and anchored in an integrated, equitable and sustainable system. The association’s achievements are firmly grounded in AFHTO’s strategic priorities. These priorities are squarely focused on ensuring members are supported in all the key factors required to optimize quality and value – governance and leadership, measurement and improvement, integration and support for care delivery, and the ability to recruit and retain staff. Read about the past year’s achievements in each of these strategic priorities – click on the link to go to AFHTO’s 2014 Annual Report to the Members.
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AFHTO 2014 Conference: Minister & keynote speakers confirmed; Registration still open
We are very pleased to welcome the Hon. Dr. Eric Hoskins and other keynote speakers: Special Keynote: Hon. Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Dr. Eric Hoskins was first elected to the Ontario legislature as the MPP for St. Paul’s in 2009. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2014. Minister Hoskins currently serves as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. He was appointed as Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment in February 2013. He has previously served as Minister of Children and Youth Services and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Minister Hoskins is also a renowned humanitarian, family doctor and a proud Ontarian with a long and dedicated record of public service. Opening Plenary: “In Partnership with Patients” Wednesday, October 15, 2014 from 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM 
Dr. Sholom Glouberman, President of Patients Canada Dr. Sholom Glouberman, President of Patients Canada and Philosopher-in-Residence at Toronto’s Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, will lead conference participants in a thought-provoking exercise designed to prepare you for the conference sessions ahead and challenge you to think differently about how we plan and deliver primary care. Dr. Sholom Glouberman is a well-respected and knowledgeable health care systems policy analyst and teacher, and he is the president and founder of Patients Canada. In 2005, Sholom underwent a major surgical procedure and became a patient. He thought he could manage his experience as a patient in the system, but he was wrong. He now works to create a whole new education for patients – however sophisticated they are – to cope with the complexities and difficulties posed by being a patient in the system for any length of time. He believes that strengthening the patient voice is critical to improving everyone’s healthcare experience. Closing Plenary: “In partnership with patients: How far have we come? How far must we go?” Thursday, October 16, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Ask the experts: What do patients think about the innovations and knowledge shared at this “In Partnership with Patients” conference? A group of thoughtful and articulate patients will join Sholom Glouberman, President of Patients Canada, and Cathy Fooks, CEO of the Change Foundation and senior health leaders to reflect on what they saw and heard in the conference sessions. From their perspective – Where did they see promising progress? What is their advice for strengthening the patient-provider partnership and optimizing the patient experience? Click here for plenary description and further details. Register for the AFHTO Conference today!- Click here to view the conference program.
- Register you and your team for the conference before 5pm today
- Reserve a room at the Westin Harbour Castle – group rate available until 5pm today
- Book discounted travel arrangements with Porter Airlines and/or VIA Rail Canada
We look forward to seeing you there!
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AFHTO 2014 Conference: One week left to register at “early-bird” rate, prices go up at 5pm on Sept. 22
Book by September 22 to take advantage of discounted rates
AFHTO has obtained an extension for preferred accommodation rates at The Westin Harbour Castle, and so the deadline for reduced rates for conference registration is also extended. Register for the conference: To qualify for early-bird rates, payment must be received by Sept. 22, at 5:00 PM EST. As of Sept. 22 all conference registration fees increase by $75 per person; Awards Dinner fee increases by $25 per person. Members must enter a validation code for further discounts. Discounted travel and accommodation arrangements for conference attendees:
- Reserve a room at the group rate of $199 per night by September 22, 2014 at 5:00 PM EST. Room rate and availability cannot be guaranteed after this date.
- Book discounted travel arrangements with Porter Airlines and/or VIA Rail Canada.
AFHTO members – take advantage of additional FREE programs available to you immediately before the conference:
- Profession-based programs to develop relationships and share experiences with peers from across Ontario
- For board chairs/members, executive directors and lead MD/NPs of AFHTO member organizations. (Please note these are not open to other FHT/NPLC team members):
- Towards the Next Ministry Contract: This 2-hour facilitated session is designed to develop a common statement of principles and a set of agreed priorities to guide AFHTO’s advocacy on behalf of members. It will build on findings from a survey of FHT/NPLC leaders (to go out by Sept.17).
- Effective Governance for Quality in Primary Care: This is evidence-based training program is delivered by delivered by FHT and NPLC peer leaders. Click for more information on the session and to register.
- NOTE: QIDS Specialist Professional Development Program is being deferred to later this year.
Go to the AFHTO 2014 Conference webpage for conference program details and frequently asked questions. Conference Highlights:
- View the Conference Schedule-at-a-Glance for the overall agenda
- 48 concurrent sessions (listed by time and listed by theme) and 72 posters in 7 thematic streams
- Updated list of EMR User Sessions now available, sessions are hosted by the Community of Practice for each EMR vendor to explore common practices and challenges in EMR use.
- Education Credits available:
- This program has been reviewed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and is awaiting final accreditation by the College’s Ontario Chapter.
- Attendance at this program entitles certified Canadian College of Health Leaders members (CHE / Fellow) to 4.75 Category II credits toward their maintenance of certification requirement.