Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: Highlights

  • Primary Care QIPs are off to a great start

    Message to all FHTs forwarded on behalf of Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Negotiations and Accountability Management Division, Assistant Deputy Minister Susan Fitzpatrick:

    From: Potts, Ashley (MOH) On Behalf Of Fitzpatrick, Susan (MOH) Sent: May-01-13 3:48 PM Subject: Quality Improvement Plans

    The memo below is regarding primary care Quality Improvement Plans. Please share it with your members. I want to thank you all for your ongoing support of this initiative and look forward to further collaboration.

     

  • DFCM Open – family medicine resource website launched

    Today, the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto launched a website called DFCM Open. Inspired by open knowledge and collaboration initiatives, such as the open source software movement, DFCM Open (www.dfcmopen.com) will collect and store clinical, educational and research material that is created, peer-reviewed and voluntarily submitted by its faculty members and their collaborators. Presented in a state-of-the-art website, DFCM Open will provide a wide range of Canadian content focused on family medicine and primary care. DFCM Open is a resource especially for family physicians and primary care health professionals, no matter where they live or practice. It provides community family physicians with a connection to professional resources; and it is free to use. “Much more than an online binder or filing cabinet, DFCM Open is a platform from which family medicine can take flight, starting with our faculty members and extending around the world,” says Dr. Lynn Wilson, Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. “We want those in low resource settings to have access to the best of Canada’s family medicine resources; and our hope is that others will visit, learn and be inspired to take their own innovative work to the next level – and then share it,” she says.

  • Health Minister announces introduction of physiotherapy positions in FHTs

    Today Minister Matthews announced that Ontario is improving access to physiotherapy services for eligible Ontarians by changing how and where these services are provided.  Beginning August 1, 2013, the province will expand availability of community-based physiotherapy, exercise classes and falls prevention services in more locations across Ontario. Steps include integrating physiotherapy positions into primary care settings, including Family Health Teams, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, and Community Health Centres. The total number of positions is not yet known. AFHTO will be working closely with the ministry to optimize access and capacity for these physiotherapy services within FHTs. We will update AFHTO members as more information becomes available. For further information, click here to see the ministry’s announcement.

  • AFHTO 2013 Conference: Call for concurrent session and poster submissions

    You are invited to submit an abstract to present a concurrent session or poster in 8 core themes areas that showcase and support FHT Leadership in Healthcare for Ontarians. The AFHTO 2013 Conference takes place October 22-23 in Toronto. Take advantage of this opportunity to share your knowledge, discuss priority issues and identify best practices to advance a culture of leadership within FHTs.

    Due date for all concurrent session and poster abstracts is May 13 at 9:00 AM

    Click here to review submission guidelines

    Click here to submit

    Reduced registration fee for concurrent session presenters: For each approved concurrent session, up to 2 presenters will each be granted a $50 discount off the conference registration fee. (Discount does not apply for poster presentations.)

    Key dates:

    • Deadline for presentation abstracts: May 13, 2013 at 9:00AM (EST)
    • Notification of acceptance for presentation: June 14, 2013
    • Conference registration opens: late June 2013
    • AFHTO 2013 Conference: October 22 & 23, 2013

     

  • Public health guidance regarding Influenza A(H7N9) Virus in China

    Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is informing all health system partners of preparedness activities related to influenza A (H7N9):

    • To date the World Health Organization has announced a total of 60 cases of infection with influenza A (H7N9), and 13 deaths, all in China. WHO is not recommending special screening at points of entry or travel/ trade restrictions with respect to this event.
    • The Public Health Agency of Canada posted a Level 2 travel health notice for Canadians planning travel to China. PHAC’s current assessment of public health risk in Canada is low.
    • MOHLTC activated its Emergency Operations Centre in order to facilitate information sharing and monitoring with other governments and the health care system.
    • MOHLTC continues to work with its partners to develop contingency plans in the event that the risk posed by influenza A(H7N9) increases.
    • Health system partners and health providers who have questions related to influenza A (H7N9) are encouraged to contact the ministry at 1-866-212-2272.
    • Click here to access Influenza A(H7N9) Guidance for Health Workers

    Click here to access the Ministry’s information page, where all future updates will be posted.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Strategic direction for AFHTO is renewed

    The AFHTO board is pleased to announce the renewed vision, mission and strategic priorities to guide our work on behalf of our members over the next 2 – 3 years. Please click here for more information. AFHTO members may also click here to learn more about how this Strategic Direction will be operationalized in the next year.

  • FHTs continue to play key role in Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care

    One year after releasing Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care, Health Minister Deb Matthews presented her progress report today.  She called it a plan for “fundamental transformation” that puts “family health care at the centre of the system.”

    Government’s news release and the Action Plan for Health Care One Year Progress Report both continue to highlight as a key achievement –  “200 Family Health Teams in operation serving nearly 3 million Ontarians and growing.” (FYI – This represents close to 22% of Ontarians, up from 20% 18 months ago.)

    The Minister’s speech emphasized the important partnership the new Physician Services agreement has created, since it has made “a commitment to continuous quality improvement for patients.”  She also re-iterated the goal announced in last week’s release of the Seniors’ Strategy that every senior be attached to a primary care provider, and the expansion of house calls. The creation of Health Links and hospital funding reform were the other two topics she highlighted in her speech. (FYI – Seven of the 19 early adopter Health Links are being coordinated by FHTs.)

    The Minister continues to be full of praise and gratitude to the people working in Ontario’s health system and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. With the Liberal leadership convention to be held in 10 days, she made the point of stating, “I do know each of the six candidates is committed to the Action Plan. … Government will continue to forge ahead with it.”

  • Wise Elephant and West Carleton FHTs win Canada Health Infoway Momentum Awards

    Congratulations to the Wise Elephant and West Carleton Family Health Teams, first and third-place winners in Canada Health Infoway’s ImagineNation Outcomes Challenge, competing in the Patient Access to Health Information category against teams across the country.

    Wise Elephant Family Health Team Dr. Sanjeev Goel and the team at Wise Elephant Family Health Team in Brampton, Ontario developed a patient portal that is updated automatically using data directly from the patient’s electronic medical record; ensuring information is always up-to-date and accurate without manual data entry. With immediate access to information such as lab results, medication lists and upcoming preventative screenings, the portal helps patients ensure all their caregivers have the information they need to give that patient the best possible care. It also helps to empower patients to manage their own health, by giving them quick and easy access to their health information and other resources in a format that’s easy to understand.

    West Carleton Family Health Team The West Carleton Family Health Team from Carp, Ontario launched an online patient health portal, where any of their 16,500 patients can securely view information that is stored in their electronic medical record (EMR), such as lab results and immunization information. The portal also provides patients with tools to help them play a more active role in managing their own health. For example, patients can use the portal to track their weight, waist size and blood pressure. According to Director of Operations, Dave Sellers, the portal is an invaluable tool for patients – especially those who are managing chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes. In fact, patients log on from as far away as British Columbia and Florida to view and track results!

    About the ImagineNation Outcomes Challenge

    The ImagineNation Outcomes Challenge seeks to accelerate the use and spread of innovative solutions in health care information and communication technologies (ICT) in four key areas (e-Scheduling, Patient Access to Health Information, Medication Reconciliation and Clinical Synoptic Reporting) with the potential to improve health care quality and the patient experience in Canada. The three teams in each category of the ImagineNation Outcomes Challenge who had the greatest increase in users between January and October 2012 received Momentum Awards.

    See the full news release here.

  • Using OTN to support patients with Chronic Kidney Disease – Peninsula FHT’s story

    Peninsula Family Health Team’s innovative work to connect its rural population to specialist support is featured in this week’s Healthy Debate. Go to http://healthydebate.ca/opinions/telemedicine.

  • Sherbourne and North York FHTs honoured for their work by Cancer Quality Council of Ontario

    Innovation Award Winner – Sherbourne Health Centre, Infirmary Program The Sherbourne Health Centre, which encompasses the Sherbourne Family Health Team, was honoured for developing an innovative program to provide chemo and radiation therapies to individuals experiencing homelessness, or those with no real ‘home’. These patients face significant barriers to accessing mainstream treatment. Even those in shelters or rooming houses lack a sufficiently safe or hygienic environment, and cannot appropriately dispose of the toxic chemotherapeutic waste. Since 2011, Sherbourne’s Infirmary, supported by their FHT, has enabled Ontario oncologists to confidently implement treatment plans for a number of homeless or vulnerably housed individuals, who may otherwise have been refused treatment or struggled to fit into care options. The initiative has produced integrated care from a coordinated team of CCAC, oncologists and Sherbourne staff, to ensure a seamless transition between hospital, shelter and infirmary settings. Innovation Award Honourable Mention – North York Family Health Team & North York General Hospital The North York Family Health Team Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Program is a collaborative partnership with North York General Hospital (NYGH) to provide nurse practitioner-led (NP) patient-centred care for patients who have completed active treatment for colorectal cancer and require five year surveillance for cancer recurrence or metastases. The program has reduced duplication of care provided by multiple specialists, resulted in fewer specialist appointments billed to OHIP, reduced costly duplication of tests and streamlined care into one location provided by one healthcare professional. The program has shifted the roles in survivorship care from a physician-driven hospital model to a community based NP-led environment. See all Cancer Quality Ontario 2012 award recipients here.