Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: Highlights

  • April 5th Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out

    In This Issue:

    • Vaccinating in Primary Care
    • COVaxON
    • Primary Care Community of Practice
    • COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care
    • Provincial Antigen Screening Program
    • COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches
    • COVID-19 Learning Opportunities
    • New Resources
    • Relevant Ministry Guidance Documents for Primary Care

    Dear Members,
    We are writing to provide you with an update from our united Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative (PC-VAC*). March 26th key messages we shared with vaccine decision-makers can be found here.  

    The April 1st Update on COVID-19 Projections from the Science Table paints a very grim picture for the upcoming month. The third wave is here, and it is being driven by the Variants of Concern (VOC) where we are seeing younger Ontarians ending up in hospitals, with ICU beds at full capacity. The update also highlights that the vaccine rollout has not reached the highest risk communities where there are high rates of COVID-19.

    The Primary Care Collaborative had an opportunity to speak about the rollout challenges at the Associate Minister’s Collaboration Table with a deliberate ask – please employ an equity lens NOW and make sure vaccines are going to those who need it the most, in the communities where they live. Ensure primary care is front and center in that rollout to get more #NeedlesInArms.

    Vaccinating in Primary Care
    Ontario is expanding pharmacy and primary care locations for COVID-19 vaccinations. Approximately 120,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been allocated to public health and primary care practices in the 34 regions. The clinics have already heard or will hear directly from their public health units about when to expect the vaccines in their practices.

    We are currently working with government to ensure that all thirty-four public health units also allocate Moderna and other vaccines to primary care settings soon, learning from regions like Kingston, Frontenac, Lenox & Addington (KFLA) and Lambton where utilization of Moderna is part of the norm.

    COVaxON
    If you will be vaccinating in your clinic or are involved in future rollouts, please sign up for COVaxON training on the OntarioMD website. Training will be scheduled on an ongoing basis. OntarioMD is suggesting that each practice have one or more (depending on the size of practice) member of their staff trained on the ‘End to End Training’ module.

    Primary Care Community of Practice
    Ontario Health (OH) and your primary care associations have collected resources and lessons learned through a series of Community of Practice meetings with the primary care pilot participants. Please join the Primary Care Vaccination Pilot CoP online forum for resources. If you have trouble signing up for Quorum, please message janine.theben@ontarioehealth.ca for assistance.

    COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care
    Ontario Health is providing tools and resources for COVID@Home to help primary care providers who wish to remotely monitor people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 in the community. For further guidance on the implementation of this initiative at a site level, please refer to the Ontario Health resource toolkit COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care, which includes clinical pathways as well as instructions for the use and proper handling in collecting and disinfecting the monitors for use by the next patient.

    To request oxygen saturation monitors for the COVID@Home initiative, please complete the Oxygen Saturation Monitor Eligibility and Intake Form. Requests will then be reviewed for eligibility purposes by Ontario Health, prior to fulfilling requests. Please note that the Ministry of Health reserves the right to limit quantities as needed.

    Provincial Antigen Screening Program
    The Provincial Antigen Screening Program allows employers in priority settings to add an additional safety measure in high-risk and essential workplaces, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Through the program, rapid antigen point-of-care tests (POCTs) can be distributed to primary care settings to enhance existing routine screening measures for asymptomatic employees and other identified groups.

    Rapid antigen POCTs may allow for workplaces to proactively identify cases of COVID-19 that may have otherwise been missed, supporting employee safety and business continuity in a variety of workplaces. In addition, primary care practices are also eligible to access the diagnostic point-of-care rapid testing with ID Now that can be used to diagnose COVID-19 in symptomatic patients. Please click here for more information or contact Heather Nichol if you have any questions.

    COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches
    The eHealth Centre of Excellence has updated the COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches for Telus PSS EMR. The COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches version 2.0 was built to service Phase 2 in the Ontario COVID-19 vaccination plan. You can find more information on this phase here, and can download the latest tool version here.

    If you are interested in further training or a review of the upgraded version, you can schedule a Coaching Session to answer any questions. All Coaching Sessions are free of charge and are accredited by CFPC for Mainpro+ CPD credits.
    COVID-19 Learning Opportunities

    Updated COVID-19 vaccination e-learning series

    • The COVID-19 vaccination e-learning series has been updated with a new module called “Emerging Topics”. The new module includes information on the impact of variants on vaccination, transmission post-vaccination, the four-month dosing interval, and the latest information about AstraZeneca and VIPIT. It is free to access following a short registration here.

    The COVID-19 Vaccine: Building vaccine confidence in the Black community, evolving guidance, and more
    The next Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) Community of Practice will be on Friday, April 9, 2021 at 8:00-9:00am (ET). They will be continuing our discussion on COVID-19 vaccines, this time focusing on building vaccine confidence in the Black community. As usual, the panelists will also be speaking about the latest changes in guidance and policy and answering the questions you have. Register here.

    New Resources:

    Relevant Ministry Guidance Documents for Primary Care:
    Below are the reference and guidance documents developed by the Ministry of Health that are relevant to primary care for your reference.

    Vaccine Prioritization Resources:

    1. Guidance for Prioritizing Health Care Workers for COVID-19 Vaccination
    2. Phase 2 Prioritization for COVID-19 Vaccination

     Health Care Provider Education Documents:

    1. COVID-19 Vaccine Approval Process and Safety
    2. About COVID-19 Vaccines
    3. COVID-19 Vaccine Availability and Rollout
    4. COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sheet
    5. Extension of the Second Dose Interval Memo

     General Immunization Documents for Patients:

    1. What you need to know about your COVID-19 vaccine appointment
    2. After Your COVID-19 Vaccine
    3. COVID-19 What you need to know V2.0

    General Immunization Documents for Immunizers and Vaccine Clinics:

    1. COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Operations Planning Checklist
    2. Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidance- Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines
    3. Administration of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
    4. Administration of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
    5. Administration of AstraZeneca COVID-19/COVISHIELD Vaccine
    6. COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for Special Populations
    7. COVID-19 Vaccination: Allergy Form

    Consent for COVID-19 Vaccination Documents:

    1. Pre-Screening Assessment Tool for Health Care Providers
    2. COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form

    Find resources from previous weeks here.

    We look forward to continually updating you on the provincial vaccination strategy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or ideas.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

    *Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative Partners 

    • Alliance for Healthier Communities
    • Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    • Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association/Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
    • Ontario College of Family Physicians
    • Ontario Medical Association Section on General and Family Practice
    • Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine
  • The Primary Care Collaborative

    The Primary Care Collaborative

    Primary Care Collaborative logos

     

    COVID-19 shows the vital roles primary care providers play every day for community health and wellbeing and health system cooperation in Ontario

     

    Toronto, March 29, 2021 – During COVID-19, we see again and again across Ontario that communities – from people living in large urban centres to smaller cities to towns and rural areas – depend on their local family physicians, family health teams, community health centres, Indigenous primary health care teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, and other primary care providers in a public health crisis. These providers and organizations are, quite literally, lifelines for the people they serve. The trusted relationships people have with their family doctors, nurse practitioners, healers, mental health professionals and other primary care providers are at the core of local COVID-19 responses, from testing and other direct COVID-19 care, to supports for food security and chronic disease management, to providing credible and culturally safe vaccination information, to knowing how to care for themselves and their loved ones. When the challenges have never been bigger, and the isolation unlike at any other time in our lives, your community providers are there.

    Today, we are announcing we’ve formed the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC), an alliance of comprehensive primary care organizations joined together by common purpose to build on the collaborative work of COVID-19 as we move towards recovery in a time of health system transformation.

    Together, our organizations represent more than 20,000 primary care providers and team members. As Ontario’s primary care providers continue to support their communities through trusted local relationships, partnerships with social services and other providers, and by working with decision makers, we’re committed to ensuring that health system policies and funding acknowledge primary care’s vital role and place in community health and wellbeing. Speaking with one voice, we will advance shared priorities in primary care such as expanded access to teams and better links to home care and mental health supports. The PCC knows that for health care integration and transformation to work for people – for those using the health system and those looking for services to stay well – primary care needs to be the foundation of Ontario’s health system. Robust and well-supported primary care is the heart of all world-class health systems, and people living in Ontario should expect no less. During COVID-19, this is a given. In recovery, when many echo effects of the pandemic will be felt for years to come, it will be of utmost importance.

    QUOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE PRIMARY CARE COLLABORATIVE

    “The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council appreciates the importance of this collaborative opportunity to strengthen and unify the voice of primary care practitioners across the province. Primary care is the foundation for a high quality, sustainable and integrated system; evidence shows that jurisdictions with high performing primary care place it at the centre of health care delivery. The IPHCC is especially thankful to our partners in the PCC for recognizing that our community-driven Indigenous-governed interprofessional primary care models include Traditional healers and Cultural Service Providers. This is an integral part of promoting a wholistic approach to health and wellbeing for Indigenous people. Great things can happen when the right people come together, and I look forward to advancing our vision for a robust health care system that addresses not just the physical wellbeing of an individual but to the social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of the whole community.” Caroline Lidstone-Jones, CEO, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council

    “The Alliance for Healthier Communities’ member centres provide community-based comprehensive primary health care across Ontario, and they are essential to addressing barriers to health and wellbeing that marginalized populations face. Health equity – that is, the idea that everyone deserves a chance to live their healthiest life, but that many people face barriers to doing so – is only achievable where trusted relationships can be built in and by the community. The Alliance is committed to working with our partners in the PCC to ensure the cornerstone of our health system – primary care – can continue to step up for the people in Ontario who face barriers. We have seen throughout the pandemic that we are stronger when we work together, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to build a better future.” Sarah Hobbs, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities

    “The Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association is proud to be working with this strong group of primary care association leaders. Often a person’s first point of contact with the health care system, primary care is integral for the health and wellbeing of not only patients, but also the communities in which they live. NPLCs have focused on whole person care since our inception, with nurse practitioner leadership at all levels of the organization. By coming together, this collaborative will provide a united voice for primary care and will allow for us to advocate for health care initiatives across the province.” Jennifer Clement, Past-President, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association

    “Across the world, cost-effective and high-performing health systems share a common characteristic – they are based on a foundation of comprehensive primary care, which is supported through a team. Primary care is the first point of contact into the health system; jurisdictions that commit to robust investments in primary care are able to move quicker into achieving the Quintuple Aim, ensuring there is a lens towards equitable and accessible care, close to home. AFHTO is pleased to be working with our comprehensive primary care partners to ensure there is a unified voice for primary care, especially as we move towards the daunting task of post-pandemic recovery. We know that this work can only be achieved if we truly work together and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration.” Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

    “Ontarians turn to primary care more often than any other part of the health system. Providing high-quality care is truly a team sport. The Ontario College of Family Physicians is pleased to be working together with our primary care partners to create a unified voice – as family physicians, nurse practitioners, interprofessional healthcare providers and team-based primary care. This collaboration will only strengthen our ability to achieve comprehensive, continuous, coordinated and equitable health care for all patients and families across Ontario as envisioned by the Patient’s Medical Home.” Leanne Clarke, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians

    “Primary care is foundational to a high performing healthcare system, and the sector is stronger when it is united. This is why the Ontario Medical Association Section on General & Family Practice (SGFP) is so pleased to be part of this newly formed Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) with our partners that also support comprehensive primary care. SGFP represents the 15,000 family doctors in Ontario in advocacy and negotiations and is dedicated to building a united vision for a more integrated, equitable and unified sector. We know that there are many challenges ahead for the healthcare system, and this past year has underscored that incredible things can happen when strong leaders come together in shared purpose. By working collaboratively during much of this pandemic, the PCC has been successful in collectively advocating for and advancing solutions that have made a positive impact on the sector and the health and wellbeing of Ontarians. SGFP is looking forward to continuing to work with PCC to bring out the best in care for Ontarians and to support primary care to thrive in our province.” Dr. David Schieck, Ontario Medical Association, Section on General & Family Practice

    Return to: Primary Care Collaborative Updates

     

    Media contact for interview requests, comments or inquiries:

    Paula Myers,

    Manager, Membership and Communications

    Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

    Email: paula.myers@afhto.ca

    Phone: (647) 234-8605 extension 1200

     

  • Joint Letter on Vaccine dose intervals for Indigenous populations

    To:    Premier Doug Ford
    Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier, Minster of Health

    Cc:    Dr. Dirk Huyer, Coordinator, Provincial Outbreak Response
    Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs
    Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health (MOH)

    Re: Changes to dosing schedule for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution to Urban Indigenous populations

    March 26, 2021

    Dear Premier Ford and Minister Elliott,

    We write to you today, urgently, with regards to the announcement made on March 18, 2021 that, while on-reserve First Nations people will receive their second vaccine doses within 21-28 days, those living in urban areas will have to wait up to four months for their second doses.

    Indigenous adults were prioritized within the vaccine framework with good reason; due to historical health barriers linked to colonialism and continued pervasive anti-Indigenous racism, Indigenous people living everywhere in Ontario – on reserve and in urban areas – face health vulnerabilities that others living in Ontario do not. For those living in urban areas, this includes higher rates of homelessness and transient housing, overcrowded housing, and poor health status, among other factors. In addition, there are still many Indigenous people living in urban areas who have yet to receive their first shots. This sudden change to the priority of Indigenous people undercuts the confidence and trust in the vaccines themselves, and in the system that is distributing them, as well as the providers tasked with reaching marginalized Indigenous people. This is, simply put, unacceptable, and frankly avoidable.

    We are standing in solidarity with the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council and asking that, at bare minimum, those Indigenous people living in urban areas who’ve already received their first doses of vaccines be grandfathered in, and permitted to receive their second doses within 21-28 days. This allows for continuity of care, and confidence in this process and the vaccine itself.

    Premier, Minister, there is already mistrust mounting in Indigenous communities because of this confusion. There are different approaches being taken across Public Health Units, further adding to the potential for miscommunication and misinterpreted guidance. These moments risk seeing the spread of COVID-19 into First Nations communities, and creating more challenges for all. Urban Indigenous vaccine strategies must be delivered consistently across the province to avoid these ambiguities and variances in the delivery of COVID-19 care for the Indigenous population.
     
    As many Alliance members serve urban Indigenous populations across the province, alongside the members of the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, we look forward to working with you to ensure that the clearest possible plan and strategies can be enabled to ensure the safety of all Indigenous communities in the province.

    Sincerely,

    Sarah Hobbs, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities
    Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario Leanne Clarke, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians

    cc.:
    Shawn Batise, Deputy Minister, Indigenous Affairs
    Nadia Surani, Acting Director, Primary Care Branch, Ministry of Health

    See the pdf version here.

  • Overview of the 2021 Ontario Government Budget

    2021 Ontario Budget – Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy
    An overview of the Ontario government’s budget

    March 25, 2021

    Overview
    Yesterday, March 24, the government released the 2021 Ontario Budget entitled “Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy.” This budget builds on the investments announced last March in “Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19” and on the 2020 budget that was introduced last November. It has two major areas of focus:

    • Protecting People’s Health: An allocation of $16.3B to protect people’s health, including more than $1B to support the administration, distribution, and roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine and $2.3B in 2021-22 for a comprehensive testing strategy.
    • Protecting Our Economy: An investment of $23.3B to support families, workers, and small businesses impacted by the public health measures put in place to manage the spread of the virus.

    The $16.3B for health care and $23.3B for the economy, makes total direct support $39.6B. An additional $11.3B was announced to improve cash flow for people and businesses. This makes the total supports committed by the government to be $51B over four years.

    AFHTO is disappointed that there were no funding announcements made to support primary care or team-based primary care. Post-pandemic recovery cannot happen without investments in the community and within primary care, and the sector needs help to improve the health and well-being of all Ontarians.

    There were also no investments in paid sicks days for people who can’t afford to stay home when sick. There were some mental health and vulnerable populations supports although they were not significant, and none flow directly to primary care.

    We will continue to work with our partners and to advocate for the importance of primary care in the pandemic response and the integral role the sector plays in supporting the most vulnerable populations. We thank you for all the work you do, day in and day out, to support your patients and your communities.   

    Here is an overview of the budget:

    Protecting People’s Health

    • Defeating COVID-19
      • $1B for a province-wide vaccination plan.
      • $2.3B for testing and contact tracing.
      • $1.4B for PPE, including more than 315 million masks and 1.2 billion gloves.
      • An additional $5.1B has been invested in hospitals since the pandemic began, including $1.8B announced for 2021-22 to continue providing care for COVID-19, to address surgical backlog, and to address current patient needs.
      • $3.7 million in 2021–22 to help remove transportation barriers for persons with disabilities and older adults with limited mobility to travel to their vaccination appointments.
      •  $50 million to support community‐led vaccination efforts in First Nations and urban Indigenous communities.
      • Ontario has invested over $100 million in IPAC funding and, building on this investment, is investing $50 million in 2021–22 to ensure IPAC resources and expertise are available across the health system, including hospitals and public health units.
    • Fixing long-term care
      • $933M over four years, for a total of $2.6B, to support building 30,000 new long-term care beds.
      • $246M over the next four years to improve living conditions in existing homes, including providing air conditioning.
      • $4.9B over four years to increase average direct daily care to four hours a day and to hire more than 27,000 providers, including PSWs and nurses.
      • Expanding the Community Paramedicine for Long-term Care Program by investing $160M over three years to support 33 communities.
    • Caring for People
      • An additional $175M for 2021-22 for people struggling with mental health and addiction problems. This is a part of the already announced $3.8B over 10 years.
      • There will be an additional $2.1M over three years to support victims of crime, such as domestic violence and human trafficking.
      • $12.5M over three years to enhance mental health services available to OPP staff.
      • Four new mobile mental health clinics across the province.
      • $8.4M over three years in a crisis call diversion program to provide supports, which may include diversion to appropriate mental health services. Mental health workers will be embedded in OPP communications centres.
      • $1.6M over two years to support the Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Group program.

    Protecting Our Economy

    • Supporting workers and families
      • Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit for 2021 of up to $2,000 per recipient for a total of roughly $260M.
      • Supporting parents with a child benefit through a third round of payments, totaling $1.8B since last March. The payment will be $400 per child and $500 for each child with special needs.
      • To support parents with childcare and getting back to work, a 20% enhancement of the CARE tax credit is proposed for 2021.
      • A Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit for 2021 to provide an estimated $30M in support for about 27,000 seniors.
    • Supporting jobs:
      • A second round of the Ontario Small Business Support Grant payments, from which approximately 120,000 small businesses will benefit from an additional $1.7B in relief.
      • $400M over three years to the tourism, hospitality, and culture industries.
      • Ontario is investing $2.8 billion in broadband, bringing the province’s total investment to nearly $4 billion over six years, beginning in 2019-20.
      • Temporarily enhancing the Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit with an additional $61M.
    • Supporting communities:
      • To support faith-based and cultural organizations, Ontario will be making up to $50M available for grants to eligible organizations.
      • To support Ontario’s municipalities, the government is providing almost $1B in additional financial relief in 2021 to help preserve public services and support economic recovery.

    You can find full details of the “Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy” online, including the province’s economic and fiscal outlook, and borrowing and debt management.

     

  • March 19th Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out

    Dear Members,
    We are writing to provide you with an update from our united Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative (PC-VAC*). This week’s key messages that we shared with vaccine decision-makers can be found here.  

    The projections from the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table and Modelling Consensus update on COVID-19 Table on March 11 suggests that vaccination in long-term care has paid off but progress has otherwise stalled. There are increasing concerns about variants of concern (VOC) that are spreading across Ontario and our behaviour over the next few weeks will determine what our summer will look like.

    However, given that VOCs make up nearly half of the confirmed cases being reported and there has been an increase in ICU numbers trending up, the Ontario Hospital Association and the Science Advisory Table have indicated that Ontario has entered a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.     

    Key Updates:

    Primary Care Vaccination Pilot Community of Practice:
    Together with Ontario Health (OH), the primary care associations have formed a Community of Practice to support those involved in vaccinations in these regions. Initially the CoP will include those participating in the pilot and will scale as other PHUs are included. If you are currently participating in the pilot and would like to join the CoP, you can register for the upcoming series of connecting calls here weekly Thursdays from 8 am to 9 am.

    Resources are available on the Quorum Community Space Primary Care Vaccination Pilot CoP. If you have trouble signing up for Quorum, please message janine.theben@ontariohealth.ca for assistance.

    COVaxON:
    OntarioMD will be providing additional training and onboarding on COVaxON (the vaccine registration system) for clinical providers, initially focused on those who are directly involved in vaccine pilots, including support for technical questions that arise throughout the process. You can register for training directly. A Clinical Workflow Training recording is also available.

    If you are beginning to participate in vaccine administration with your PHU and are not yet connected, below are OMD contacts by existing pilot site:

    COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches
    Version 1.0 of COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches are now available, created by the eHealth Centre of Excellence. This work is based on the Vulnerable populations and COVID-19 resource published by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and informed by the COVID-19: Vaccines Resource developed by the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP).

    It aims to equip Primary Care with resources for your EMR which will enable you to identify and prioritize ambulatory patients from within your roster who are in greatest need of the COVID-19 Vaccination to avoid negative healthcare outcomes. Version 1.0 of the searches are all available to download right now from our Community site for all three EMRs.

    IMPORTANT: The Province of Ontario has announced the focus for Phase Two of Ontario’s vaccination distribution plan. The list of eligible health conditions provided in this announcement does not align with the Version 1.0 searches currently released by the eHealth Centre of Excellence. Their team is hard at work putting together Version 2.0 of our COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility EMR Searches which will align with the health conditions listed in the Province’s announcement.

    COVID-19 Vaccination in Canada: an educational series for primary care professionals
    “COVID-19 vaccination in Canada” is now certified for up to 1 Mainpro+® credits.  This self-learning series from DFCM and the Ontario College of Family Physicians is designed to provide primary care professionals with the knowledge and skills to support Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination effort. Added is a new module on viral vector vaccines that includes extensive information on the AstraZeneca vaccine and available information on the Janssen vaccine. There is also updated content throughout the series including on the vaccine rollout, dosing interval and more. To learn more and to register please click here.

    The next COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians is on Friday, March 26th from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and will include dialogue with some of the family physicians involved in the AZ pilot sites. Click here to register.  Previous COVID-19 Community of Practice sessions can be found here.

    New Resources:

    Find resources from previous weeks here.

    Finally, the OMA has relaunched its burnout survey to understand the impact of COVID-19 on physician burnout. Physicians are invited to complete this 5-7 minute survey.

    We look forward to continually updating you on the provincial vaccination strategy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or ideas.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

    *Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative:

    • Alliance for Healthier Communities
    • Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    • Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association/Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
    • Ontario College of Family Physicians
    • Ontario Medical Association Section on General and Family Practice
    • Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine

  • March 8th Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out

    Dear Members,

    We are writing to provide you with an update from our united Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative (*PC-VAC). This past week’s key messages that we shared with vaccine decision-makers can be found here.

    Today, the primary care organizations had an opportunity to present to some public health units, members of the Ministry’s Public Health Branch and colleagues from the Solicitor General’s office about the role primary care plays in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines. We highlighted equity as the grounding principle to the vaccine roll-out and provided four different scenarios where primary care is already playing a pivotal role: In-Office Primary Care Vaccine Clinics, Drive Through Clinics, Mobile Units, and Vaccines for the Homebound or Limited Mobility Individuals.

    These scenarios were based on already existing experiences in primary care and was part of an administrative table-top exercise with the PHUs which will help them finalize their public health – primary care collaborations and future work that will be done with clinical leaders. The slide deck can be found here. As more information becomes available, we will continually be providing an update.  

    Key Updates:

    • The Ontario government announced Phase Two of the Vaccine Distribution Plan, including eligible populations. The full technical briefing is available here.
    • The AstraZeneca vaccine will soon be distributed in a limited number of PHUs and primary care offices in a pilot program. Details are forthcoming. An online Community of Practice will be led by Ontario Health to support sharing of lessons learned.
    • OntarioMD will be providing additional training and onboarding on COVAXON (the vaccine registration system) for physicians, starting with those involved in vaccine pilots, including support for technical questions that arise throughout the process. More information to follow.
    • Physicians can review a Ministry INFOBulletin regarding newly negotiated compensation for vaccinations and vaccine outreach.
    • A joint letter was sent to Premier Ford and Minister Elliott from a consortium of health care associations requesting that the government build upon and enhance strategies towards an equitable vaccination rollout: “Ensuring Equity in Ontario’s Vaccination Campaign”
    • With Health Canada approval of Johnson & Johnson single-dose viral vector-based COVID-19 vaccine, and the expected acceleration of Pfizer vaccine deliveries, Ontario is expected to receive significant doses of various vaccines over the coming weeks.
    • A feature article on collaboration between sectors during Phase 1 entitled We’re All in This Together: Power of Partnership is the Key Ingredient to Vaccine Rollout Success is featured in the OHA Health System News and speaks to three examples of how primary care, hospitals and public health worked collaboratively to vaccine LTC/RH residents.

    New Resources:

    Webinars:

    • Public Health Ontario Learning Exchange: COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Equity Considerations, Wednesday, March 10, 2:00-3:00 pm. The webinar will focus on sharing of equity centered health unit practices to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake, followed by a learning exchange on prioritizing trustworthiness and trust, as well as highlighting experiences/challenges/opportunities.
    • COVID-19 and the Black community: Answering questions about COVID vaccines, Saturday, March 13, 12-3 pm: A national forum hosted by the Black Opportunity Fund and BlackNorth Initiative to hear from and engage with Black doctors, nurses, social workers, and other medical professions.
    • The COVID-19 Community of Practice, with UofT DFCM and the OCFP, will take place on Friday, March 12, and Drs. Kieran Moore and Daniel Warshafsky will cover the role for family physicians in the vaccine rollout, and the new vaccines.  

    In Case you Missed it: Learnings From Primary Care: Vaccine Roll-Out Across Ontario Webinar
    On Friday, February 26, we heard from four AFHTO teams who have stepped up to provide leadership for vaccine distribution in their communities. They spoke to work that is underway, offered guidance and advice, spoke to challenges faced and how they are resolving them, and answered questions.

    Dr. Daniel Warshafsky, Senior Medical Consultant, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, also joined the call to provide an update on vaccine roll-out and to take questions. You can access the slide deck and webinar on our site here.

    Find resources from previous weeks here.

    We look forward to continually updating you on the provincial vaccination strategy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or ideas.

     

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

    *Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Action Council:

    • Alliance for Healthier Communities
    • Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    • Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association/Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
    • Ontario College of Family Physicians
    • Ontario Medical Association Section on General and Family Practice
    • Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine

  • Joint Letter on Ensuring Equity in Ontario’s Vaccination Campaign

    March 1, 2021

    To: Premier Doug Ford
    Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health

    Cc: General (Ret.) Rick Hillier, COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force
    Dr. Dirk Huyer, Coordinator, Provincial Outbreak Response
    Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health
    Alison Blair, Associate Deputy Minister, Pandemic Response and Recovery
    Patrick Dicerni, Assistant Deputy Minister
    Nadia Surani, Acting Director, Primary Care Branch
    Loretta Ryan, Executive Director, Association of Local Public Health Agencies

    Re: Ensuring Equity in Ontario’s Vaccination Campaign

    Dear Premier Ford and Minister Elliott,

    We are writing today as your partners in Ontario’s vaccination rollout plan. We have appreciated the opportunity to consult with the vaccine task force regularly over the last several months, and the recent meetings with Ret. General Hillier. We are encouraged by the leadership role of Public Health Units in the vaccine rollout, and know that health equity is a key consideration in General Hillier’s communications and in regional plans to ensure an efficient, equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Our health professionals and teams stand ready to support #TeamVaccine in Ontario.

    As has been seen and talked about for some time among public health units, in media stories, and among community providers at the front lines of testing and community supports, COVID-19’s effects have not been felt equally in Ontario. We know that communities who’ve seen the highest rates of infections during the pandemic, the highest impacts on health and wellbeing, have been communities already marginalized before the pandemic hit, and for whom health and social services can be more difficult to access. We also know that it’s many of these people who will have difficulty accessing online or phone system booking, are home bound, or are otherwise hesitant or unable to visit mass vaccination clinics or pharmacies. Premier and Minister, we believe it is critical to have a plan to ensure that the people facing the most barriers and risks due to COVID-19 are given particular attention in vaccine plans.

    The good news is that throughout the pandemic, community health leaders and their partners have worked hard to build lines of trust, and to work with other community leaders, local ambassadors and others to ensure that their services, including testing and isolation supports, could reach people marginalized due to a variety of factors.

    From the experience of implementing COVID-19 testing, we know that one-size-fit-all mass vaccination clinics, even if accessibly located within priority neighbourhoods, will not be effective by themselves. Mobile testing clinics that deliver testing to the door, and smaller testing sites located in trusted community spaces, performed by trusted organizations, have been the keys to success. These lessons can be applied to ensure a successful and equitable rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

    Premier and Minister, we ask for your leadership in supporting all Public Health Units across Ontario to work with primary care to include and implement the following in the regional vaccination rollout:

    1. A comprehensive, multilingual, and culturally safe approach to addressing vaccine hesitancy and building vaccine confidence in communities where distrust and marginalization, as well as language and social barriers can play a role in vaccine uptake, by partnering with and resourcing community organizations that have existing lines with trust and have already been supporting COVID-19 response in these priority neighbourhoods. This might mean flyers in building lobbies, door-to-door visits, local language radios, leveraging faith leaders, and other high touch strategies that have already been used during testing and isolation campaigns in the hardest hit communities.
    2. A multi-pronged approach that builds access to the vaccine into existing partnerships, mobile units, community testing sites, and pop-up community campaigns with priority populations. This may include innovative solutions that were successful for testing, such as repurposing public buses to set up vaccination clinics outside of seniors’ residences, social housing, and isolated areas within the hardest hit postal codes.
    3. Collection, review, and reporting of race-based and socio-demographic data as the rollout takes place across marginalized communities to ensure that the people who are at the highest risk are being helped first by the vaccine, and to prevent future outbreaks. This type of collection and reporting will enable healthcare and community providers to know which of their clients require additional outreach immediately, and inform a more just and equitable system going forward.

    We have come this far together, building on the strength of individual, tailored community outreach and supports to help reduce the risk of further outbreaks in the hardest hit areas of Ontario’s most marginalized communities. To get Ontario back on its feet, and begin the recovery we all so desperately want to see, we have to start with those who’ve been pushed the furthest down by this pandemic. Mass vaccination sites alone, however well placed or advertised using social media and traditional advertising buys will only take us so far.

    We have to help those at the greatest risk through community approaches that have proven to be successful. We have seen in other jurisdictions, particularly in the United States, that without a coordinated plan to reach the hardest hit communities, vaccination rates in postal codes with the highest number of outbreaks are often the ones with the lowest vaccination rates. We have a chance to write a different story here in Ontario. Together, we can do it.

    Sincerely,
    Sarah Hobbs, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities
    Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    Dana Cooper, Executive Director, Nurse Practitioners Association of Ontario
    Jennifer Clement, CEO, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association
    Leanne Clark, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians
    Anthony Dale, CEO, Ontario Hospital Association
    Dr. Samantha Hill, President, Ontario Medical Association
    Dr. Alykhan Abdulla, Chair, Section on General and Family Practice, Ontario Medical Association

    See the pdf version here.

  • March 1st Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out

    Dear Members,
    We are writing to provide you with an update from our united Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Collaborative (PC-VAC*).  This past week’s key messages that we shared with vaccine decision-makers can be found here.

    The Collaborative has been working closely together and is meeting regularly with representatives from the Provincial Vaccine Task Force, public health, home care, hospitals, and other stakeholders. The provincial vaccine strategy is continuously evolving, and despite the close collaboration, we are often not privy to government decisions prior to their announcement. We are committed, however, to providing you with the most up to date information that is available to us and advocating on behalf of our colleagues and the patients that we serve.

    Even as information is uncertain there are four things that primary care can do: educate, communicate, collaborate, and vaccinate:

    • Educate: we have built trusting therapeutic relationships with our patients and can help answer questions about vaccine hesitancy and consent
    • Communicate: we have rosters of patients and can reach out easily through EMR, secure email, websites as well as our office voicemail messaging.
    • Collaborate: we have long standing relationships with public health and can be a huge help in supporting their vaccine rollout plans. Please consult your PHU’s vaccination plan for how you can best support your 80+ and other priority clients to be vaccinated. You can also reach out to the primary care liaisons for your local PHU.
    • Vaccinate: it’s at the core of what primary care providers do. Prevention is our specialty. The rollout will be faster with us helping out as part of mass vaccination clinics, mobile teams and in our own offices.

    Learnings From Primary Care: Vaccine Roll-Out Across Ontario Webinar
    On Friday, February 26, we heard from four AFHTO teams who have stepped up to provide leadership for vaccine distribution in their communities. They spoke to work that is underway, offered guidance and advice, spoke to challenges faced and how they are resolving them, and answered questions.

    Dr. Daniel Warshafsky, Senior Medical Consultant, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, also joined the call to provide an update on vaccine roll-out and to take questions. You can access the slide deck and webinar on our site here.

    Updates:

    COVAXON update
    OntarioMD is working on sending the vaccine report through HRM (source: MOH COVAX app) and the target is to have this live by the end of April. No additional information at this point as they are in the early design stage. They will have communications and an FAQ ready once they know more.

    COVID@Home  

    The Ministry of Health is working to procure oxygen saturation monitors for use by primary care professionals wishing to provide enhanced monitoring of their COVID+ patients. These devices can be requested via provincial stockpile, similar to how you request PPE, and more details on ordering will soon be available.

    Please reach out to your regional digital leads to learn more about existing remote monitoring programs in your region and how you can assist or leverage these programs for your patients. In the meantime, Ontario Health will be hosting a webinar on March 4th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care: Clinical Pathways and Resources so please register for more information.

    Ontario Community Support Program
    Since the start of the pandemic, the Ontario Community Support Program (OCSP), funded by the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, has provided funds to help vulnerable clients stay home safely.

    This ongoing program helps low-income, isolated seniors and people with physical disabilities get the meals, groceries, medications, and other essentials they need to stay at home safely during COVID-19. This week, the Government extended the program to March 2022, creating more security for people in need. Please help raise awareness of these services so people can continue to isolate safely.

    Below is a short message you can share with your patients, families, and caregivers:

    COVID-19 Support Available for Isolated Seniors and People with Physical Disabilities

    Do you know an isolated, low-income senior or person living with a physical disability, without family or community support, who needs help getting essentials during the current COVID-19 pandemic?  
    The Ontario Community Support program helps those in need get meals, groceries, medicine, and other essentials delivered through Meals on Wheels so that they can safely isolate at home. Service is available through March 2022.

    To identify a local community provider and request service, visit www.ontariocommunitysupport.ca or dial 211 or 1-877-330-3213 (toll free). TTY service is also available at 1-888-340-1001.

    New Resources:

    • University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Ontario College of Family Physicians has released four e-modules for primary care professionals: why we need the vaccine, the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines, plans for vaccine rollout and how to build vaccine confidence among patients. Updated modules on the viral vector vaccines are coming soon.
    • COVID Learning Series: free 5-part self-paced learning series through CFPC Learn
    • Covid19 Vaccine Facts: Instagram account by Dr. Amanda Adams, Department of Family Medicine, Markham Stouffville Hospital, with answers by Canadian doctors to combat vaccine hesitancy.
    • ‘Onions Don’t Cure COVID-19’: University of Guelph students combatting COVID-19 misinformation through videos and infographics.

    Find resources from previous weeks here.

    We look forward to continually updating you on the provincial vaccination strategy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or ideas.

     

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

    *Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Action Council:

    • Alliance for Healthier Communities
    • Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    • Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association/Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
    • Ontario College of Family Physicians
    • Ontario Medical Association Section on General and Family Practice
    • Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine

  • How primary health care helps health systems adapt during the COVID 19 pandemic: OECD report

    OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    Strengthening the frontline: How primary health care helps health systems adapt during the COVID 19 pandemic

    Feb. 10, 2021

    Abstract

    Health systems continue to adapt to cope with the COVID‑19 pandemic. Much focus has been placed on the scaling-up of hospital capacities. However, the pandemic is also deeply affecting the health of many people who are not infected by the virus. People living with chronic conditions are not only highly vulnerable to complications and death from COVID‑19, but they are also suffering from disruptions to their regular care routines.

    The COVID‑19 crisis demonstrates the importance of placing primary health care at the core of health systems, both to manage an unexpected surge of demand and to maintain continuity of care for all. Strong primary health care – organised in multi-disciplinary teams and with innovative roles for health professionals, integrated with community health services, equipped with digital technology, and working with well-designed incentives – helps deliver a successful health system response.

    The innovations introduced in response to the pandemic need to be maintained to make health systems more resilient against future public health emergencies, and able to meet the challenges of ageing societies and the growing burden of chronic conditions.

    Read the full report here.

  • February 17th Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out

    Dear Members,

    We are writing to provide you with an update from our united Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Action Council (*PC-VAC). Last week’s key messages that we shared with vaccine decision-makers can be found here.

    We are mindful that the news regarding vaccines is evolving daily, and we will have to continue to be prepared for changes and uncertainties in the coming months as a sector. Along with our partners in primary care, we are committed to sharing regular updates, usually weekly, except on weeks where there are no significant new developments to share.

    Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health released updated sequencing of Phase One priority populations for vaccination which sets out the provincial direction for the vaccination program over the coming weeks.

    Engaging Primary Care in Vaccine Rollout – a Practical Guide for Public Health

    Key messages:

    • Public health leadership is committed to strong primary care partnerships in all phases and in all regions. These relationships are key enablers of an effective, efficient, and equitable rollout.
    • To ensure successful partnership with primary care, 1) invite primary care professionals and teams in planning and co-design, 2) involve them in feedback and rollout, and 3) inform them of local opportunities, uncertainties, and changes.
    • The enclosed partnership checklist can inform and validate existing strategies from health leaders involved in local COVID-19 vaccine planning in engaging primary care.

    Collaborating with Others:

    • Over the last two weeks, the collaborative of primary care organizations met with General (retired) Rick Hillier, Chair, COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Taskforce, who emphasized the importance of an ongoing partnership with primary care provincially and locally.
    • We were pleased to see the addition of Dr. Kieran Moore, the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health, join the Ontario Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force. Dr. Moore is a passionate advocate for public health, and as a trained family physician he will ensure that the primary care voice is added to the conversation. PC-VAC is now meeting weekly with Dr. Moore, in addition to Dr. Isaac Bogoch, to provide updates on issues arising from the field.
    • Health and primary care leaders from throughout the country led a virtual roundtable with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. During the roundtable, the Prime Minister and other participants affirmed what we know to be true: family doctors and primary care professionals are “most knowledgeable and most trusted” and “a core part of getting everyone vaccinated.”
    • Listen to the Evan Solomon Show speak to Dr. Isaac Bogoch about the importance of family physicians and primary care providers in the COVID vaccine rollout. Leveraging the existing relationships primary care has with their patients, based in trust, will accelerate vaccination in the community.

    COVAXON

    • As we had mentioned in our last update, the Ministry of Health has introduced an electronic central repository to input the vaccine information for individuals and manage site inventory called COVAXON. This web-based application will allow for ease in checking people in for their vaccination appointment, capture the consent and personal data information, as well as which health unit region they are in and their vaccination clinic site. While clinics will be required to submit names of the staff (along with user names and email addresses) to request access to the system, the mechanism to apply is not yet finalized however we will advise once we know the information. Please note however that once you get an email from the system, you must reply within 24 hours in order to complete the authentication process.
    • Access for primary care users will fall within phase two and three of the vaccine rollout and training webinars will be available prior to the on-boarding schedule to ensure that everyone is prepared. While it likely won’t be fully integrated into your EMR, we understand COVAXON system will be able to send reports of your vaccinated patients to your EMR.  
    • More on COVAXON will be shared when it becomes available.

    New Resources:

    Reminder of resources from previous weeks

    We look forward to continually updating you on the provincial vaccination strategy. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or ideas.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

    *Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Action Council:

    • Alliance for Healthier Communities
    • Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    • Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    • Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association/Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
    • Ontario College of Family Physicians
    • Ontario Medical Association Section on General and Family Practice
    • Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine