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Tag: key issue

  • Advancing primary care measurement with D2D 1.0 and the Starfield Model

    Two big steps in our progress to measure, improve and demonstrate the value of interprofessional primary care:

    • Close to 50 FHTs submitted their data for the Data to Decisions (D2D) 1.0 report.  Whether or not your FHT/NPLC contributed data, the summary results can help you and your team. AFHTO members can access D2D 1.0 on the Members Only website.
    • D2D 1.0 is a starting point – the Starfield Model is the eventual destination. AFHTO’s approach to primary care measurement focuses on the relationship with our patients and our ability to deliver the care patients value. Its objective is to optimize quality, access and total health system cost of care for patients, using indicators from Health Quality Ontario’s Primary Care Performance Measurement Framework. The model and a case study of its implementation was just published in the Healthcare Management Forum – The Starfield model: Measuring comprehensive primary care for system benefit.

    Getting the most value from D2D 1.0 To make sure D2D 1.0 is as useful as possible for you, AFHTO members will be asked to complete a survey that will guide the design of supporting materials. We expect that it will be the conversations, not the data themselves, that are the most important value of D2D 1.0.  The conversations that are already starting are making it easier for teams to get at the data they need for meaningful measurement, measurement that reflects the work and impact of all members of the interprofessional primary care team. Learn more at the AFHTO Conference Consider registering for:

    • Using D2D 1.0: physician-specific workshop on Oct 15, 2014, 10 AM – 12 noon
    • Performance measurement: why bother? Oct 16, 2014 from 9:30am to 10:15am Concurrent Session Presentation on AFHTO’s approach to performance measurement, mapping out the journey from D2D 1.0 to the eventual destination of the Starfield model.

    Data to Decisions (D2D) 1.0 D2D 1.0 is a summary of primary care data that are currently available, comparable and mean the most to AFHTO members in their efforts to advance quality of care for their patients.  Please see brief slide deck for more information. Please contact Carol Mulder with any questions or suggestions for D2D 1.0.

  • Nominations to the AFHTO Board of Directors are open until July 14

    Dear fellow AFHTO members: Are you interested in serving on the AFHTO board of directors? The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. Please share this call for nominations with all who work in your team. FIVE people are to be elected for a 3-year term on the 14-member AFHTO board. The AFHTO by-laws call for balanced representation on the board to include the various forms of governance, the regions of the province, and the mix of the professions working within FHTs, NPLCs and other interprofessional models. In reviewing the composition of nine continuing board members, priority for the five directors to be elected will be given to candidates who are:

    • Interprofessional health providers or physicians
    • From AFHTO members located in NE Ontario and the Toronto area
    • From community-governed FHTs and NPLCs

    To apply:

    • Click here to read AFHTO’s Nominations and Elections policy.
    • Click here for information on the role and requirements of AFHTO board members.

    The Governance Committee of the AFHTO board will review all applications to assist the AFHTO board to determine the slate of candidates to recommend to the AFHTO membership for election at the AFHTO annual general meeting.

    • Nominees will be informed of their status by September 12.
    • Nominees who are not recommended for the slate will have until September 22 to determine whether they wish to proceed with having their name go forward on the election ballot.
    • The election will take place at the Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the AFHTO annual conference.  This year it will be held:

    Wednesday October 15, 2014 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM The Westin Harbour Castle 1 Harbour Square Toronto, Ontario M5J 1A6

    Sincerely, Jennifer Kennedy Chair, Governance Committee AFHTO Board of Directors Executive Director, North Renfrew Family Health Team

  • AFHTO 2014 “Bright Light” Awards nominations open

    Nominations now closed. Thank  you to all who submitted nominations. Confirmation emails will be sent by end of day Wednesday, August 13 2014. If you have submitted a nomination and have not received a confirmation email by then, please contact us at info@afhto.ca.

    Little innovations, big impact – Bright Light Award winners are innovators, making meaningful changes to improve the patient experience, health outcomes and reduce overall costs to the health care system. The awards program recognizes leadership, outstanding work and significant progress being made to improve the value delivered by interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario.

    Awards will be presented at the third annual AFHTO 2014 Conference Awards Dinner, on October 15, 2014. Winners in four award categories will receive an education grant*. Deadline to complete the online form and submit supporting documents was August 8, 2014.

    Make a nomination:

    1. Review the Bright Lights nomination guide to prepare your nomination.
    2. Complete the online nomination form. All nominations must be completed online and in full. To avoid the risk of losing information, it is best to complete the online form in one session.
    3. Submit supporting documents to info@afhto.ca:
      1. Supporting evidence and materials as appropriate.
      2. Nominee photos (1-4 high-quality photos in png. or jpg. format to be featured at the awards dinner on Oct. 15.)
      3. Signed statement of attestation to release photos for AFHTO use.

    Award nominations will be reviewed and selected by the “Bright Light” Review Committee.

    Award Categories

    One or more awards will be presented in each of the following categories:

    1. Accountability and governance for patient-centred care
    2. Engaging the patient in their care*
    3. Responding to community needs
    4. Team collaboration in patient-centred care*
    5. Integrating the community around the patient
    6. Using data to improve transitions of care and care coordination*
    7. Clinical innovations in comprehensive primary care*

    * Thank you to our generous sponsors for providing education grants to award winners in the categories marked above:

    • Boehringer Ingelheim for providing two award recipients in the Team collaboration in patient-centred care and Clinical innovations in comprehensive primary care categories with the opportunity to attend the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Conference on March 15-17, 2015, in Dallas, Texas.
    • Merck Canada Inc. for providing a $3,000 education grant for the “Bright Light” award recipient in the Engaging patients in their care and Using data to improve transitions of care and care coordination categories.

    Please note: Sponsors have no role in establishing award criteria, call for nominations, judging or selecting the program winners.

  • Registration for the AFHTO 2014 Conference is now live!

    Takes place on Wednesday, October 15 and Thursday, October 16 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto. Click here for more information on the conference. We look forward to seeing you!

  • AFHTO 2014 Conference: Thank you for submitting abstracts!

    Over 150 submissions were received for concurrent session and poster presentations at the AFHTO 2014 Conference. Thank you to all those who applied!

    A confirmation e-mail has been sent to the contact person for each abstract submission. If you are part of a group that has prepared an abstract, please ensure your group contact has received the e-mail with line: “AFHTO 2014 Conference: thank you for submitting abstract”. If your group has NOT received this confirmation, please contact conference@afhto.ca by Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 1:00 PM (EST). The confirmation e-mail is your assurance that your abstract has been received and will be reviewed by a working group for presentation at the conference.

    Final concurrent session and poster presentations will be selected by June 9, 2014. The program will be announced when registration opens in late June 2014.

    We look forward to seeing you at the AFHTO 2014 Conference! In Partnership with Patients: True Integration of Care October 15 & 16, 2014 Westin Harbour Castle, One Harbour Square, Toronto

  • AFHTO 2014 Conference: One week left to submit a presentation or poster abstract (May 12)

    Take advantage of this opportunity to share your knowledge and experience in advancing patient-centred care!

    Due date for all concurrent session and poster abstracts is May 12 at 9:00 AM

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

    • Deadline for presentation abstracts: May 12, 2014 at 9:00AM (EST)
    • Notification of acceptance for presentation: June 9, 2014
    • Conference registration opens: late June  2014
    • AFHTO 2014 Conference: October 15 & 16, 2014

  • Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Family Health Teams in Ontario

    Ten years ago the concept of “Family Health Teams” was first announced. This anniversary follows a week in which two important studies have published evidence of the value of interprofessional collaboration in Ontario’s Family Health Teams, and in interprofessional primary care models across Canada. To mark this event, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario received recognition in Ontario’s Legislature and issued the news release below.

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    Ontario’s Family Care Teams are Providing Better Care and Better Value to Patients March 17th – Toronto – On the 10th anniversary of the creation of Family Health Teams in Ontario, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), proclaimed the success of team-based primary care models to enhance patient outcomes, save the province money, and improve patient and provider satisfaction. “Evidence from around the world and right here in Ontario show that when patients have access to high quality, team-based primary care that patients, providers and the health care system all benefit from improved health outcomes at a better cost,” said Angie Heydon, Executive Director of AFHTO. “As a result, we believe all patients should have access to this high standard of care in the province.” A recent Ontario study concluded that interprofessional care is resulting in:

    • Enhanced access to primary care and other health care services.
    • Improved coordination, collaboration and patient-centredness.
    • Better clinical outcomes.
    • Enhanced patient and provider satisfaction.
    • More system efficiency.
    • Decreased wait times for primary care, diagnostic testing and mental health assessments.

    AFHTO is embarking on a province-wide campaign to enlist support from MPPs of all parties in the hopes of securing broad support for the expansion and enhancement of family care teams in the province as soon as possible. “Family care teams are providing care to almost a million people who didn’t previously have a doctor. They’re keeping patients out of the emergency rooms. And they’re helping enhance disease prevention and health promotion initiatives in the province.” Remarked Keri Selkirk, AFHTO President and Executive Director of the Thames Valley Family Health Team, “We’re providing better care, and saving the province money. It just makes sense to redouble efforts to ensure that more patients are benefitting from this care.” AFHTO is a not-for-profit association representing Ontario’s family care teams, which includes Family Health Teams, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, and others who provide interprofessional comprehensive primary care. 

  • Healthcare Team Model Best for Patients and Healthcare System

    The Conference Board of Canada has published a new report Getting the Most out of Health Care Teams: Recommendations for Action.  Click here for the full report. Key points from the report are summarized in the Conference Board of Canada’s press release, reproduced below: Billions of dollars in savings could be realized Ottawa, March 10, 2014 – Making interprofessional primary care (IPC) teams the standard model for delivery of primary health care services across Canada could help improve patient outcomes while reining in costs. Canada’s population is aging, prevalence of chronic conditions is growing and, in turn, demand for health care and health care costs are rising. IPC team care could save the health care system almost $3 billion in direct and indirect costs of diabetes and depression complications alone. An IPC team is a group of professionals from different disciplines who work together and communicate under an arrangement to provide health services in a community. A new Conference Board of Canada publication, the last in a four-part series, outlines the actions required to improve IPC team care in Canada and increase access to team-based care for Canadians. “The evidence tells us that team-based care significantly improves the health and wellness of patients with and at risk for chronic conditions, reduces emergency room visits, and offsets costs in other parts of the health care system,” said Thy Dinh, Senior Research Associate. “There has been an increased use of the interdisciplinary team model for delivering primary care, but barriers, such as funding and how we pay team members, still exist.” HIGHLIGHTS

    • Increasing access to IPC teams for Canadians with Type 2 diabetes could reduce medical complications by 15 per cent annually.
    • IPC team care could also save the health care system almost $3 billion in direct and indirect costs of diabetes and depression complications.
    • IPC teams have been shown to produce multiple benefits, compared to care provided by a solo provider.

    Barriers to implementing IPC exist among individual team members, within practices, and throughout the primary care system. These barriers include inappropriate governance, leadership, and pay structures, and inadequate inter-professional education and training programs. The Conference Board study, Getting the Most out of Health Care Teams: Recommendations for Action, outlines what governments, health care providers and administrators, and patients can do to ensure IPC teams function well and deliver quality primary care services for Canadians. Recommendations for federal, provincial and territorial governments:

    • Adopt a funding and payment system that supports IPC.
    • Mandate and support the development and use of interprofessional education and training programs on the core competencies of collaboration for all health professionals.

    Recommendations for health care providers and administrators:

    • Provide appropriate mix of service providers to meet service requirements in the most cost-effective way and within the available funding and supply of health care professionals.
    • Establish protocols for and implementation of standardized patient hand-offs, referrals, and care coordination among providers on the team and across the health care system.
    • Optimize use of communications technology, physical space, and other supports to facilitate collaboration.

    Recommendations for all three of the above:

    • Engage in, support, and establish a strong and stable governance structure.
    • Make it easier for Canadians to access team-based care.
    • Monitor and evaluate cost-effectiveness, performance and knowledge sharing on a regular and consistent basis.
    • Adopt accountability measures for IPC team models, which are linked to performance.

    Recommendations for patients:

    • Be open to receiving care from and consulting with different health providers.
    • Request greater access to inter-professional health teams.

    This is the final report in the Canadian Alliance for Sustainable Health Care’s (CASHC) research series Improving Primary Health Care Through Collaboration. Launched in 2011, CASHC is a program of research and dialogue, investigating various aspects of Canada’s health care challenge, including the financial, workplace, and institutional dimensions, in an effort to develop forward-looking qualitative and quantitative analysis and solutions to make the system more sustainable. The report findings will be presented at a Conference Board of Canada webinar, Improving Primary Health Care through Collaboration, on April 22, 2014 at 02:00 p.m. EST.

  • Interprofessional Collaboration in Ontario’s Family Health Teams: A Review of the Literature

    We are pleased to share the following literature review exploring current research on interprofessional Family Health Teams (FHTs) across Ontario. This review collects and analyzes existing evidence on the initial improvements to primary healthcare access, patient outcomes and reduction of system costs. A Review of the Literature – Click here for full article Authors: Sophia Gocan, RN, MScN; Mary Ann Laplante, RN, BScN; & A. Kirsten Woodend, RN, BScN, PhD Abstract: Background: In Ontario, 200 interprofessional Family Health Teams (FHTs) have been established since 2005 to improve primary healthcare access, patient outcomes, and costs. High levels of interprofessional collaboration are important for team success; however, effective team functioning is difficult to achieve. FHTs are in their infancy, and little is known about the determinants that have influenced the quality of team collaboration or the outcomes that FHTs have achieved. The objective of this article is to examine current knowledge regarding FHT team functioning. Methods and Findings: A search of the literature resulted in eleven articles for final analysis, which were primarily qualitative in nature. A narrative synthesis of study findings was completed. A number of common challenges to interprofessional collaboration were identified. Nevertheless, patients and providers described improved healthcare access, greater satisfaction, and enhanced quality of healthcare using a FHT approach. Collaboration was fostered by effective leadership, communication, outcome evaluation, and training for both professionals and patients alike. Conclusions: Ontario FHTs have generated improvements in healthcare access and outcomes. Collaborative team functioning, while present, has not reached its full potential. Supportive public policy, education for patients and providers, and evaluation research is needed to advance FHT functioning. Click here for the full article.

  • Seeking AFHTO members to guide the 2014 Conference

    We invite board members, clinical providers, staff and patients of AFHTO member organizations to participate in a conference program working group and earn a $50 discount on registration for the AFHTO 2014 Conference. This is a valuable opportunity to discover the thought leaders in your chosen topic area, and to apply your expertise to shape the content of the AFHTO conference for your peers. The theme for the 2014 Conference is In Partnership with Patients: True Integration of Care. Seven concurrent streams will focus on:

    1. Accountability and governance for patient-centred care
    2. Engaging the patient in their care
    3. Responding to community needs
    4. Team collaboration in patient-centred care
    5. Integrating the community around the patient
    6. Using data to improve transitions of care and care coordination
    7. Clinical innovations in comprehensive primary care

    Working groups are being set up for each of the seven concurrent streams and for the Bright Lights Awards program. Concurrent program working group members: The task requires a total of 4-10 hours of effort between April and early June, specifically:

    • Between April 7 to 11, each working group will have an initial teleconference to brainstorm ideas on specific topics and speakers to pursue.
    • AFHTO staff will manage the call for proposals process from April 1 – May 9.
    • Between May 10 to 23, each working group member individually reviews and scores presentation abstracts for their program.
    • Between May 26 to 30, working groups will teleconference to review scores and determine the program for this theme.

    Click here to sign-up by March 31, 2014. “Bright Light” Awards Review Committee: The task requires a total of 6-12 hours of effort in July to September, specifically to individually review and score nominations followed by a group teleconference to determine the award winners. Click here to sign up by March 31, 2014. This message is sent to leaders of AFHTO member organizations; we encourage you to participate and to invite your colleagues, staff and patients to consider this as well. Conference key dates:

    • First week of April: Applications for concurrent session and poster abstracts open
    • May 9: Deadline to submit concurrent session and poster abstract
    • June: conference registration opens
    • October 15 & 16: AFHTO 2014 Conference

    Conference registration fees for AFHTO members remain the same as last year. Conference working group members and presenters receive an additional $50 discount. Patients participating in the working groups will be offered registration at the membership rate and the working group discount. For more information, contact Sal Abdolzahraei by phone (647-234-8605) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).