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Tag: Management/Operations

  • Bits & Pieces: Ontario declares 2nd state of emergency, COVID-19 projection update, and more

    Bits & Pieces: Ontario declares 2nd state of emergency, COVID-19 projection update, and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Ontario declares second state of emergency
    • Update on COVID-19 projections, guidance for prioritizing healthcare workers for vaccines, and more
    • ‘Nobody is safe’: Ontario Hospital Association CEO speaks out on a province in crisis
    • Podcast series on AFHTO members- update
    • SGFP member survey
    • Registration open: COVID-19 CoP update on COVID-19 vaccines – part 2
    • University of Toronto Scarborough Arts & Science Co-op program
    • Upcoming events including Indigenous governance and self-determination in planning and responding to COVID-19 and more

    Ontario declares second state of emergency

    “In response to a doubling in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, the real and looming threat of the collapse of the province’s hospital system and alarming risks posed to long-term care homes as a result of high COVID-19 transmission rates, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is immediately declaring a second provincial emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA).”

    Read the full news release here.

    Update on COVID-19 projections, guidance for prioritizing healthcare workers for vaccines and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    ‘Nobody is safe’: Ontario Hospital Association CEO speaks out on a province in crisis

    “What they’ve learned is that they’re capable of remarkable things, but they’ve also increasingly learned that they need help from their provider colleagues. Whether it’s working with primary care to get assessment centres up and running and all the testing in place for the past 10 months; … they’ve been asked to start the vaccination program, but the vaccination program will only succeed over the next year if it’s done with public health, with the strong involvement of family medicine and nurse practitioners. That’s the only way a mass-vaccination program will succeed.”– Anthony Dale, CEO, Ontario Hospital Association

    Read the full TVO article here.

    HIROC podcast rebuilding pc

    Podcast series on AFHTO members-update

    As on-demand sponsor of #AFHTO2020, HIROC interviewed several presenters for their podcast series. The last three episodes focus on:

     Listen here. They’re also available via Apple and Spotify (search HIROC).

    SGFP member survey
    The OMA Section on General & Family Practice (SGFP) is seeking input from all family physicians and general practitioners. The purpose of this survey is to provide information and gain feedback from the SGFP to better understand its member’s priorities. Your input will help them better understand your views, which will enable them to advocate on your behalf.  Please take 5-10 minutes out of your busy schedule to complete the survey. As the open survey format is being used, you will need to fully complete the survey in one sitting.

    Note: the content of the survey has been developed by SGFP, MIG and Fora leadership and is not reflective of the ongoing 2021 PSA discussions with the Government. Due to the timing of this survey, the SGFP will not be sharing survey results with its members at this time.

    Please click here or copy and paste the full URL into your web browser. The deadline for this survey is January 20th, 2021.

    Registration open: COVID-19 CoP update on COVID-19 vaccines – part 2

    Register here for the fourteenth in the series ‘Changing the way we work: Update on COVID-19 vaccines – Part 2’ on Friday, January 15, 2021 at 8:00-9:00am (ET)

    Panelists:

    • Dr. Hugh Boyd, Care of the Elderly Physician and Chair of the OMA Section on Long Term Care/Care of the Elderly
    • Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, Paediatric Allergist and Clinical Immunologist and Adult Allergist
    • Dr. Noah Ivers, Family Physician, Women’s College Hospital and Co-Chair of the Ontario Primary Care COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Council, Toronto, ON

    Guest speakers:

    • Dr. David Kaplan, Family Physician, North York FHT and Chief, Clinical Quality, Ontario Health
    • Dr. Liz Muggah, OCFP President, Family Physician, Bruyère FHT

    Moderator:

    • Dr. Tara Kiran, Fidani Chair, Improvement and Innovation, Department of Family & Community Medicine, U of T, and St. Michael’s Academic FHT

    Video of Part 1 is now available here.

    This COVID-19 Community of Practice is a joint initiative from the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

    University of Toronto Scarborough Arts & Science Co-op program

    Three students

    Could you use a skilled pair of hands to help lighten your workload, move projects forward, or assist with research? University of Toronto Scarborough Arts & Science Co-op has a pool of top undergraduate students from 35 academic programs including Life Sciences, Psychological & Health Sciences, Computer & Mathematical Sciences, and others.

    Students are available for 4-, 8- or 12-month work terms with flexible start dates to suit your needs. Learn more about how to hire, and about limited time Federal wage subsidy programs which currently provide 75% reimbursement on student’s wages up to $7,500. Visit their site here. Please contact cooppartner.utsc@utoronto.ca with any questions

    Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care, Jan. 27, 2021

    Engaging primary care providers in QI is particularly relevant now, as the pandemic has further emphasized the importance of resource stewardship given the urgent care needs and constraints related to COVID-19. Learn more and register here.

    Indigenous governance and self-determination in planning and responding to COVID-19, Jan. 13, 2021
    The first of four in the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and COVID-19 series hosted by the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH). Register here.

    Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams series, Jan. 14- Dec. 2, 2021
    Eighth annual series with Kate Dewhirst and Maria McDonald. Register here.

    Better Breathing Conference, Jan. 18-22, 2021
    The Lung Health Foundation’s Better Breathing Conference’s accredited respiratory education programming is free for all Canadian healthcare professionals. Learn more here.

    Caregiving for Serious Illness and End-of-Life Telephone Based Program, Jan. 26- Mar. 30, 2021
    HPCO and OCACO program for seniors, caregivers and families, hospice volunteers. Find out more.

    Family Medicine Summit, Jan. 30- Feb. 27, 2021
    Registration is now open for the OCFP’s Family Medicine Summit (the former Annual Scientific Assembly – ASA). Find out more.

  • Register for ‘Can employers make vaccinations mandatory? What you need to know

    This email was sent to EDs/Admin Leads, Board Chairs and Lead Clinicians of AFHTO member organizations.

    The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, the Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, and the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association have come together to host a webinar on widespread HR questions across teams as COVID-19 vaccines roll out: Can employers mandate vaccines among staff? What can an employer do if an employee does not want one? Can teams create vaccination policies?
     
    Join Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law, on Monday, January 18, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM to learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations in the workplace.
     
    Please register here by Friday, January 15, at 12 PM.
     
    Please also submit any questions you’d like to have addressed as there may be limited time for new questions during the session – although we will try our best to accommodate and follow up where needed. You can submit questions when you register; we ask you do that by Wednesday, January 13.
     
    The recording, presentation deck, a Q&A, and a policy template will be distributed to the participants after the webinar.

  • Bits & Pieces: Mobilizing for vaccination in LTC, COVID vaccine updates, and more

    Bits & Pieces: Mobilizing for vaccination in LTC, COVID vaccine updates, and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Mobilizing for vaccination in Long Term Care
    • COVID vaccine updates and more
    • Members’ stories
    • Can employers make vaccination mandatory?
    • How are you using virtual care to support the delivery of palliative care?
    • Access to neonatal follow up
    • Upcoming events including Advancing QI in Primary Care and more

    Mobilizing for vaccination in Long Term Care

    Last night we sent an email to the leadership triad in AFHTO member organizations subject Mobilizing Primary Care for Vaccination in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes and Beyond.

    PHU is leading the vaccination strategy. To provide PHUs with a list of names to help with the phase 1 vaccination effort in Long Term Care (LTC) and Retirement Homes (RH), we are collecting information in case you are called upon to support.

    Please fill out this brief survey to help us understand your willingness and capacity to support Phase 1 efforts, should it be needed, as well as if you are already connected to and supporting residents living in a RH/LTC.

    Please note: strategy for deployment of vaccines in Phase 2 and 3 are still being discussed by the Task Force. As more information becomes available, we will share.

    COVID vaccine updates and more

    We have now added a vaccine page to our COVID section on the site. The Ministry also has a COVID-19 Vaccine-Relevant Information and Planning Resources page. Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Toronto Western FHT staff in PPE holds a tray with vaccine

     

    Members’ stories

    Elliot Lake FHT: Elliot Lake FHT continues to support delivery service for seniors

    UHN Toronto Western FHT: gave some of the first Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to Long-Term Care (LTC) residents in Ontario

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Can employers make vaccination mandatory?

    On December 23, Maria McDonald of McDonald HR Law answered the question for her stakeholders. Find out more here (triad only).

    How are you using virtual care to support the delivery of palliative care?
    The Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN) has created a brief online survey to get a better understanding of how providers are using virtual care to support the delivery of palliative care.

    If you are a health care professional who provides palliative care services, you are invited to complete the survey. It will take about 15-20 minutes to complete, and the deadline to complete it is January 20th, 2021.

    If you have any questions about the survey, please contact tara.walton@ontariohealth.ca.

    Access to neonatal follow up
     
    The Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH) has sent us the following: “It has been come to our attention that parents are finding it difficult to schedule routine newborn follow up examination with primary practitioners within the recommended timeframe after discharge from the hospital. Per the Canadian Paedatric Society and PCMCH Standards of Postnatal Care documents, each infant must have an appropriate discharge plan, including identification of the infant’s primary health care provider and assessment by a health care provider 24 hours to 72 hours after discharge.
     
    We recognize this may be challenging with the current pressures in our health care system. We anticipate this situation will be more difficult with the upcoming holidays and would like to remind clinicians of the importance of this timeframe for adequate follow up which can ultimately reduce newborns readmission rates to hospitals and emergency room visits.  
     
    We kindly ask all primary care providers (pediatricians, family doctors, nurse practitioners) to accommodate requests for newborn exams at their earliest feasible time or direct families to nearest facility where they can be seen. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact info@pcmch.on.ca. “

    Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care, Jan. 27, 2021

    Engaging primary care providers in QI is particularly relevant now, as the pandemic has further emphasized the importance of resource stewardship given the urgent care needs and constraints related to COVID-19. Learn more and register here.

    COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians, Jan. 8, 2021
    “Update on Covid-19 vaccines”. Register here.

    Indigenous governance and self-determination in planning and responding to COVID-19, Jan. 13, 2021
    The first of four in the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and COVID-19 series hosted by the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH). Register here.

    ECHO Pain, Liver and Rheumatology, Jan. 2021 to Dec. 2021
    These project ECHOs, hosted by UHN, begin this week! Be sure to register for today.  Register here.

    Family Medicine Summit, Jan. 30- Feb. 27, 2021
    Registration is now open for the OCFP’s Family Medicine Summit (the former Annual Scientific Assembly – ASA). Find out more.

    ECHO Sessions: Supporting Parents/Caregivers During a Pandemic: Information for Primary Care, Jan. 27 & Feb. 3, 2021
    Offered at no cost to participants. Register here.

  • Mobilizing Primary Care for Vaccination in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes and Beyond

    This email was sent to EDs/Admin Leads, Board Chairs and Lead Clinicians of AFHTO member organizations.

    Dear triad members,

    Happy New Year and to a healthier 2021 for everyone. We are writing with an update as well as a request as it relates to primary care’s role in Phase 1 of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

    AFHTO is part of the COVID-19 Vaccination Action Council, a coalition of primary care organizations that is meeting frequently to coordinate shared counsel and advocacy efforts on how primary care can best support the Ontario Government’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

    Update:

    • Yesterday and today, our coalition met with Dr. Isaac Bogoch from the Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force, the Ontario Hospital Association, tasked with rolling out vaccination in Long-Term Care, and Dr. Vera Etches, who is leading a Council of Medical Officers of Health COVID-19 Working Group. The purpose – to discuss how primary care can support the urgent and immediate need to administer vaccines in Long-Term Care (LTC) and Retirement Homes (RH), as well as the longer-term mass vaccination strategy.
    • Arising from the meeting was a request to prepare primary care in case you are called upon to support Phase 1 vaccination of residents and staff in LTC and RH, throughout the province. Coordination with local public health units will be needed and we will help facilitate this.

    Request to members:

    • Please fill out this brief survey – we want to understand your willingness and capacity to support Phase 1 efforts, should it be needed, as well as if you are already connected to and supporting residents living in a RH/LTC. EDs and Admin Leads, please feel free to forward this to your team.
    • The primary care associations have come together to jointly issue this survey so please only fill it out once if you are a member of two or more associations.  Note – if you have already filled out a survey or otherwise indicated your availability to support through other means in your region, please disregard this survey.

    Broader vaccination strategy and primary care’s role

    We are still lacking significant information around many aspects of Ontario’s vaccination rollout, including a clear timeline, plans, and role of primary care following Phase 1 (and beyond). We are united and ready to support an ambitious COVID-19 vaccination rollout, and echo the words of General Rick Hillier, Chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force, who last week shared the following quote about the important role primary care has and will continue to play:

    “I believe Primary Care is the bedrock of our incredible health system in Ontario. Your professionalism, dedication and the trust that you have built with those for whom you care will be crucial in delivering the greatest vaccination program ever. We will rely upon you.  Thank you for all that you have done and for what you will do now, in our great mission.”
    -General Rick Hillier, Chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force

    Collaboratively, we are meeting frequently this first week of January with decision makers and other healthcare partners to understand how primary care can best support the vaccination rollout. The role of primary care is critical – we know our patients and communities best and can address questions and get vaccines into arms. As planning continues, we will keep you updated as soon as we have concrete information to share.   

    Sincerely,
    Your AFHTO team

  • Bits & Pieces: details on shutdown, COVID vaccine resources and more

    Bits & Pieces: details on shutdown, COVID vaccine resources and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Details on provincial shutdown
    • COVID-19 safety and planning
    • COVID vaccine foundation webinar video and more
    • Members’ stories
    • Additional funding for mental health and addictions services
    • HPCO continues virtual activity wellness hub
    • Upcoming events including Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care and more

    Details on provincial shutdown

    Yesterday the Ontario government imposed a provincial shutdown to go into effect on Dec. 26. They released details here.

    We have contacted the Ministry and it has been confirmed- there has been no change to the guidance for primary care services. Please continue to deliver care to your patients virtually or in person based on clinical judgment. The OCFP has updated their guidance document on considerations for in person visits that you may find helpful.

    COVID-19 safety and planning
    Teams may receive inspections as part of a multi-ministry COVID-19 enforcement blitz coordinated with local public health and other provincial officers to promote education and compliance with the Reopening Ontario Act in efforts to tighten public health and workplace safety measures to limit the transmission of COVID-19.

    Depending on the part of the province teams are in – and more specifically the “colour zones” under the COVID-19 response framework that have been assigned based on COVID transmission in the community, teams may be required to provide a ‘safety plan’ as part of these inspections and we are  encouraging all teams to have one in place. Here are a sample template and policy that teams can use to build their own plans. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

    COVID vaccine foundation webinar video and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Members’ stories

    Rural Lambton COVID Testing Centre

    Central Lambton FHT: Central Lambton FHT and partners increase access to testing

    City of Kawartha Lakes FHT: ensuring its team has increased knowledge and skills in providing health care for questioning, transitioning and transgender patients and their families and caregivers.

    Elliott Lake and Wawa FHTs: Algoma Public Health has officially named this year’s Public Health Champions

    Additional funding for mental health and addictions services

    On Dec. 17, Ontario’s government announced increased funding for mental health and addictions services, meant to address the increasing demand for services due to COVID-19.
    Per the announcement, this includes:

    • Over $62.2 million in community-based mental health and addictions services and inter-professional primary care teams, including $30 million in targeted funding for child and youth mental health services. Services include local in-person and virtual community mental health and addictions services, housing and accommodation supports, capacity-building for front-line workers, peer supports and resources, and enhanced services through interprofessional primary care including Family Health Teams, Indigenous governed supports and Community Health Centres.

    Funding to interprofessional teams was already announced in our November 24th Leadership Triad email so this is not new money. However, according to our contacts, progress is being made on the funding packages so teams should hopefully get further details, including funding flow, within a couple of weeks.

    HPCO virtual activity wellness hub flyer

     

    HPCO continues virtual activity wellness hub

    HPCO is continuing the Virtual Activity Wellness Hub beginning Tuesday, January 12th due to high interest from participants. They’re piloting virtual activities via Zoom meetings for seniors, people isolated at home, caregivers, and hospice volunteers. Activities will be run by facilitators in a fun and interactive group setting to increase social connection. See the flyer.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care, Jan. 27, 2021

    Engaging primary care providers in QI can play an important role in improving practice, enhancing patient experiences, and reducing unnecessary tests and treatments.

    This is particularly relevant now, as the pandemic has further emphasized the importance of resource stewardship given the urgent care needs and constraints related to COVID-19. Learn more and register here.

    COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians, Jan. 8, 2021
    “Update on Covid-19 vaccines”. Register here.

    Family Medicine Summit, Jan. 30- Feb. 27, 2021
    Registration is now open for the OCFP’s Family Medicine Summit (the former Annual Scientific Assembly – ASA). Find out more.

    ECHO Sessions: Supporting Parents/Caregivers During a Pandemic: Information for Primary Care, Jan. 27 & Feb. 3, 2021
    Offered at no cost to participants. Register here.

  • Bits & Pieces: new COVID vaccine information, Min. Patty Hajdu and more

    Bits & Pieces: new COVID vaccine information, Min. Patty Hajdu and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Appreciation event for health care, Dec. 16, 2020
    • MOH updates on COVID vaccine and more
    • Results of draw for Legal Issues webinar series
    • Senior friendly care learning series for clinicians now available in French
    • Call for abstracts- Choosing Wisely Canada
    • Find an OT search tool
    • Upcoming events including Q& A with CMHA and more

     

    Appreciation event for health care, Dec. 16, 2020

    On behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health for the Government of Canada, you are invited to an appreciation event on Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
    RSVP: Nada Nasri nada.nasri2@canada.ca
    Click here to learn more

    MOH updates on COVID vaccine and more

    Recent updates include:

    • Ontario Delivers First COVID-19 Vaccine in the Country– Office of the Premier, Dec. 14, 2020
    • Memo from General Rick Hillier- EN and FR
    • Ontario’s Vaccine Distribution Implementation Plan – EN and FR
    • Ministry of Health:
      • COVID-19 About Vaccines- EN and FR
      • Guidance for Vaccinated Health Care Workers- EN and FR
      • COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sheet – EN and FR
      • COVID-19 Vaccine Approval Process and Safety- EN and FR
      • COVID-19 Vaccine Availability and Rollout- EN and FR
      • COVID-19 Vaccine Administration- EN and FR

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    draw for Legal Issues webinar series - wheel of names

     

    Results of draw for Legal Issues webinar series

    AFHTO members had the chance to win one (1) free registration to the 2021 Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams series, with Kate Dewhirst and Maria McDonald. The deadline to enter was Nov. 27, 2020. A winner was randomly drawn Dec. 2, 2020. See the results here.

     

    Senior friendly care learning series for clinicians now available in French

    A critical factor in improving outcomes for older adults living with complex health concerns (e.g. frailty) during the second wave of the pandemic and beyond is ensuring that all healthcare providers are knowledgeable and skilled in addressing the unique needs of older adults.

    To support the knowledge needs in Francophone communities, the RGP and the Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Office have launched the senior friendly care (sfCare) Learning Series for clinicians in French.

    The series comprises nine educational modules for clinicians, along with supporting posters and patient handouts on the following clinical topics: delirium, mobility, polypharmacy, pain, loneliness, nutrition, and urinary incontinence. Access the sfCare Learning Series – French

    Call for abstracts- Choosing Wisely Canada

    Choosing Wisely Canada’s Sixth Annual National Meeting will be offered virtually on May 12 and May 13, 2021. You can submit an abstract by February 1, 2021. Find out more.

    Find an OT search tool

    Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists’ Find an OT search tool can aid Ontarians attempting to access private OT services. It allows the public, heath care professionals, referral agents and others to access a directory of licensed occupational therapists who provide private OT services. Searches can be made based on location, practice area, services, and age group.

    Q& A with CMHA, Dec. 18, 2020

    At the end of the COVID-19 wellness series: building your team’s psychological PPE, there will be a Q&A session on Dec. 18. This will be a wrap up of the previous sessions and an opportunity for a live Q&A with CMHA staff around resources, supports and questions for staff mental health. Register here.

    Other sessions:

    Isolation and Loneliness, Dec 15, 2020 02:00 PM EDT

    Register: Click here

    Mindfulness at Work, Dec 17, 2020 1:00 PM EDT

    Register: Click here  

    Learn more here.

    Family Medicine Summit, Jan. 30- Feb. 27, 2021
    Registration is now open for the OCFP’s Family Medicine Summit (the former Annual Scientific Assembly – ASA). Find out more.

    Morning Rounds and Lunch & Learns with ECHO Child Youth Mental Health, Jan. 12 – Jan. 14, 2021
    From depression, anxiety and parent-child relationships in toddlers, children or adolescents- join the CHEO as they cover it all in these sessions.
    Learn more here.

    ECHO Ontario Conference, Jan. 29, 2021
    Registration is open for Improving Access and Equity in Healthcare through the ECHO Model. See agenda and details here.

  • Bits & Pieces: Q & A with CMHA, initial groups getting the COVID vaccine and more

    Bits & Pieces: Q & A with CMHA, initial groups getting the COVID vaccine and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Q& A with CMHA, Dec. 18, 2020
    • COVID-19 vaccine update
    • Hope for Christmas video
    • Perkopolis for AFHTO members
    • Resources for crisis and more
    • Complicated grief and COVID-19: slides and videos
    • Access to clean drinking water to all First Nation and Inuit communities
    • Reminder- IHP experience during COVID study
    • Systems navigator graduate certificate student placement request
    • OTF resilient communities fund- update on eligibility
    • Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network newsletter available
    • SDOH tools from PHO
    • Study: RD beliefs and behaviours on physical activity counselling
    • Upcoming events on coping with the holidays and more

    Q& A with CMHA, Dec. 18, 2020

    At the end of the COVID-19 wellness series: building your team’s psychological PPE, there will be a Q&A session on Dec. 18. This will be a wrap up of the previous sessions and an opportunity for a live Q&A with CMHA staff around resources, supports and questions for staff mental health. Register here.

    You can also still register for the sessions below:

    Mental Health and Telecommuting, Dec 10, 2020 11:00 AM EDT

    Register: Click here

    Isolation and Loneliness, Dec 15, 2020 02:00 PM EDT

    Register: Click here

    Mindfulness at Work, Dec 17, 2020 1:00 PM EDT

    Register: Click here  

    Learn more here.

     

    COVID-19 vaccine update

    As you are aware, yesterday the government released a news release identifying the key groups for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. Aligned with the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, early vaccine doses will go to:

    • Residents, staff, essential caregivers, and other employees of congregate living settings (e.g., long-term care homes and retirement homes) that provide care for seniors as they are at higher risk of infection and serious illness from COVID-19;
    • Health care workers, including hospital employees, other staff who work or study in hospitals, and other health care personnel;
    • Adults in Indigenous communities, including remote communities where risk of transmission is high; and
    • Adult recipients of chronic home health care.

    Our understanding is that the definition of health care workers is very broad and will include primary and community care providers though we continue to seek clarity on this.

    To ensure there is a strong primary care voice to the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force led by General Rick Hillier, AFHTO has been working collaboratively with our primary care partners to advocate and provide solution-focused ideas so that primary care is at the forefront of the community vaccine deployment. The work is rapidly moving and ever changing but in the next few days we will be sharing some of the activities under way. Please stay tuned.

    Hope for Xmas- Dr. Sean Blaine

     

    Hope for Christmas video

    STAR FHT’s Dr. Sean Blaine has released his latest YouTube video There’s Hope for Christmas. With over 3400 views already, you may wish to share this with your patients through your social media channels.

     

     

    Dec perks

    Perkopolis for AFHTO members

    While we certainly encourage you to #shoplocal for your everyday needs and holiday gifts, we would be remiss if we didn’t remind you AFHTO members are eligible to sign up for free access to over 5000 perks through Perkopolis. Get discounts on shopping, attractions and more.

    EDs, if your team doesn’t have access yet, please email info@ahto.ca.

     

     

    Resources for crisis and more

    Recent updates include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Complicated grief and COVID-19 slide

    Complicated grief and COVID-19: slides and videos

    Espanola and Area FHT and Powassan and Area FHT organized mental health sessions for teams in the north east. The webinar series presents helpful and practical tools to use when patients are experiencing physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering as they cope with complicated grief. Special attention is directed to ways for health care providers to support themselves and coworkers during this pandemic.

    The presentation decks and recordings available to date are on our site.

    Access to clean drinking water to all First Nation and Inuit communities

    The Alliance for Healthier Communities’ Board of Directors has issued a statement and written a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the government to hold itself accountable to its promise for clean drinking water to all First Nation and Inuit communities.

    If you wish to participate in this call to action, you can use this letter template (in English and French). You can tailor it and use it to send letters to your MPs to urge the government to accelerate the work on this issue and provide clear timelines and funding commitments.

    Reminder- IHP experience during COVID study

    We are now six months since the initial restrictions of COVID-19 and we are interested in hearing about your experiences working in Family Health Teams during this time.  You’re invited to participate in a brief web-based survey to understand the evolving experiences of interprofessional health care providers in Family Health Teams in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Click on the link here to complete the web-based survey.

    This research is being led by Drs. Catherine Donnelly (Associate Professor, Queen’s University) and Jordan Miller (Assistant Professor, Queen’s University). If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Catherine Donnelly at catherine.donnelly@queensu.ca.

    Systems navigator graduate certificate student placement request

    To be eligible for admission, students must possess a bachelor’s degree, advanced diploma or diploma in health, or social/community or other health-related or human services field.  

    Humber College students are prepared to work across various health/community service systems to guide and assist patients, clients and families through complex health and social care systems. Placement runs from May 3rd – June 11th, 2021 and students are to complete 240 hours (full-time, 8hrs/day for 6 weeks) of unpaid internship. Should you be interested, email Stephanie.Montemarano@humber.ca by no later than Feb 15, 2021.

    OTF resilient communities fund- update on eligibility

    We regret to inform our members that we’ve recently been notified FHTs are in fact not eligible to apply for the OTF Resilient Communities Fund. Although we had originally been informed that our teams could qualify, upon further investigation Section 3.3 of the document states that “subsidization of government mandated positions or activities” is considered ineligible, and it appears that is where they see FHTs fitting.

    There is nothing in the online eligibility criteria list that directly excludes FHTs like it does call out hospitals, municipalities, etc., and we have engaged in lengthy conversations to determine if there is any way to make FHTs eligible but unfortunately, we have not been successful in these discussions. This is obviously very disappointing and frustrating for all of us. We sincerely apologize for acting on bad information and for creating any unnecessary workload for our members. If you have any questions or would like chat further, please contact Bryn.Hamilton@afhto.ca.

    Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network newsletter available

    Every month, Ontario Health’s (Cancer Care Ontario) Provincial Primary Care and Cancer Network (PPCCN) sends out an electronic newsletter to any interested primary care provider in Ontario. The electronic newsletter provides regular prevention and cancer screening updates on topics such as the fecal immunochemical test, upcoming educational opportunities, and regional activities which may be relevant to you or your staff.

    Here is a copy of the most recent newsletter.

    If interested in receiving the monthly newsletter, please contact the Primary Care and Lung Screening team at Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) to subscribe: PrimaryCareInquiries@ontariohealth.ca.

    SDOH tools from PHO

    Study: RD beliefs and behaviours on physical activity counselling
    “Registered dietitians’ beliefs and behaviours related to counselling patients on physical activity and sedentary behaviour from a theory of planned behaviour perspective”- BMC Nutrition article by University of Guelph researchers on Nov. 30

    Coping with the Holidays: A Family Survival Guide, Dec. 14, 2020
    Caregivers of someone living with mental health issues are invited to this webinar held by IAM.
    Click here to learn more

    ECHO Pain, Liver and Rheumatology, Jan. 07 – Dec. 09, 2021
    View the newest ECHO offerings starting in January at UHN.
    Register here.

    Morning Rounds and Lunch & Learns with ECHO Child Youth Mental Health, Jan. 12 – Jan. 14, 2021
    From depression, anxiety and parent-child relationships in toddlers, children or adolescents- join the CHEO as they cover it all in these sessions.
    Learn more here.

    ECHO Ontario Conference, Jan. 29, 2021
    Registration is open for Improving Access and Equity in Healthcare through the ECHO Model. See agenda and details here.

  • COVID-19 Wellness Series: Building Your Team’s Psychological PPE

    Dear AFHTO Members,

    We recognize that the pandemic has impacted our teams and continues to impact you many ways. PPE has been critical during the pandemic to help protect teams’ physical wellbeing; however, the “psychological PPE” is crucial to protect teams’ mental well being. Coping with the stress in a healthy manner will allow for you to take care of yourself and in return take care of patients. To support your mental well being, AFHTO has partnered with Mental Health Works to provide 4 workshops to help build your “psychological PPE”.

    Mental Health Works is a nationwide social enterprise of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division. It provides capacity-building workshops, presentations and webinars that are person-centred, evidence based, and solutions-focused.

    Mental Health Works will be offering 4 workshops for all AFHTO members, facilitated by Lawrence Blake, Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, Program Manager, Mental Health Works. Below is a brief description of the workshops, dates & times, and links to register.

    Health Anxiety

    This session is all about how a pandemic can cause intense feelings of anxiety regarding our health and the health of our loved ones and friends. Using evidence-based methods, it will impart skills employers and staff can use in the context of business resumption to mitigate anxiety about returning to the workplace in a latent COVID-19 environment.

    When: Dec 7, 2020 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

    Length: 1 hour

    Register: Click here

     

    Mental Health and Telecommuting

    With telework becoming more common during the COVID-19 pandemic, this session addresses the unique challenges this brings to caring for and about employee mental health. It will provide a high-level overview on how we can build psychologically healthy and safe workplaces when the place of work is the home.

    When: Dec 10, 2020 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

    Length: 1 hour

    Register: Click here

     

    Isolation and Loneliness

    This session provides a high-level overview of how isolation and loneliness affect work, the workplace and our mental health. It focuses specifically on the experience of enforced isolation due to physical distancing measures, and provides concrete tools that can be used to mitigate the stress this causes.

    When: Dec 15, 2020 02:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

    Length: 1 hour

    Register: Click here

     

    Mindfulness at Work

    This session talks about mindfulness, what it is, what we can do to achieve it, and introduces staff to skills that can be used to improve health, wellness and performance. Being more mindful of our thoughts and feelings enables better conversation.

    When: Dec 17, 2020 01:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

    Length: 1 hour

    Register: Click here  

     

    Q&A with CMHA 

    This session will be a wrap up of all the sessions above and an opportunity for a live Q&A with CMHA staff around resources, supports and questions for staff mental health. 

    When: Dec 18, 2020 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM EDT

    Length: 1 hour

    Register: Click here  

    Please share the workshop registration information with your team! For more information on the webinar series please click here.

    Take care.

    Thanks,
    AFHTO

     

  • Follow-up on ED check-in calls – and additional tools and resources

    Dear triad members,

    We had our regional ED check-in calls on November 17 and 18. This is a follow-up communique with the material promised on the calls, and some additional reminders, tools, and resources.

    Mental health and wellbeing

    • We are pleased to share that the federal government is providing one-time mental health and addictions funding to help alleviate the increase in demand and a backlog of services due to COVID-19. Approximately $3 million will be distributed to interprofessional primary care teams, including AHACs, CHCs, FHTs, and NPLCs, to increase access to mental health and addictions supports for patients in Q4.
      • All FHTs will receive a minimum of $5,000, with a top-up based on roster size, to be used in Q4. Funding distribution is in the final stages of approval, and we expect teams to receive it by end of year. Teams can choose to pool this funding within regions to target areas in greatest need.
    • We continue to post resources on our mental health and wellbeing page. Please check them out and encourage your staff do so as well. These are very challenging times, and we hope these resources give a bit of guidance and support.

    AFHTO’s OHT and KTE supports

    • AFHTO conducted seven polls on the calls to get a sense of work on the ground and where supports are needed or should focus. The results of the polls can be seen here.
    • AFHTO heard loud and clear that a webinar series on OHTs would be helpful! We will organize these now and kick them off in the new year. Please email topic suggestions to Bryn Hamilton.
    • We will also begin organizing KTE webinars based on your poll feedback. The top four areas of interest were patient/caregiver engagement, mental health, digital equity, and social determinants of health. If you have ideas for KTE topics, please send them to Sandeep Gill.

    #PrimaryCareAlwaysThere

    • We are speaking up against the narrative that primary care was or is closed during the pandemic. This includes communicating the benefits of virtual and in-person care – and that virtual care is care.
    • The Twitter campaign is #PrimaryCareAlwaysThere. We encourage you share stories about how your teams supported your patients and communities and use the hashtag. Let us also know so we can share your examples with our ministry and OH colleagues during our discussions.
    • Thank you to all who participated in our summer research about how primary care stepped up. Taking what we learned, we created Crossing Chasms: Primary Care Teams’ Response to COVID-19 to show the great work done by our teams. We also created a video. Please share this widely, and keep letting us know how you are supporting your communities so we can continue to highlight how pivotal primary care is in the pandemic response.

    Microsoft Teams discount

    • AFHTO has been exploring a group purchase of Microsoft Teams for a member discount. We have learned that the summer survey AFHTO conducted has indicated that the number of users was not enough for us to qualify for Microsoft Canada’s affiliate program.
    • Ontario Health, as part of their digital strategy, is in negotiations with Microsoft Canada on an agreement to offer Microsoft 365 (which includes Teams) at a discount to healthcare providers and organizations. The discount will be extended to the broader healthcare sector, and AFHTO has initiated conversations with Ontario Health about offering this discount to AFHTO members. An update will be provided in January.

    QSC patient advisor application

    • AFHTO is recruiting a patient advisor representative for the AFHTO quality steering committee (QSC). Our hope is for the advisor to be a patient of one of our teams!
    • More information is here. Please consider speaking with patients who you think may be interested and circulating this across your team.

    Primary care patient/client and provider virtual care experience surveys

    • In August, we launched the Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey for teams to capture the patient experience with virtual care. AFHTO is collecting teams’ aggregate responses to create a narrative of how virtual care could be permanently included in the patient care journey – click here to submit your data!
    • There is also a patient/client survey created by Women’s College Hospital Institute of Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV), who is conducting a third-party evaluation of virtual care in the COVID-19 era on behalf of the ministry. You can provide the survey link to patients.
    • WIHV is also conducting a third-party evaluation of virtual care in the COVID-19 era on behalf of the ministry to measure the provider experience on virtual care. Please share this short 10-15 minute online survey with all providers on your team.
    • Both WIHV surveys include the opportunity to enter a draw to win one of four $50 gift cards to the Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart, or Amazon. Your participation will remain anonymous and confidential.
      • If you have any questions or would like to share your current virtual patient/client survey results with WIHV, please email rebecca.liu@wchospital.ca.
      • Please reach out to jamie.fujioka@wchospital.ca if you have any questions or concerns about the provider experience survey.
    • This research is important as the ministry looks at the future of virtual care – please spread the word, and we encourage you to participate!

    Friendly reminders

    • A new agency called Supply Ontario has been created to centralize government procurement, including stabilizing access to PPE for the long term. The goal is to have the inaugural board in place early in the new year. In the meantime, a reminder that primary care can access the provincial stockpile. Even if you have more than 7 days of stock, you can access the pandemic PPE transitional support and send any questions to your regional supply chain lead.
    • The Physiotherapy Clinical Education Team at Queen’s is coordinating clinical placements for 2021. If any teams have a PT in place and would be able to supervise a student, please email Melanie Law at lawm@queensu.ca.
    • Please send your AOP to the ministry as soon as able. While there is no set deadline on it, we encourage teams aim to submit in before the end of the year.

    This was our last round of ED check-in calls for 2020, and we look forward to connecting in the new year.

    We thank and applaud you for your persistence and commitment to delivering the best quality primary care during very trying times. We hope you, your staff, and your friends and families find some down time next month to rest.

    Please reach any time with questions or suggestions on how we can continue to support you.

    Stay well,

    Your AFHTO team 

  • Bits & Pieces: apply for messaging pilots, free registration for legal webinars and more

    Bits & Pieces: apply for messaging pilots, free registration for legal webinars and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Teams can apply for messaging pilots
    • Enter to win free registration to Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams series
    • Mental Health Works modules available from CMHA Ontario
    • Urgent need for physio student placement
    • Quality standard placemats- low back pain and osteoarthritis
    • Recommendations for resuming spirometry, Supply Ontario & PPE, and more
    • Registered Respiratory Therapist job descriptions
    • Upcoming events on increasing older adults’ access to care and more

    Sustaining virtual care-Dr. Ed Brown

    Teams can apply for messaging pilots

    Primary care teams are eligible to apply for funding for tech licenses and fee-for-service messaging as part of Ontario Health’s COVID‐19 funded projects. If you are interested, please contact Vivian Henderson – vhenderson@otn.ca. As a bonus, you can also see Dr. Ed Brown’s recent presentation on sustaining virtual care here.

     

    Enter to win free registration to Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams series

    AFHTO members have the chance to win one (1) free registration to the 2021 Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams series, with Kate Dewhirst and Maria McDonald. Topics include employment law, OHTs, employees as patients and more. The deadline to enter is Nov. 27, 2020. A winner will be randomly drawn and announced Dec. 1, 2020. Enter today!

    Mental Health Works modules available from CMHA Ontario

    Mental Health Works is a nationwide social enterprise of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division. It offers 13 individual ‘essentials’ training modules that provide workplaces tools to foster mental wellness. Topics range from depression and anxiety, to substance use and addictions, to trauma, to psychological health and safety.

    Urgent need for physio student placement –request from Dr. Jane Philpott

    The Physiotherapy Clinical Education Team at Queen’s is in the process of coordinating clinical placements for 2021. Learning opportunities have been hit hard by the impact of COVID-19 and they are now reaching out for support from clinical partners across the province.

    Does your team have a PT who could supervise a student? Read here to find out what’s required.

    Quality standard placemats- low back pain and osteoarthritis

    In response to feedback from primary care, Ontario Health (Quality) has shared a newly developed tool called the Quality Standard (QS) Placemat. The placemat is a quick-reference tool that concisely summarizes key information from its corresponding quality standard in an at-a-glance format.

    Since acute low back pain and osteoarthritis represent two of the most common clinical conditions in the primary care setting, their first placemats have focused on these. They’re posted on Quorum.

    They also have a list of tools and resources that support the implementation of quality standards related to pain and associated symptoms, including chronic pain, low back pain, and osteoarthritis.

    Recommendations for resuming spirometry, Supply Ontario & PPE, and more

    Updates recently released include:

    We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:

    Registered Respiratory Therapist job descriptions
    Respiratory Therapy Society of Ontario has recently released RRT job descriptions across multiple settings. They are now listed as a resource in our library of organizational policies & procedures page -Staff roles, recruitment and development.

    Race, Racism, And COVID-19: The Institute For Pandemics Inaugural Lecture, Nov. 24, 2020
    This panel will explore evidence and examine the implications for using policy and other strategies to dismantle structural racism.
    Learn more here.

    Increasing older adults’ access to care: Lessons learned from the pandemic response, Nov. 25, 2020
    In this webinar hosted by CAMH, Sara Bhatti , Alliance for Healthier Communities and Alvis Choi, Yet Keen Seniors’ Day Centre describe specific responses taken by CHCs to address the needs of older adults during the pandemic. Register here.

    Cultural Safety and Indigenous Partnership, Nov. 27, 2020
    Join the first webinar of this Virtual Learning Exchange in Primary Care series held by the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement. Learn more here.

    End of Life with ALS and assisted non-invasive ventilation, Dec. 1, 2020
    This webinar is the first of a 3-part webinar series on End-of-Life. Learn more alongside the HPCO and Proresp starting on Dec. 1. Find out more here.

    Osgoode Professional Development, Oct. 5, 2020 – Apr 28, 2021
    AFHTO is partnering with York University’s OPD to provide members 10% off a variety of health law programs for professional development. For discount code and course offerings, click here.