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Tag: Members Only News

  • Bits & Pieces: primary care virtual groups webinar, immunization for specific groups, and more

    Bits & Pieces: primary care virtual groups webinar, immunization for specific groups, and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Primary care virtual groups – transitioning a CBT program & cardio-pulmonary rehab program to virtual
    • Members’ stories
    • Planning immunization for specific groups, complicated grief and more
    • Online safety and data backup- tips from TechSoup Canada
    • IBS/Low FODMAP diet: video series from Thames Valley FHT RDs
    • Ontario Health Connection newsletter
    • MEQ and MME update
    • Statistics Canada hiring for 2021 census
    • Upcoming events including The Globe and Mail COVID-19 vaccine series and more

    Primary care virtual groups – transitioning a CBT program & cardio-pulmonary rehab program to virtual

    This webinar is in collaboration with two FHTs transitioning in-person programs to virtual. Scarborough Academic FHT will share how they transferred their CBT skills group for depression and anxiety to online along with the benefits and challenges.

    Arnprior FHT is presenting on how they modified an in-person Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab to Virtual in their rural community. In this webinar they will share their patients’ thoughts and feelings on the program adjustment, discussing wins and struggles along the way. Register here.

    Members’ stories

    Georgian Bay FHT – what it’s like at a COVID assessment centre
    Mount Sinai Academic FHT- Supporting family medicine residents during a pandemic

    Planning immunization for specific groups, complicated grief and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    The Nonprofit Guide to Online Safety: Protectign Your Passwords

     

    Online safety and data backup- tips from TechSoup Canada

    If you’re not signed up for TechSoup Canada’s newsletter, their latest addresses issues of online safety and data backup, among other relevant WFH technical and IT topics for nonprofits.

     

     

    IBS and the Low Fodmap Diet

     

    IBS/Low FODMAP diet: video series from Thames Valley FHT RDs

    Thames Valley FHT RDs have produced a patient education video series on managing IBS. Each video is 4-5 minutes in length.

    Find out more here.

     

    Ontario Health Connection newsletter

    Ontario Health has just sent their first newsletter of 2021. If you haven’t done so already, you can sign up for them to get up to date information on resources available to you.

    MEQ and MME update

    eHealth Centre of Excellence’s Opioid Management Toolkit calculates MEQ and the Telus PS Suite update now features MME calculations. Get the details here.

    Statistics Canada hiring for 2021 census
    The next census will take place in May 2021 and Statistics Canada is hiring approximately 32,000 people across the country to assist in census data collection activities. Please promote this to your patients if they may have been financially affected by COVID-19.

    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.

    Let’s Talk… About the things that make you happy, Jan. 28, 2021

    MindBeacon webinar on Bell Let’s Talk Day for a talk about values, taking positive action and living a more resilient life. Register here.

    Digital Health/EServices for OHTs, Jan. 28, 2021 

    Gain an understanding of the digital supports available and how to leverage eConsult and eReferral to support your OHT’s priority patient populations.
    Learn more about this RISE webcast here.

    Recognizing and Managing Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care during COVID-19, Feb. 9, 2021
    Ontario Health webinar with experts in the field and resources about how to support patients presenting in primary care with symptoms of anxiety. Register here.

    Mental health for adults with developmental disabilities during COVID: A virtual course for family caregivers, starting Feb. 2, 2021
    This course will run for 6 weeks beginning on Tuesday February 2, 2021. Find out more here.

    Changing the way we work: Update on COVID-19 Vaccines, Feb. 5, 2021
    The next in OCFP/DFCM COVID-19 CoP sessions. Find out more here.

    What do Covid-19 vaccines mean for me? Feb. 18, 2021
    Part two of The Globe and Mail and The Royal Society of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine series. Register here.

  • Bits & Pieces: Free PPE portraits, STBBI funding opportunity, and more

    Bits & Pieces: Free PPE portraits, STBBI funding opportunity, and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Free PPE portraits
    • Togetherall funding ended, vaccine education for patients and more
    • Members’ stories
    • Joint letter on paid sick leave
    • Apply for HIV and Hepatitis C funding by Jan. 29
    • Reminder- Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care, Jan. 27, 2021
    • Reminder- Call for abstracts- Choosing Wisely Canada
    • Upcoming events including managing COVID-19 in primary care and more

    Free PPE portraits

    Three staff with portraits

    PPE Portraits Canada is a national medical and graduate student run initiative (www.ppeportraits.ca) providing free smiling laminated headshots for healthcare professionals to wear on their scrubs so patients can see their faces beneath all their PPE.
     
    They are supported by the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto as well as medical faculties at other Canadian institutions including McGill University, University of Ottawa, and the University of British Columbia (UBC). Their PPE Portraits (example above) have received IPAC Canada approval at hospitals across the country including UofT-affiliated hospitals in Toronto and Mississauga.
     
    To date they have provided over 1000 healthcare professionals with free PPE Portraits across the country! If you would like your own free PPE Portrait please fill out this form: www.icubp.org/ppeToronto

    Togetherall funding ended, vaccine education for patients and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Members’ stories

    Niagara North FHT – Medical hub in Niagara expected for Niagara North FHT in 2022
    Elliot Lake FHT- Dr. Cathy Groh reflects on their community’s efforts to protect one another

    Picture of Paid sick leave pdf

     

    Joint letter on paid sick leave

    On Jan. 14, nine healthcare and community organizations sent a letter to Premier Ford requesting paid sick leave:

    We request that the Government of Ontario require all employers to provide a minimum of five annual paid sick days, and that the 2021 provincial budget fund and support employers to increase this to ten annual sick days during a declared infectious disease emergency like COVID-19.

    Read more here.

     

     

    Apply for HIV and Hepatitis C funding by Jan. 29

    Members may be eligible to apply for the Public Health Agency of Canada funding to address sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections through:

    Deadline to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) is January 29, 2021.

    Reminder- 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.

    Reminder- 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.

    Managing COVID-19 in Primary Care, Jan. 19 – Feb. 23, 2021

    Registration is still open for the final 5 sessions in ECHO Ontario’s Primary Care conversations, hosted by UHN.
    View the remaining topics here.

    Education Series on Measurement-Based Care in Mental Health, starting Jan. 21, 2021
    Free virtual education sessions by Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence, the Ontario Hospital Association and the University of Toronto’s Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. Register here.

    The COVID-19 vaccine: sharing best practices and answering your questions, Jan. 22, 2021
    The next COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians session. Register here.

    Mental health for adults with developmental disabilities during COVID: A virtual course for family caregivers, starting Feb. 2, 2021
    This course will run for 6 weeks beginning on Tuesday February 2, 2021. Find out more here.

    OntarioMD Educates: Digital Health and Virtual Care Curriculum, Jan. 27 & Feb. 24, 2021
    Join the virtual care conversations in this series of 10 sessions. In January, hear about Virtual Care as Core to Practice with COVID and Beyond, and Privacy and Cybersecurity in February. Register here

    ICES Winter Forum: Data and Analytics in Critical Times, Feb. 17, 2021
    Focused on data and analytics to support pandemic planning and response, highlighting Ontario, Canadian and international evidence and perspective. Register here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #103 – Moving Forward with Quality Improvement in the New Year

    QI in Action eBulletin #103 – Moving Forward with Quality Improvement in the New Year

    In this Issue:

    • Quality Improvement on the Fly & QIPs
    • QI Resources
    • Upcoming Events

    Quality Improvement on the Fly & QIPs

    At this time, teams usually start to plan for their annual QIPs submission. We can expect an update in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, the QI in PC Council has collaboratively gathered the following information about what initiatives teams led this year and hope to do in the upcoming year.

    Will your team(s) submit a 2021/22 QIPS? Unsure 50%, Yes 50% n=16 QIDSS/QIDSS-like

    Did your team(s) submit a 2020/21 QIPS? Yes 50%, No 18.8%, Some 31.3% n=16 QIDSS/QIDSS-like

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Priorities for 2021/22 QIPS - Unsure 13.5%; 7 day post hospital discharge 16.2%; documented assessment of palliative care needs 16.2%; patient involvement in decisions about care 18.9%; timely access to a primary care provider 18.9% n= 14 QIDSS/QIDSS-like

     

    Initiatives on the Go:

    • Virtual care adoption for one-on-one visits along with groups & online booking
    • Social Determinants of Health Training for all team members
    • Reconciliation of prevention care data within EMRs
    • Updated patient demographic information within EMRs
    • Regional lung health projects specifically focusing on COPD
    • Increased influenza vaccination – one team vaccinated 90% of their roster
    • Senior wellness initiatives and home blood pressure monitoring

    COVID-19 Member Initiatives Table

     

    Recognizing that many organizations are very busy with their local COVID efforts, we would anticipate that the 2021/2022 QIPs would have flexibility to allow organizations to reflect what they are doing to manage COVID locally or what they’re doing to maintain services (e.g. tracking access, patient experience, etc.).

    We are continuously capturing these initiatives, in the COVID-19 Member Initiatives Table. If you have an initiative you would like to share, please email improve@afhto.ca!

     

     

    Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey

    Given what we have seen in the past year with the huge transition to virtual care, this will be a key factor for measuring access to care and patient experience. To aid teams in capturing this experience, please refer to the Primary Care Patient/Client Virtual Care Experience Survey. The survey was created to help fill informational gaps to inform future planning and further support the implementation of virtual care in primary care.

    To help you get started on planning your team’s annual Quality Improvement Initiatives, we have partnered with Choosing Wisely to host a webinar:

    Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care  

    January 27, 2021 (12-1 pm EST)

    In this webinar, Dr. Kimberly Wintemute, Primary Co-Lead for Choosing Wisely Canada, and Dr. Peter Kuling, Family Physician at The Ottawa Hospital Academic FHT, provide insights on how to advance resource stewardship and implementation efforts in primary care using Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations and resources.   

    Click here to read more and register.

    QI Resources
    Below are measurement and quality-related tools, resources, slides, and videos. You can flag these emails or bookmark the related posts, so they will be easy to find for future reference.

    Upcoming Events:

    Better Breathing Conference 2021
    January 18 & 22, 2021
    LOCATION: VIRTUAL

    Join the Lung Health Foundation’s Better Breathing Conference! Their conference’s accredited respiratory education programming is 100% free for all Canadian healthcare professionals.

    Click here to register.

    Early ID for Palliative Care: Lessons Learned and Moving Forward
    January 21, 2021 (12-1 pm EST)

    Please join the CoP as they celebrate successes, learn about progress to date on the palliative care indicator, and discuss plans for 2021 to improve palliative care in Ontario.

    Click here to register.

    SCALE Program (Supporting Caregiver Awareness, Learning and Empowerment)
    February 3, 2021 – March 23, 2021

    Back by popular demand, the SCALE Program aims to empower you with practical information and skills to enhance self-awareness with a focus on your own needs and well-being.

    The program consists of:

    • a series of eight weekly webinars
    • online group coaching
    • one-on-one, individualized telephone counselling

    Select just one topic that you are interested in each week or take the entire program – as a caregiver, we understand how valuable your time is and that is why we developed a program to best suit your schedule.

    Click here to learn more and register.

    E-QIP Conference: QI Innovations, Understand – Pivot – Change
    April 13, 2021

    In this one-day virtual conference will offer virtual networking opportunities, poster presentations, concurrent sessions, wellness activities, and more. You will have the opportunity to hear from QI and data experts in mental health and addiction, engage in rich discussions, and ask their experts a lot of questions.

    Click here for more information.

    Interested in sharing your teams’ initiatives in a future webinar? Email Sandeep Gill – Sandeep.gill@afhto.ca to learn more about the AFHTO KTE Webinar Schedule!

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #102 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

     

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Year End Message from AFHTO’s President and Board Chair

    Year End Message from AFHTO’s President and Board Chair

    Hi everyone,

    Allan Grill

    Well, it’s been only 2 months since I became AFHTO President, so I thought this was a good time to provide an update on what I’ve been up to as this year comes to a close.

    For starters, I get invited to a lot of meetings, which is to be expected considering we are in a global pandemic. Aside from taking advantage of the opportunity to keep our members informed of the latest happenings in primary care, I am excited to say that some great collaboration has been happening along the way.

    When there seemed to be some misinformation about family physician offices not being accessible to patients, both in-person and virtually, AFHTO got together with the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) and the Ontario Medical Association’s Section of General & Family Practice (SGFP) to produce a 1 page document entitled “We’re Your Family Doctors – we’re here to care for you – whether by phone, video or in person”. This was shared widely with all our organizations as well as on social media and remains an ongoing advocacy tool to highlight the important role primary care played during the pandemic.

    I’ve also been invited to participate on a committee representing primary care to help advise the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in Ontario. The goals are to share up-to-date scientific information about these new vaccines, promote vaccine uptake and prevent vaccine hesitancy. It’s still early days, but hopefully in the next few months, primary care will be playing a huge roll in getting patients across Ontario to roll up their sleeves.

    Our partners include the Alliance for Healthier Communities, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario, Ontario College of Pharmacists, Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine, the OCFP and the SGFP, and it’s going to take this kind of organization and collaboration to get the job done!

    The AFHTO Board has also met a few times since our virtual Annual General Meeting to discuss our strategic plan and where we want to be in the next few years. We are also starting to discuss the pre-election platform issues that need further attention to support team-based care, and there will be a town hall to get input from members in early 2021 – so please stay tuned.

    Finally, I have tried to promote good news stories about team-based primary care via my own Twitter handle – @Allan_k_grillMD. One of the biggest topics that received some attention was our efforts in giving flu shots, be it in our own offices, drive through clinics in parking lots, or collaborations with local public health partners.

    We often spend all our time focused on the work itself, but self-promotion needs to remain a priority. Not only does it educate others about the power of primary care, but a little friendly competition between us never hurt anyone. So, I encourage you to tell your stories and use #PrimaryCareAlwaysThere to share the great work your teams are doing in your community.

    It’s been a difficult and challenging year. Primary care continues to pivot during this pandemic to meet our patients’ needs, and colleagues are exhausted.  We need a break, and the holiday season couldn’t have come more quickly. I hope everyone takes some time off over the next 2 weeks to recharge and reconnect with loved ones, even if it has to be virtual. It’s still a time of year to be thankful for what we have, and we can’t let the pandemic take even that away from us.

    Being of the Jewish faith, I recently celebrated the holiday of Chanukah, where candles are lit on the menorah (or chanukiah) each night for 8 nights, adding 1 extra candle each time. The miracle connected to Chanukkah has to do with the small amount of oil needed to light the menorah. When the Maccabees (a group of Jewish warriors) reclaimed the Temple of Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE after its destruction, only a small amount of oil was found. Despite the very low supply, it lasted 8 whole days.

    To me, the holiday of Chanukkah represents hope. A hope that we should all have lives full of light and warmth. As we bring in 2021, I wish nothing more for all of you along with your friends and families. It is also fitting that we welcomed in another potential miracle and source of hope recently as Health Canada approved the first available COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, with more to follow. Although most Canadians won’t get full access to a COVID-19 vaccine until probably Spring or Summer of 2021, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

    Thank you for your continued tireless efforts to support AFHTO, your patients and each other.

     

    Dr. Allan Grill
    President and Board Chair
    Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario

  • 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.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #102: Choosing Wisely during the Pandemic and Beyond, Health Equity and Provider Experience

    In collaboration with the Alliance for Healthier Communities

    In this Issue:

    • Toolkits – Choosing Wisely Canada
    • AFHTO Resources as You Plan Ahead
    • Provider Experience during COVID-19 – Dr. Catherine Donnelly
    • Health Equity – Public Health Ontario
    • Upcoming Events

    These are unprecedented times. COVID-19 is an era of resource scarcity and deciding which method of care delivery is best can be challenging. In response, and per Ministry directive, we have seen many teams transition to virtual care (mostly telephone) while being available and accessible when in-person care is required. Health care systems and providers are rapidly learning and changing in response to ongoing COVID-19 developments. As we wrap up this year and think of 2021, we have collaborated with Choosing Wisely Canada to provide you with a set of resources that can help shape your new year.

    Toolkits:

    • The Cold Standard:
      • A revised toolkit for Using Antibiotics Wisely in the Era of COVID-19 and Virtual Care
      • A webinar recording to learn more about this can be found here
      • A recent article on Using Antibiotics Wisely and The Cold Standard toolkit written by Drs. Jerome Leis and Allan Grill was published in The BMJ. The article can be found here
    • Drowsy without Feeling Lousy:
      • A toolkit for reducing inappropriate use of benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics among older adults in primary care
    • BYE-BYE, PPI:
      • A toolkit for deprescribing proton pump inhibitors in EMR-enabled primary care settings
    • Understand the Gland:
      • A toolkit for appropriate ordering practices of free thyroid hormone testing

    Now is the Time to Choose Wisely: Advancing Quality Improvement in Primary Care  

    January 27, 2020 (12-1 pm EDT)

    Engaging primary care providers in quality improvement 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.  

    In this webinar, Dr. Kimberly Wintemute, Primary Co-Lead for Choosing Wisely Canada, and Dr. Peter Kuling, Family Physician at The Ottawa Hospital Academic FHT, provide insights on how to advance resource stewardship and implementation efforts in primary care using Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations and resources.   

    The webinar will:

    • Describe Choosing Wisely Canada as it relates to primary care
    • Identify ways to implement Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations in primary care  
    • Review tools and resources to support implementation of Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations in primary care

    Click here to register.

    AFHTO Resources as You Plan Ahead

    A survey of interprofessional health care providers in Family Health Teams during the COVID-19 pandemic

    We are now nine 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. IHPs are 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.  Donnelly by email at catherine.donnelly@queensu.ca.

    COVID-19 and Health Equity
    Health Equity and COVID-19 Website:

    • Social determinants of health (SDOH), such as gender, socioeconomic position, race/ethnicity, occupation, Indigeneity, homelessness, and incarceration, are factors that potentially increase risk and severity of COVID-19 infection.
    • Incorporating SDOH into risk considerations and assessments is crucial for supporting an equitable COVID-19 response.

    Take the health equity impact assessment course to understand how to measure the impact of SDOH in your community and learn how to use the tool.

    Learn more from the webinar: Introduction to race, income, and language data collection, hosted by PHO.

    Upcoming Events:
    Virtual Learning Exchange in Virtual Primary Care
    The virtual learning exchange will be delivered in three 90-minute webinars and will focus on the following identified priority topics within the overarching theme of virtual primary care:

    • Enhancing Equity and Access (January 29, 2021, 1:30-3:00pm ET)
    • Patient and Family Centred Care (March 5, 2021, 1:30-3:00pm ET)

    To find out more information please click here.

    Choosing Wisely Canada’s 2021 National Meeting (May 12-13, 2021)

    • Choosing Wisely Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association will be hosting a two-day virtual event on May 12 & 13, 2021. Please save the dates! More details about the meeting can be found here
    • Choosing Wisely Canada is now accepting abstract submissions for the National Meeting. Please click here for more details and to submit your abstract

    Interested in sharing your teams’ initiatives in a future webinar? Email Sandeep Gill – Sandeep.gill@afhto.ca to learn more about the AFHTO KTE Webinar Schedule!

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #101 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

     

  • 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.