Tag: Members Only News

Bits & Pieces: more OHTs, in-yr reconciliation webinar, OCFP awards members & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
More OHTs announced In-year reconciliation deadline webcast OCFP recognises AFHTO members at 2019 Awards Ceremony Digital Health Toolbox slides and video available Safer opioid prescribing through a clinic-wide urine drug testing system – the HARMS Program	Holiday perks New toolkit for people who provide and who receive mental health care Upcoming events on virtual care, preparing for audits and more

More OHTs announced
As of Dec. 3, more of the first 24 Ontario Health Teams were announced:

Southlake Community OHT – including Aurora-Newmarket FHT, Georgina NPLC and Southlake Academic FHT
Guelph and Area OHT – including East Wellington and Guelph FHTs, eHealth Centre of Excellence (part of Centre for Family Medicine FHT)
Durham OHT – includes North Durham FHT
North York Central OHT – includes North York FHT and Carefirst FHT
Burlington OHT- includes Burlington and Caroline FHTs
Toronto East OHT – includes South East Toronto FHT

This makes 8 OHTs announced to date, with a target of 24 to be announced. Visit our site to learn more.

Over the next few weeks, the Ministry will be rolling out 24 OHTs across the province. To stay up to date we encourage you to subscribe to the Connected Care Updates.And to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

And please let AFHTO know if your OHT is being announced and share any media announcements so that we can spread the word.

In-year reconciliation deadline webcast
Join us on Monday, December 16, at 11:30 a.m. for a 30-minute call with Fernando Tavares, Program Manager at the Ministry of Health, to discuss and ask questions about

submission of the year-end expenditure forecast and resulting in-year surplus. The in-year reconciliation deadline this year is January 10, 2020.

We hope teams projecting unspent funds will consider a voluntary contribution to AFHTO to assist with our Governance & Leadership program and other supports for members. This will be discussed on the call. Please register here.

OCFP recognises AFHTO members at 2019 awards ceremony
AFHTO congratulates physicians in our member family health teams who were recognized at the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) 2019 Awards Ceremony, including Dr. Jocelyn Charles of Sunnybrook Academic FHT, named 2019 Reg. L Perkin Ontario Family Physician of the Year.

Visit our site to find out who won the Awards of Excellence.

Digital Health Toolbox slides and video available

Last week we held The Digital Health Toolbox: Enabling High-Performance Teams in The Delivery of Integrated, Patient-Centred Care Webinar. Presented by the eHealth Centre for Excellence, it highlighted:

a virtual visits solution co-designed with providers and patients
an eReferral solution, co-designed with providers and patients, supporting seamless transitions in care
EMR-integrated tablets, enabling efficient patient assessments
Chronic disease prevention and management (CDPM) decision support tools; and
a system of regionally-based tools that support the sharing of vital health information across geographies and health sectors.

Slides and video are now available.

Safer opioid prescribing through a clinic-wide urine drug testing system – the HARMS Program

Slides from the AFHTO 2019 presentation on this Bright Lights award winning program are now available here.

Holiday perks

Don’t forget, as you shop for the holidays, AFHTO members are eligible to sign up for Perkopolis discounts, which include travel, major retailers, tickets to major attractions, sporting events and more. So far, we have over 500 active members.

Check with your administrator if your team is already signed up and you can register right away. If not, please have them contact info@afhto.ca. It’s free to sign up!

New toolkit for people who provide and who receive mental health care
The toolkit from McMaster University includes two new workbooks that were jointly developed by healthcare providers and mental health service users.

One workbook can support people dealing with a mental health challenge to navigate their care and prepare for appointments with their primary care provider (e.g. family doctor, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare provider within a primary care setting).

The other workbook can be used by providers during appointments to facilitate communication between patients and providers, as well as plan next steps. PDFs of the workbooks can be downloaded here, or you can request hard copies of the toolkit for your clinic here.

Increasing Access To Patients Through Virtual Care Visits Webinar, Dec. 10, 2019
Listen to the Minto Mapleton and Peterborough FHTs share how they integrated digital health tools in their programs. Register now!

Advanced Social Work With Older Adults, Jan. 15, 2020
The OASW is holding their popular online certificate course in January. Register before Dec. 15. Learn more here.

ECHO Mental Health Programs, Jan 2020
ECHO Complex Patient Management and Adult Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities are multi-week programs that commence in January. Learn more and apply here.

Preparing for Audits, Jan. 15, 2020
Register early for AFHTO’s upcoming Financial Webinar Series session. Learn how to prepare for audit season. Register now!

December 3, 2019

Bits & Pieces: Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced, Clinton & North Perth FHTs accredited & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced Clinton, North Perth FHTs and others accredited with commendation 2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans launched	Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network Series starting January 2020 Upcoming events on virtual care and more

Mississauga and Hamilton OHTs announced
On Nov. 25, 2019, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, announced the Mississauga Ontario Health Team, known as Mississauga Health, as one of the first teams in the province. AFHTO members in Mississauga Health are Credit Valley FHT, CarePoint Health and Summerville FHT. Read more here.

And today she announced the Hamilton Ontario Health Team, known as the Hamilton Health Team. AFHTO members are Hamilton and McMaster FHTs. Read more here.

Over the next few weeks, the Ministry will be rolling out 24 OHTs across the province. To stay up to date we encourage you to subscribe to the Connected Care Updates.

And please let AFHTO know if your OHT is being announced and share any media announcements so that we can spread the word.

Clinton, North Perth FHTs and others accredited with commendation

Clinton FHT and North Perth FHT were part of the Huron Perth Sub-Region Accreditation Prototype (HPSAP) that was accredited by Accreditation Canada the week of Oct 21st, 2019. They were awarded Accredited with Commendation. The focus was system improvement and standardization of service delivery. Read the report here.

2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans launched
Health Quality Ontario (HQO) has launched the priorities for the 2020/21 Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs).

The 2019/20 QIPs prioritized three core themes: timely and efficient transitions, service excellence, and safe and effective care. Only minor changes to the QIP priorities were made for 2020/21. QIPs will continue to be submitted by individual organizations to Health Quality Ontario (soon to become part of Ontario Health) and will be due by April 1, 2020. Find out more here.

Registration open for Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network Series starting January 2020
Do you know how to work with your patients with obesity who have received specialty care from a Bariatric Centre of Excellence?

Build clinical expertise by joining one of project ECHO’s series of sessions to discuss patient cases and learn about leading surgical and medical treatment options for patients with obesity, strategies to identify and prevent potential post-operative complications after bariatric surgery as well as tools and resources to assist you in the management of these patients.

For more information and to register visit their site.

The Digital Health Toolbox: Enabling High-Performance Teams In The Delivery Of Integrated, Patient-Centred Care Webinar, Nov. 28, 2019
Learn how to implement digital health tools within your teams after participating in this webinar co-hosted by AFHTO and the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE). Register today!

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Major Depression And Anxiety Disorders, Nov. 27, 2019
Join CADTH and HQO for a webinar on accessing mental health support outside of a therapist’s office. Register to attend in-person or online. Learn more here.

NPAO MAID Workshop Toronto, Dec. 4, 2019
Join this free, accredited, all day workshop on MAID, held by NPAO in Toronto. Learn more here.

November 26, 2019

Bits & Pieces: Ontario Health transfers, treating Adult Major Depressive Disorder & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
Upcoming transfers to Ontario Health & LHIN transitional regions A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation slides and video Care for survivors of blood or marrow transplant therapy	Treatment of Adult Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Tool 2019 spotlight on caregivers and a new helpline Upcoming events on cyber security, the global AIDS crisis and more

Upcoming transfers to Ontario Health & LHIN transitional regions
On Nov. 13, Interim CEO of Ontario Health, Susan Fitzpatrick, sent an update on activities underway with the health agency. Transfer orders were issued by the Honourable Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, to Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario, HealthForceOntario Marketing and Recruitment Agency, Health Shared Services Ontario, and Ontario Health Quality Council operating as Health Quality Ontario.

The transfer orders list December 2, 2019 as the day they will transfer to Ontario Health. Transition of the LHINs will occur at a later date.

You can find all of the transfer orders on the ministry’s website and Ontario Health’s new website, www.ontariohealth.ca.

Ontario Health has also aligned the 14 LHINs to five interim and transitional regions. This is not a merger of the LHIN boundaries. Effective November 13, five LHIN CEOs have been appointed as Transitional Regional Leads reporting to the Interim CEO of Ontario Health. Read the full memo on our site.

A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation slides and video
On Nov. 14 IHPs joined a webcast that was organised to help answer questions and to learn about the work being done at this time of change. It was an overview of OHTs, an update from the ministry, and an opportunity to hear from members who are part of OHTs that are proceeding to full application, especially those OHTs that have included close collaboration with IHPs. Slides and video are now available on our site.

Care for survivors of blood or marrow transplant therapy
Stem cell transplant is an important treatment for some types of cancer, but it can also increase future health risks. Long-term follow-up care involves all members of the patient’s health team. Patients commonly need updated immunizations and regular monitoring for cardiovascular risk factors and screening for secondary cancers.

Please visit the Cancer Care Ontario Survivorship Care after Stem Cell Transplant website to learn more about this unique patient population and find patient education materials.

Treatment of Adult Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Tool
About 7% of Canadians meet the diagnostic criteria for adult major depressive disorder (MDD). The Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) recently developed the Treatment of Adult Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Tool to help.

As a highly requested topic by providers, this tool can support primary care providers in treating adult patients (≥ 18 years) who have major depressive disorder. The tool covers treatment options for MDD, which involve psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy, as well as complementary and alternative options. The MDD Tool is one of several clinical tools developed as part of the Knowledge Translation in Primary Care Initiative.

2019 spotlight on caregivers and a new helpline

The Change Foundation has released the second annual Spotlight on Ontario’s Caregivers, done for the first time in partnership with The Ontario Caregiver Organization. Highlights include:

While similar numbers of caregivers are involved in organizing care, in 2019 56% of caregivers find the process difficult, compared to only 39% in 2018.
The impact on finances is more pronounced in 2019 – 32% said they had faced financial hardships compared to 22% in 2018.
Emotional counselling for both the patient and the caregiver is still one area where more support is needed, with 77% of caregivers wishing for a ‘one-stop-shop’ that they can turn to for help and advice.

To address this last point The Ontario Caregiver Organization recently launched the Caregiver Helpline – a 24/7 resource that caregivers can call or engage in a live chat between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., Monday to Friday, to find local supports, get information about caregiving and get other important knowledge that caregivers said they need.

Cyber Security and Data Breaches- How Vulnerable are you? Nov. 20, 2019
The next Financial Webinar Series webcast co-hosted by AFHTO and Grant Thornton LLP is tomorrow! Join us for an hour on data, cyber security and policies and procedures to mitigate possible issues. Register today!

Family Medicine, Holistic Care And The Ongoing Global AIDS Crisis, Nov. 26, 2019
Join Dr. Jane Philpott and Stephen Lewis as they discuss HIV & AIDs care from their unique perspectives. Session will be held in Toronto. Learn more here.

Transitioning NP Research to Practice Conference, Jan 24, 2020
Early Bird Registration for NP Global Initiatives’ online NP conference ends next week. Participate in this new organization’s convenient online conference by NPs, for NPs. Learn more here.

November 19, 2019

QI in Action eBulletin #92: How Can Teams Help Meet The E-Service Needs of Patients?
In this issue
- What are Patients’ E-service Needs?
- Prescription Renewals
- Consult with any Healthcare Provider Online (Email, Virtual Visits, etc.)
- Specialist Referral Confirmations and Notifications
- How have Other Teams Implemented Digital Health Tools?
- Digital Health Week and the QIDS-Essential Summary
- Resources
- Upcoming Webinars and Conferences
What are Patients’ E-service Needs?
Canada Health Infoway conducted 4 public surveys throughout Canada between 2014 and 2018 to assess the availability, use and public interest in digital access to their health information and e-services.1 Some of the key takeaways from the survey results were:
- The availability of e-services isn’t meeting the demands of Canadians
- Canadians accessing their health information online has doubled between March 2017 to March 2018
- The four e-services that Canadians want the most are¹:
  - Prescription renewal (4 million Canadians have lost or damaged a prescription and as a result 700,000 Canadians have gone without medication)
  - Online access to health records
  - Specialist referral confirmations and notifications for confirmed appointments with specialists
  - Online booking for appointments
Survey data from Connecting Patients for Better Health 2018 report by Canada Health Infoway

However, over the years despite the increased interest for e-services, the access for the services has not increased.

Prescription Renewals
- PrescribeIT allows providers to directly transfer prescriptions to the pharmacies of the patient’s choice. PrescribeIT fully integrates with existing electronic medical records (Telus PSS is live, OSCAR to be available early 2020) and pharmacy management systems. Health Canada has provided Canada Health Infoway the funding to create and launch PrescribeIT and it’s being provided at no charge to prescribers.
  - Benefits include:
    
    Enhanced security and patient privacy: prescriptions sent through PrescribeIT are transmitted as data via an encrypted two factor authentication process and details entered directly into the pharmacy software.
    
    Rx Dispense notifications in the EMR: Rx dispense, and cancellations notifications are sent to the EMRs when a PrescribeIT^TM order has been received and processed through the a PrescribeITTM enabled pharmacy.
    
    Enhanced Communication: Replace fax or phone calls with secure messaging directly from the EMR (currently available for select PrescribeIT^TM enabled pharmacies)
    
    Renew Rx Requests electronically from the EMR: Reduce administrative work in faxing/scanning renewals
Consult with any Healthcare Provider Online
- Provider to specialist: eConsults are available through OTN for physicians and nurse practitioners to access specialist advice in a timely manner. Non-urgent matters have a response time of an average 2 days! This program also consists of Teledermatology and Teleophthalmology
  - A case study illustrating timely patient care through eConsult use in primary care, can be found here.
  - A case study illustrating the use of eConsult to support timely access to specialist advice, reducing anxiety and decreasing unnecessary referrals, can be found here.
- Patient to Provider: Interprofessional teams can sign up with ThinkResearch to access VirtualCare allowing family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, dietitians and other clinicians to host virtual visits.
  - Virtual visits are a way for patients and providers to communicate directly over a safe, secure, online platform via chat messaging, phone, or video.
  - Since the launch of this program, in collaboration with eCE and the Waterloo Wellington LHIN in March 2018 14,200 virtual visits have been provided.
  - Patient and provider-initiated visits are available
  - Admins (reception/nursing) can triage and book virtual visits, supporting clinical workflow
  - Visit transcripts and attachments can be exported to the EMR via HRM
  - A published case study illustrating the patient experience with virtual visits in primary care can be found here.
  - A published case study on the provider experience with virtual visits in primary care can be found here.
  - Use and benefits of provider-initiated virtual visits are highlighted within a published case study here.
Specialist Referral Confirmations and Notifications
- The eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) leads the System Coordinated Access (SCA) Program, outlined in the Ontario Health Teams: Digital Health Playbook (August 2019). The SCA Program deploys the Ocean eReferral technology developed from an innovation procurement (with a consortium consisting of ThinkResearch, CognizantMD and the Centre for Effective Practice) to delivering more than 60,000 eReferrals integrated from within primary care EMRs (Telus PSS, QHR Accuro, OSCAR).
  - Providers from the eight LHINs involved in the SCA procurement can gain access to this service within the existing government investment.
  - Learnings from System Coordinated Access in Waterloo-Wellington:
  - Over 38,000 were processed electronically over the last 12 months in Waterloo Wellington within the diabetes, diagnostic imaging and orthopedics referral pathways.
  - Additional services added include Home and Community Care, Mental Health and Addictions.
  - For the referrals sent, 33% of patients included their email address and were enabled to digitally access their referral status and efficiently book and confirm appointments.
  - Patient experience surveys results (N=2,060) show 80%-90% satisfaction.
How have Teams Implemented Digital Health Tools?
- Teams provide Health Records Access Online and Online Appointment Booking in different ways. Some of the publicly available services are:
  - Multiple resources within the Ontario Health Teams: Digital Health Playbook, some of which may be of interest to you:
    
    Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) is publicly available for patients to look up their immunization records. (The link to this varies depending on your location)
    
    Teams can reach out to EMR vendors to discuss the availability of these features.
  - There are several technology options available to implement online appointment booking. Some teams have reached out to EMR vendors for these features (ex: Medeo, HealthMyself). Some teams use standalone appointment booking software that aren’t integrated with EMRs. Another option is that teams have implemented an appointment booking email address through which patients can email appointment requests.
- Click here to read more about how teams are (Register for Digital Health webinars below for more information!):
- Increasing Patient e-communications
- Providing Online Booking for Appointments
- Providing Virtual Visits
- Increasing Access for Unattached Patients through Virtual Care
- Collaborating to Create and Distribute EMR Forms
Digital Health Week (Nov 11-17) and the QIDS-Essential Summary

Let’s celebrate all the digital health initiatives our teams have taken! You can also read about the Making and Meaning of the Quality Improvement Decision Support Program in the QIDS-Essential Summary.

Join the Digital Health Week conversation by tweeting #ThinkDigitalHealth and share your teams’ stories.

Resources:
Upcoming Webinars and Conferences:
Digital Health Week – November 11-17, 2019

IHPs OHTs and Health System Transformation Webcast -Nov 14, 2019 12 – 1:30 pm

Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care – Nov 16, 2019

The Digital Health Toolbox: Enabling High-Performance Teams in The Delivery of Integrated, Patient-Centred Care Webinar – Nov 28, 2019 12-1 pm

Increasing Access to Patients through Virtual Care Visits Webinar – Dec 10, 2019 12-1 pm

References:
1 https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/component/edocman/3564-connecting-patients-for-better-health-2018/view-document?Itemid=101

In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #91 or other back issues here!
Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.
November 14, 2019

Bits & Pieces: Digital health toolbox and virtual care webinars & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
Digital health toolbox webinar Nov. 28 Increasing access to patients through virtual care visits webinar Dec. 10 Members’ stories QIDS-ESSENTIAL: the making & meaning of the Quality Improvement Decision Support program	Happy Nurse Practitioner Week Primary Care Virtual Community Upcoming events on Digital health and technology in integrated care and more

Digital health toolbox webinar Nov. 28

The current healthcare landscape poses pressure to modernize health care delivery, striving for an integrated, higher-quality patient-centred model.

Digital health tools, when designed, deployed and maintained to meet user needs, play an important role in enhancing patient and provider experience, and unlocking opportunities for a greater understanding of patient population and the delivery of proactive care, while optimizing the use of resources.

The Digital Health Toolbox: Enabling High-Performance Teams in The Delivery of Integrated, Patient-Centred Care webinar on Nov. 28 features speakers from the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE), who will highlight different tools and how they can be meaningfully used in the delivery of care, including eReferrals and CDPM support. Register today.

Increasing access to patients through virtual care visits webinar Dec. 10

Minto Mapleton FHT is a small team that has set an example of how to use multi digital solutions to increase rural patient centred care. They currently use digital tools such as e-faxing, Ocean tablets, Telus apps and much more to increase office efficiency. They are taking advantage of OTN tools and are ranked 4th out of 125 FHTs in the use of eVisits with the most referrals for respirology and psychiatry. They have also piloted the eHealth Centre for Excellence Virtual Care initiative that allows patients remote access to visits.

Peterborough FHT has been supporting unattached patients since August 2018 through their Virtual Care Clinic (VCC) in Peterborough and a NP-run PFHT Clinic in Lakefield that supports rural unattached patients and seasonal visitors. Along with access to the VCC & PFHT Clinics, PFHT has opened their group programs and services to these patients who can now register online without a referral from a primary care provider thereby removing unnecessary barriers.

Join this webinar on December 10, 2019 to learn more about their innovative digital health programs.

Members’ stories

Chatham-Kent, Thamesview and Tilsbury District FHTs– Chatham-Kent’s Physician Recruitment and Retention Task Force to bring more doctors to the area

Central Lambton FHT – connecting care at the Central Lambton Family Health Team

Inner City FHT – New program transitions individuals living with HIV/AIDS out of Toronto’s emergency shelter system

Summerville FHT – Summerville FHT Strategic Plan 2019-2022

QIDS-ESSENTIAL: the making & meaning of the Quality Improvement Decision Support program

As the QIDS program turned five last fall, the QIDS Secretariat within AFHTO decided that the milestone merited not just another report or case study but a different kind of account, one that would capture the QIDS journey with a wider lens, from both a philosophical and practice perspective. QIDS-Essential: The Making and Meaning of the Quality Improvement Decision Support (QIDS) Program is the result.

Happy Nurse Practitioner Week

Happy Nurse Practitioner Week to all the NPs working in primary care teams across Ontario!

Thank you for your hard work, your dedication to your patients and your teams. Please take some time this week to reflect on the work that you do and know that you make a difference in the lives of your patients and your communities.
To celebrate this important week, the NPAO has developed a NP Week Toolkit.

Primary Care Virtual Community

Next webinar: Nov. 21, 2019 | 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

The Primary Care Virtual Community (PCVC) is a collaboration designed to support the front-line practitioner experience of the Quadruple Aim. The PCVC has been developed by AFHTO and the Ontario College of Family Physicians and is facilitated through The Change Foundation.

The upcoming webinar will continue a dialogue on 10 Ontario-based “High Impact Actions,” which have been co-defined by the Community, and offer examples of how these actions may already be enabling meaningful improvement in primary care.

Join the community now and be a part of this important conversation!

A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation, Nov. 14, 2019
Please join us on from 12 PM to 1:30 PM for an overview of OHTs, and to hear from teams proceeding to full application whose OHT development has included close collaboration with IHPs. They will speak to their work to date and highlight how IHPs are engaged. All members are encouraged to join (not just IHPs!)
Register today!

Health Justice Tuesdays – Health and Human Rights Law, Nov. 19, 2019
Register for the last Health Justice Tuesday session held by one of our members, St Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT. Learn more here.

Cyber Security and Data Breaches- How Vulnerable are you? Nov. 20, 2019
The next Financial Webinar Series webcast co-hosted by AFHTO and Grant Thornton LLP is right around the corner. Join us for an hour on data, cyber security and policies and procedures to mitigate possible issues. Register today!

Digital health and technology in integrated care, Nov. 20, 2019
The next session of the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) Canada Virtual Community. Find out more here.

November 12, 2019

Bits & Pieces: Made-in-Ontario high impact actions feedback, opioid self assessment & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue
Feedback on Made-in-Ontario high impact actions for Nov. 21 session Member in the media and the Missing Million COPD report Online opioid self-assessment program GoodLife LG TV promotion	The Gatehouse programs for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse – Etobicoke/Toronto Upcoming events on health and climate change, concussions and more

Feedback on Made-in-Ontario high impact actions for Nov. 21 session
The primary care virtual community has co-defined a list of High Impact Actions felt to spark meaningful improvements in primary care, building on lessons learned from the UK’s own transformation efforts. The community has also shared insight on the actions they feel are within their control, in addition to where support is needed.

In our upcoming Nov. 21 session, we’ll be refining and prioritizing the list of Made-in-Ontario High Impact Actions. We’ll also be showcasing examples of where the High Impact Actions are already occurring.

Please share your feedback on the current list and share examples of where they’re already occurring by clicking here.

You can also:

Read a summary of the high impact actions by Dr. Jennifer Young, President, OCFP here: Using ‘New Power’ to Spark Change
Register for the Nov. 21 session

Member in the media and the Missing Million COPD report
City of Kawartha Lakes FHT: Family health teams a positive change, say majority, although health care cuts a worry

The Missing Million: according to a report from The Lung Association and Boehringer Ingelheim, more than one million Canadians are living with COPD and don’t know it

Online opioid self-assessment program
The Online Opioid Self-Assessment Program is a FREE course developed with funding from Health Canada to improve opioid prescribing. It’s highly interactive and uses assessment as a technique for knowledge exchange and guideline implementation. In order to facilitate active

learning, a variety of techniques are employed, including videos, case presentations and an assortment of question types to keep you engaged and apply it in practice.

Dr. Andrea D. Furlan MD PhD, ECHO Ontario Co-Chair, developed this interactive course with other colleagues in physiatry, family medicine and addictions medicine. This course is based on the updated 2017 Canadian Opioid Guideline.

GoodLife LG TV promotion

GoodLife has launched a contest- all new members who join the membership program before Nov. 30 will be entered to win one of five 50” LG TVs (value approx. $799 each).

As a reminder, AFHTO members save up to 40% off regular GoodLife Fitness rates. The annual Corporate Membership rate is $519, and the bi-weekly payment is $24. Any identified member on the ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list is assigned member IDs on a monthly basis.

To register, please email info@afhto.ca for your membership ID. Once you’ve received your ID, you can register online.

For more information:

FAQ
Flyer

The Gatehouse programs for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse – Etobicoke/Toronto

1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday.

The Gatehouse peer-led Adult program’s primary focus is to enable survivors of child sexual abuse to develop positive coping strategies focusing on building healthy boundaries and relationships leading to a more meaningful and grounded life. The programs are offered over the course of 31 weeks in two phases. They also offer a support program for partners/support persons of survivors, the only one in the country aimed at helping foster connection, healthier communication and boundaries from a peer perspective for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

If you would like a tour, please contact Paula Cordeiro at 416-255-5900 x228 or pcordeiro@thegatehouse.org.

If your patients are also survivors of childhood sexual abuse, The Gatehouse provides peer support group programs and they don’t have a catchment area. There is no formal referral required. Clients can call 416-255-5900 to schedule an in-person intake to start the process. Their program workbooks are available at www.thegatehouse.org.

OPHA’s Fall Forum: Health and Climate Change, Nov. 13, 2019
Explore what’s at stake for individual and community health in the face of a changing climate and how we can work collaboratively across sectors to protect human health. Find out more here.

What Primary Care Teams Need To Know About CONCUSSION, Nov. 19, 2019
Remember to register for the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation’s webinar on concussion. Find out more here.

November 5, 2019

Bits & Pieces: members in the media, Chatham-Kent FHT’s strategic plan implementation task force & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In this Issue:
Members in the media Chatham-Kent FHT’s strategic plan implementation task force HQO seeking volunteers to help develop insomnia disorder quality standard	CPSO seeking input on stakeholder engagement Upcoming events on OHTs and IHPs, transitions in care and more

Members in the media
Dufferin Area FHT – Local agencies to benefit from overhaul of Ontario’s health care bureaucracy

Ingersoll NPLC– Nurse practitioners filling health-care gaps, despite lack of funding

Temagami FHT– Temagami FHT marks 10 years in new clinic HQ

Chatham-Kent FHT’s strategic plan implementation task force

Once they created their strategic plan, Chatham-Kent FHT’s board formed an implementation task force. CMCS Consulting, who had facilitated their plan, followed up and profiled the task force in their newsletter. Find out how the task force performed here.

And for more ideas for your own strategic plan, don’t forget we have our own webinar and toolkit posted on our site.

HQO seeking volunteers to help develop insomnia disorder quality standard
Health Quality Ontario is seeking volunteers interested in joining an Advisory Committee that will provide advice to support the development of a quality standard focused on people living with insomnia disorder. Apply here. Deadline Nov. 8, 2019.

CPSO seeking input on stakeholder engagement

The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSO) is currently planning for the implementation of its newly developed Strategic Plan, including the development of a Stakeholder Engagement Framework. The framework’s purpose is to support CPSO in regularly engaging with numerous stakeholders in a way that is meaningful to them and informative to CPSO’s work. This plan will build on the work CPSO is already doing to engage stakeholders, including the public/patients, system partners and physicians.

Optimus SBR is supporting the framework’s development and is hoping to speak with a few physician leaders who can share their perspectives on the best forums and methods for engagement with their peers. If you are interested in contributing to this initiative, Cole Clementino cole.clementino@optimussbr.com can help coordinate time for further discussion. Thank you in advance for considering participating in this initiative.

Transition between Hospital and Home: Achieving a Standard of Care, Nov. 6, 2019
Join HQO for their Quality Round Ontario about the latest evidence to make the transition between hospital and home easier for patients and their families. Learn more here.

Breathing Inspired: COPD Rehabilitation – Communicating the Diagnosis and Prognosis, Nov .7, 2019
Join this educational evening held by the Lung Association in Hamilton. Register here

Do you know how to manage Mental Health after Stroke? Nov. 18, 2019
Free ECHO Ontario Complex Patient Management pop-up session at CAMH and University of Toronto. Join this session which will discuss the link between these conditions, as well as prevention and treatment options. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss an anonymized patient case. Register here.

Annual Scientific Assembly, Nov. 28-30, 2019
OCFP’s ASA 2019 Conference is designed by family physicians, for family physicians and offers 100+ different sessions on topics ranging from casting to climate change – and everything in between. Find out more here.

October 29, 2019

Bits & Pieces: OHT webcast for IHPs, caregiver resources, high impact actions & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In This Issue:
A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation New resources for caregivers supporting seniors living with frailty High impact actions for Ontario	Digital Coalition conference presentation Upcoming events on concussions, cyber security and more

A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation
All IHPs are invited to join a webcast that has been organised for them to help answer questions and to learn about the work being done at this time of change. Please join us on Thursday, November 14, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM for an overview of OHTs, and to hear from teams proceeding to full application whose OHT development has included close collaboration with IHPs. They will speak to their work to date and highlight how IHPs are engaged.

We ask this invitation be distributed across teams. While this webcast is organised for IHPs, all members are welcome to join. Please register here.

New resources for caregivers supporting seniors living with frailty

Regional Geriatric Programs of Ontario (RGPO) and six project partners from across the province have launched new educational resources for caregivers who are providing care and support for seniors living with frailty.

Caregiving Strategies: Providing Care and Support for a Senior Living with Frailty was designed by caregivers and health care experts to improve the skills, knowledge, and confidence of family member and friend caregivers.

Caregiving Strategies consists of:

A FREE online course
The Caregiving Strategies Handbook
Tools, tips and links to great resources

To access these resources please visit their site.

High impact actions for Ontario

The synthesis of potential high impact actions for Ontario identified during Sep 21 and 25 sessions of the primary care virtual community is now available.

Actions include:

Integrate EMRs
Recognize and Support Primary Continuity (the core team)
No patient or practice left behind
Alternative consultation

Find out more here.

Digital Coalition conference presentation

Slides are now available for the Bright Lights award winning Digital Coalition’s 2019 conference presentation. You can find them here. And don’t forget, you can find other slides here and posters here.

Ontario Health System Transformation Webinar: Making Interprofessional Teams Shine, Oct 28, 2019
RNAO updates on Ontario health system transformation and discussion on how they are tailoring the BPG implementation toolkit to better support practice change. Register here.

Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care, Nov 16, 2019, Toronto
Don’t miss your chance to register for this international conference in Toronto. Registration closes in 2 weeks on Friday, November 1st. Find out more here

Cyber Security and Data Breaches- How Vulnerable are you? Nov 20, 2019
The next Financial Webinar Series webcast co-hosted by AFHTO and Grant Thornton LLP is right around the corner. Join us for an hour on data, cyber security and policies and procedures to mitigate possible issues. Register today!

What Primary Care Teams Need To Know About CONCUSSION, November 19, 2019
The Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation is hosting an evidence-based clinical webinar on concussions, aimed towards primary care teams. Learn more here.

October 22, 2019

Bits & Pieces: NP-led opioid prescribing, alcohol use disorder tool & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In this Issue:
NP-led opioid prescribing Alcohol use disorder tool Opioids clinical primer update Reminder- ED OHT mentorship program	Free online course on radon Quality care for diabetic foot ulcers Upcoming events on psychosis, sustainable eating and more

NP-led opioid prescribing
Mount Sinai Academic FHT has published “Improving Family Medicine Residents’ Opioid Prescribing: A Nurse Practitioner-Led Model” in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

“After implementation of the model, we found a reduction in the average dose of opioids prescribed, increased use of urine drug tests and opioid treatment agreements, and fewer prescribers per patient. The nurse practitioner-led model was successfully implemented in an academic family practice with improvements in opioid prescribing and monitoring practices.”

You can read the article here. Full access is valid until Nov. 27.

Alcohol use disorder tool
The Centre for Effective Practice has released the Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Tool, developed to walk primary care providers through screening, diagnosing, treating and communicating with patients who have, or are at risk of, developing AUD.

The AUD Tool is one of several clinical tools developed as part of the multi-year Knowledge Translation in Primary Care Initiative.

Opioids clinical primer update
‘Treating Opioid Use Disorder: Initiating Buprenorphine in Primary Care, ED and Inpatient Setting’ is the sixth and final course in the Opioids Clinical Primer program from Machealth.

It helps clinicians address Opioid Use Disorder by providing background information and practical strategies that apply to any practice setting, including common considerations and contraindications to treatment, assessing withdrawal, and dose titration. This free course can be accessed at opioids.machealth.ca.

Reminder- ED OHT mentorship program
If you’re an executive director who’s part of a team that’s ‘in development’ or ‘in discovery,’ and would benefit from guidance or support from an ED who’s in full application, please complete this short survey by Friday, October 18. You’ll be connected with an ED who can offer insight on successes, challenges and lessons that they’ve been learning along the way.

Free online course on radon
For non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in Canada. Talking to your patients about the need to test their homes is an important part of preventing radon-related cancer. McMaster University has designed a free, certified program to provide you and your colleagues with reliable, evidence-based information on radon.

Get started here.

Quality care for diabetic foot ulcers
Health Quality Ontario has released their finalized quality standard and patient guide on quality care for diabetic foot ulcers. Visit their website to learn more.

ECHO Chronic Pain/Opioids evening series, Oct. 7- Nov. 4, 2019
A 4-part evening ECHO series on Buprenorphine/Naloxone prescribing in primary care. Register here.

RNAO events digest, Oct – Nov 2019
In-person workshops and webinars are now listed on the AFHTO website. Topics range from best practice guidelines, substance use, pressure injury prevention and more. Find out more here.

CBT for Psychosis Informed Workshop, Nov 2-3, 2019
Join this 2-day workshop held by SSO in St. Catharines. Find out more here.

Nutrition Connections Forum: Healthy and Sustainable Eating: Leading the Shift, Nov. 14, 2019
Learn in this cross sectoral conversation on how we can shift to a healthier and more sustainable diet. Learn more here.

October 15, 2019

Bits & Pieces: Focus on City of Lakes FHT, members in the media & more

Your Weekly News & Updates

In this Issue:
Focus on City of Lakes FHT Youth Opportunities Fund registration deadline Oct. 9 Executive Director OHT Mentorship Program Members in the media Collaborative Governance workshop slides Ontario Health Team digital supports	Call to create transition fund to support patient medical homes in primary care Call for applications – TUTOR-PHC 2020 ECHO Concussion pilot Upcoming events focused on physiotherapists, social workers and more

Focus on City of Lakes FHT

City of Lakes FHT has shared a video that covers their mission, vision and introduces their interdisciplinary healthcare team and services. Watch it on our site.

Youth Opportunities Fund registration deadline Oct. 9
Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) announced the deadlines for three grant streams.

AFHTO members may be eligible for the System Innovations Stream, which supports collaboratives that are strengthening the quality and responsiveness of systems so they work better for youth facing systemic barriers.

Organization Registration Deadline: Oct. 9, 2019
Grant Application Deadline: Nov. 6, 2019
Up to $250,000 per year
2 to 6 years

Executive Director OHT Mentorship Program
Many changes are happening across the health care sector, and teams are at varying levels of planning and participation in the development of an OHT.

If you’re an executive director who’s part of a team that’s ‘in development’ or ‘in discovery,’ and would benefit from guidance or support from an ED who’s in full application, please complete this short survey by Friday, October 18. You’ll be connected with an ED who can offer insight on successes, challenges and lessons that they’ve been learning along the way!

Members in the media

Belleville NPLC: holding a “Pap Party” during Cervical Cancer Awareness week

East Wellington and Guelph FHTs: feature on the Guelph and Area OHT

Minto Mapleton, Mount Forest and Upper Grand FHTs: Minto council receives report on Rural Wellington Ontario Health Team

North Durham FHT: Durham continues to push for an Ontario Health Team

Windsor FHT: feature on their Bright Lights award-winning team care centre

Collaborative Governance workshop slides

The slides from this Sep. 17 preconference workshop, Collaborative Governance: Moving at the Speed of Trust, which explored different ways of approaching the initial governance structure of an OHT, are now available on our site.

Ontario Health Team digital supports
The eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) is committed to supporting the OHTs throughout the application and selection process. To understand exactly how the eCE can support OHTs with the digital health components outlined in the full application, read eCE’s Role in the Full OHT Application.

Call to create transition fund to support patient medical homes in primary care

On Oct. 3 leaders from the Canadian Association of Social Workers, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Nurses Association and the College of Family Physicians of Canada called on federal party leaders to commit to establishing a targeted $1.2 billion Primary Health Care Transition Fund. Read the news release here.

Call for applications – TUTOR-PHC 2020
Transdisciplinary Understandings and Training on Research – Primary Health Care, is a one-year, pan-Canadian interdisciplinary research capacity building program that has been training primary and integrated health care researchers and decision-makers from family medicine, nursing, psychology, epidemiology, social work, occupational therapy, education, policy and many other disciplines since 2003.

The call for applications is open to graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, mid-career clinicians, and decision makers in primary health care. For more information, please go to the website. Please contact Project Coordinator, Rob Van Hoorn (tutor@uwo.ca) if you’re interested in applying. Deadline is Dec. 2, 2019.

ECHO Concussion pilot
Starting Nov. 13, ECHO at UHN will be launching a NEW 10-session pilot on Concussion. The series will focus on diagnosing and managing patients with concussions and applying the current guidelines.

This is online interactive case-based learning fully funded by the Ministry, where you will connect with an inter-professional team of experts including physiatry, neurology, neuropsychiatry and family medicine. To register or find out more, visit their site.

Essential Skills For Social Work With Groups, Oct. 14- Dec. 10, 2019
A 4-part modular course to expand existing social work knowledge and refine group work skills, held by the OASW. Learn more here.

Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach to Fatty Liver, Oct. 17, 2019
Part of ECHO Liver quarterly evening series. Find out more here.

PHC Connect, Nov. 8, 2019
Physiotherapists working in primary health care organizations across Ontario are invited for an interactive day of networking, professional development, and discussion hosted by the Ontario Physiotherapy Association at Burlington FHT. Attendees will hear from guest speakers about the changing health environment, the impact, and opportunities for primary health care and physiotherapists working in this sector. Click here for more information and to register. For any questions, please contact Maryam Ahmed at mahmed@opa.on.ca.

Annual Toronto Geriatrics Update Course, November 1 & 2, 2019
Learn about topics such as osteoporosis updates, capacity assessments, managing dementia and reducing falls among older patients. Hosted by the Sinai Health System and UHN. Coupon code available here.

October 8, 2019

Tag: Members Only News

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates

In this issue

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates

A webcast for IHPs: OHTs and health system transformation

New resources for caregivers supporting seniors living with frailty

High impact actions for Ontario

Digital Coalition conference presentation

Upcoming events on concussions, cyber security and more

Your Weekly News & Updates

Your Weekly News & Updates