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Tag: Members Only News

  • Bits & Pieces: join the IHP Advisory Council, free conference registration & more

    Bits & Pieces: join the IHP Advisory Council, free conference registration & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Join our IHP Advisory Council!
    • Call for applications: patient digital identity, access and authorization
    • How to come to the conference for free
    • IHP Session Leads needed
    • Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17
    • Senior Friendly Care Learning Series
    • Ebola Virus Disease readiness memo
    • Upcoming events including BoneFit and more

    Join our IHP Advisory Council!
    There are two vacancies on AFHTO’s IHP Advisory Council, which was established in May 2018 to provide input on team-based care matters related to IHP issues; to give advice and input to the AFHTO board, staff, and leadership council; and to foster leadership across the IHP community within team-based models of care.
     
    We’re inviting all AFHTO-member IHPs to apply! More information and the Terms of Reference are here. One vacancy is a regular two-year term and the other is a one-year term for a maternity leave.
     
    Interested members are asked to complete this application by Wednesday, July 31. Any questions, please contact Beth MacKinnon.

    Call for applications: patient digital identity, access and authorization
    The Ministry of Health invites AFHTO members to submit applications for establishing a public-facing digital identity, authentication and authorization (IAA) service for patients in Ontario’s health system.

    Interdisciplinary and collaborative project teams made up of health care providers, technology providers and community-based associations and advocacy groups are encouraged to submit applications.

    Full details on the eligibility requirements, the submission and review process, and project requirements and deliverables can be found in the Call for Applications document.

    The closing date for submissions is August 9, 2019 at 12pm EST. There will be an information conference call during the week of July 22-26. Please RSVP your interest to attend by July 19.

    Please send any questions to digitalhealthsecretariat@ontario.ca.

    How to come to the conference for free

    Woman jumping over gap

    We have several openings for program hosts. These volunteers help keep our sessions on track and get complimentary registration in return. See the role description here and email paula.myers@afhto.ca  if you’re interested by Thursday, July 18, 2019.

    We also have a new referral program. All non-members have to do is say who recommended them during registration and the organization with the most referrals wins a complimentary registration! This offer is good until Friday, August 9, 2019. Find out more here.

     

    IHP Session Leads needed
    Other volunteer opportunities exist with the IHP Sessions- we still need leads for these individual sessions:

    • Administrative
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Social workers

    All IHP session leads get a $50 discount on conference registration. Email us for more information.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17
    Presented by Melanie Dugard, CPA, CA, Principal, Grant Thornton LLP, the second webinar in the Financial Webinar series is tomorrow, July 17, 12 noon- 1:00 p.m. It focuses on:

    • Role of a Board Member
    • Ontario Not-for-profit Corporations Act
    • CRA’s Risk Identification
    • Project Corporate tax filing requirements – HST, T2 and T1044 Not-for-Profit Information Returns

    You can register here.

    Senior Friendly Care Learning Series
    Co-developed with geriatric clinical experts from Ontario, on behalf of the Regional Geriatric Programs of Ontario, the sfCare Learning Series supports clinicians and organizations in providing best practices in care for frail older adults, and is a companion resource to the sfCare Framework.

    Available at no charge, the series comprises introductory educational modules for clinicians, along with supporting posters and patient handouts on 7 key clinical topics: delirium, mobility, polypharmacy, pain, loneliness, nutrition, and urinary incontinence. You can join their next webinar on July 26 to learn more.

    Ebola Virus Disease readiness memo
    A memo from the Office of Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding an update on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) readiness in Ontario regarding updated EVD guidelines, laboratory testing and educational webinars has been provided in English and French.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

    BoneFit, September 2019 to March 2020
    The BoneFit schedule has been released for sessions in Sault Ste Marie, Guelph, Ottawa, Chatham and Kingston. Hosted by Osteoporosis Canada. View the schedule here.

    The Osgoode Certificate In Privacy Law And Information Management In Healthcare, November 5- December 3, 2019
    Attend this one-week certification program, suitable for professionals in the healthcare field. Find out more here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #89: Mental Health and Addiction Initiatives in Primary Care

    In this issue

     

    • Mental Health and Addiction Initiatives in Primary Care
    • AFHTO 2019 conference

     

    Mental Health and Addiction and Primary Care
    In any given year, one in five Canadians, including over one million children and youth, experiences a mental health problem or illness1. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada, and one-third of Canadians in need of mental health care report that their needs are not fully met1. Every Ontarian should have equitable access to mental health and addictions services and supports across the province.

    In order to reach this goal, patients must have access to mental health and addictions resources in all health care settings, including primary care. Integrating mental health services in primary care has been shown to decrease rates of emergency room visits and hospitalizations, increase patient satisfaction and outcomes, decrease stigma, and increases access to services.

    AFHTO members have developed, implemented and evaluated a variety of mental health & addiction programs and initiatives focusing on improving access, quality of care, transitions, and integrations. Listed within the document below are some of these programs and initiatives that have been shared at previous AFHTO conferences. The presentations are categorized into three areas: access, quality of care, and transitions, integrations and partnerships.  

    Click here for a listing of AFHTO member mental health and addiction initiatives.

    The mental health and addiction sector is also working to improve access and services through the E-QIP (Excellence through Quality Improvement Project) initiative. E-QIP is a collaborative initiative of Additions Mental Health Ontario (AMHO), Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Health Quality Ontario. E-QIP is working with organizations (including primary care teams) across the province to identify and address quality issues that are relevant to specific regions and organizations. Click here to learn more about the E-QIP initiative and how you can get involved.

    AFHTO, CMHA and AMHO have recently partnered to complete a 4-part webinar series focusing on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives in the area of mental health and addiction. Click here to access the slides and recording of the first webinar. Keep an eye out for dates of the rest of the webinar series in AFHTO’s Bits & Pieces newsletter and QI in Action e-Bulletin.

    Email improve@afhto.ca if you would like to get in contact with any of the teams listed above to learn more about their programs or initiatives. Or let us know if you have developed a program or service that should be shared with our teams!

    AFHTO 2019 Conference

    Here are some important dates relating to this year’s AFHTO conference taking place September 19 & 20.

    • June 2019: Conference registration opens
    • August 19, 2019: Hotel group rate deadline
    • September 4, 2019: Early-bird registration ends
    • Sep 19 & 20, 2019: AFHTO 2019 Conference

    References:

    1. Mental Health and Primary Care Policy Framework. (2016). Centre for Addition and Mental Health. https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/pdfs—public-policy-submissions/primarycarepolicyframework_march2016-pdf.pdf  
    2. Addressing Mental Health and Addictions Needs in Primary Care – Canadian Mental Health Association. https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/addressing-mental-health-and-addictions-needs-in-primary-care/
    3. Michelle Funk, Benedetto Saraceno, Natalie Drew, Edwige Faydi. Integrating mental health into primary healthcare. Ment Health Fam Med. 2008 Mar; 5(1): 5–8.

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #88 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: GoodLife 7-day trial available, summer perks, patient-centered performance measurement & more

    Bits & Pieces: GoodLife 7-day trial available, summer perks, patient-centered performance measurement & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • GoodLife 7-day trial available
    • Summer perks
    • Patient-centered performance measurement
    • Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network – update your knowledge on post bariatric care and obesity management
    • Seeking caregiver input
    • Join the Ontario Quality Standards Committee
    • Upcoming events including Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation and more

    GoodLife 7-day trial available
    Reminder that AFHTO members can save up to 40% off regular GoodLife Fitness rates. The annual Corporate Membership rate is $519, and the bi-weekly payment will be $24.

    At this time all identified members on our ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list as of June 24 are already eligible for the discount.

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

    On the fence? Would you like try it out before committing? You can get a complimentary 7-day pass at www.goodlifeatwork.com/trial.
     
    Class schedules can be found online and filtered by area on their site.  Pressed for time? The Fit Fix is a great way to get a quick workout in. It allows you to do a full body workout in just 20 minutes! Perfect to squeeze in at lunch or just before work. If you have any questions, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Perkopolis summer

    Summer perks for the whole family

    And don’t forget, AFHTO members are eligible to sign up for Perkopolis discounts, which include travel and activities such as Ripley’s Aquarium, African Lion Safari, Universal Orlando and more.

    Other perks include shopping, movies and theatre. Check with your administrator if your team is already signed up and you can register right away. It’s free to sign up!

     

     

     

     

     

    Patient-centered performance measurement
    “Balancing patient priorities for technical and interactional aspects of care in a measure of primary care quality” – article in Primary Health Care Research & Development, Volume 20 focused on results of a co-designed survey where patients were asked to determine the relative priorities of each of a series of primary care measures in the patients’ relationship with their primary care provider. Authors include Dr. Carol Mulder, former Provincial Lead of the QIDS Program at AFHTO and lecturer at Queen’s University and Dr. Nadiya Sunderji Psychiatrist in Chief, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health and Assistant Professor at University of Toronto.

    Project ECHO Ontario Bariatric Network – update your knowledge on post bariatric care and obesity management
    The Ontario Bariatric Network is launching a new Project ECHO in post bariatric care and obesity this coming fall. A series of six sessions will be hosted by seven Bariatric Centres of Excellence across Ontario. Join one of their knowledge sharing networks with other primary care providers and specialist from the Bariatric Centres of Excellence to share best practices and discuss cases using videoconferencing technology.  Sessions are open to all primary care providers and interprofessional health care providers, are offered at no cost and are eligible for Continuing Medical Education credits.

    To register or for more information on session details please visit their site or view the flyer.

    Seeking caregiver input

    Baycrest Caregiver Input

     

    Baycrest GEMH is recruiting caregivers of people with dementia who might want to participate in an online learning module regarding medication management and dementia.  Please circulate the flyer and/or email to any of your patients’ caregivers who you think  might be interested.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Join the Ontario Quality Standards Committee
    Health Quality Ontario is seeking volunteers for its Ontario Quality Standards Committee. The committee provides advice on its quality standards program, including on ways to enhance the adoption and impact of the standards. Deadline July 18, 2019.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

    Charting the Future of Primary Care: Leadership, Teams, and Culture, September 11 – 12, 2019
    Ivey Academy partnership program with the Harvard Medical School. Find out more here.

    OMD EMR: Every Step Conference, September 26, 2019
    Early-bird registration has opened for the OMD conference, held in Toronto. Learn more here.

  • Highlights from AFHTO’s Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch (PHCB)- June 19, 2019

    Highlights from AFHTO’s Meeting with the Primary Health Care Branch (PHCB)

    This email was sent to EDs, Lead MDs/NPs and Board Chairs of AFHTO member organizations.

    The AFHTO Board had an opportunity to meet with the PHCB on June 19. Below is a synopsis of the discussion.

    1. Ontario Health Teams Implementation

    • Over 150 submissions were received in May from across Ontario. Timelines for the next round of applications will be announced in the coming weeks.
    • The ministry is currently reviewing self-assessments. All applicants will receive an update on the status of their applications in July 2019. Applicants identified to be in the best position to become an OHT will be asked to complete a full application. The first OHT candidates will be announced in Fall 2019.
    • The Primary Health Care Branch and the Negotiations Branch are involved in reviewing all applications to ensure the breadth of primary care is looked at, including the number of primary care providers involved, performance, governance and leadership, and rurality.

    AFHTO will be developing a suite of tools to support teams in OHT development and will be working with our partners in primary care, acute care, and home care to ensure we can support patients throughout the health care continuum. Are there tools or resources you have identified as high priority that you wish you had? Please let Bryn Hamilton know at bryn.hamilton@afhto.ca.

    2. Care Coordination

    • The transition of home and community care services to OHTs will enable home and community care services to be better integrated with a patient’s other care needs.
    • As OHTs are phased in, the ministry may also want to review interim options for the placement or employment of care coordination staff, including primary care settings. The ministry will need to consider labour relations; the capacity of primary care around the province to incorporate care coordination staff into their teams; the coverage of primary health care teams; and the future state of OHTs.
    • The ministry recognizes the importance of integration between home and community and primary care, including the ongoing work to better connect care coordinators in primary care settings through co-location. However, the work in this area is ongoing and a decision or approach has not yet been determined.

    What is happening in your region with regards to care coordination and care coordinators? If there is movement in ‘embedding’ care coordinators in your teams or if there are tools being developed, please let us know at info@afhto.ca.

    3. Interprofessional Primary Care Team Expansion

    • Beginning in 2017/18, $48.8M is being invested to support the creation/expansion of 58 interprofessional primary care teams. Timing of implementation is variable, but good progress is being made. All projects are on track to be implemented by Fall 2019.
    • Space challenges are creating longer implementation timelines for some groups.
    • There is some deviation from the original plans, as anticipated. It will be important for teams to update the service plan if plans deviate from what was originally proposed.

    AFHTO would like to hear from you! How are your IPCT plans progressing? Are there are any tools or resources that you need to meet your timelines? Please let Beth MacKinnon know about your expansion plans at beth.mackinnon@afhto.ca. AFHTO can look at supports where needed and can highlight success stories in our advocacy work.

    4. Annual Operating Plan

    • With all the changes happening in health care transformation, the AOP for this year has been delayed, but it can be expected soon.
    • As in previous years, the 2019-2020 Annual Operating Plan Submission Package continues to focus on integrated service delivery through partnerships and collaboration, increasing patient access, and quality improvement.
    • This year there will also be a focus on mental health and addictions, including questions on the provision of mental health services as the government rolls out its provincial psychotherapy clinical training program, which will be made available to providers in the coming months. More information on that will be shared once details are available.

    5. Budget Adjustments

    • Adjustments were made to 106 family health teams and all NPLCs based on a 3-year line-by-line budget analysis with teams that have chronically underspent (i.e., teams that have sent back money to the ministry each year).
    • Thank you to everyone that let us know how these adjustments are going to impact your teams and if there would be impact to frontline delivery of care. A letter articulating your concerns has been sent to the ministry, and we are awaiting a response.
    • For those teams who do believe the calculations are incorrect or are going to have a hard time managing within their new allocation, please contact your senior program consultant.
    • With your R&R attestation report back to the ministry, please note if your R&R funding will be underspent due to vacancies, individuals not yet at the top of their salary grid, etc. This will ensure the ministry is aware that those funds are earmarked for future use.

    We have heard that despite the budget adjustments there are some teams that may be underspent again this year (i.e., Q1 HR vacancies). The ministry is supportive of those funds being reallocated to AFHTO this fiscal year to help support the G&L Program, specifically as it relates to the development of tools and resources for OHTs. Want to be a project sponsor? Please contact Bryn Hamilton at bryn.hamilton@afhto.ca to learn more.

  • Bits & Pieces: member news, aging at home, palliative care & more

    Bits & Pieces: member news, aging at home, palliative care & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Member news
    • Evidence of value- Healthcare Quarterly articles
    • Bright Lights confirmations sent
    • Primary care virtual community – 10 high impact actions
    • Strategies for managing chronic pain: moving beyond opioids
    • Call for Abstracts – Traumatic Brain Injury Conference, Feb. 7, 2020
    • Upcoming events including Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation and more

    Member news
    Marathon FHT: Marathon FHT celebrates community’s win on Ontario’s most-active list

    Windsor FHT: featured in the second report from the Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine and awarded grant to increase access to outpatient services for individual families affected by substance use.

    Evidence of value
    Two articles published by AFHTO members in Healthcare Quarterly’s April 2019 issue (full articles available to subscribers only):

    Lake cottage at sunset

    Bright Lights confirmations sent
    We hope you enjoyed the long weekend and the deadline extension. We sent confirmation to nomination contacts earlier today titled “AFHTO 2019 Conference: We Have Received Your Bright Lights Nomination”. Please check with your contact to ensure they received this email. If they haven’t received it in their inbox or junk mail, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Photos and/or videos are due Thursday, July 11 with the release form.

    And don’t forget to register for the AFHTO 2019 Conference since we announce the winners at the ceremony and not before!

    Primary care virtual community – 10 high impact actions
    Thank you to the attendees at the June 26 Primary Care Virtual Community Webinar on the U.K.’s 10 High Impact Actions. Dr. Robert Varnam, GP and Head of General Practice Development at the NHS England, delved into lessons learned in the UK to free up time to care, and create better joined-up care.

    If you missed the event, you can join now and receive updates and registration details for the next session, taking place on September 25, 2019.

    Strategies for managing chronic pain: moving beyond opioids
    The Opioid Clinical Primer’s fifth course, Strategies for Managing Chronic Pain: Moving beyond Opioids, has launched.  It’s a new certified continued professional development course on Machealth that helps health professionals in Ontario to best encourage collaboration with patients to use non-pharmacologic strategies to manage chronic non-cancer pain.
    This free course can be accessed online, anytime, at opioids.machealth.ca.

    Guelph FHT annual report
    guelph fht annual report

     

    The Guelph Family Health Team 2018-2019 Annual Report is available to read online. Learn about the work they do to provide patient-guided quality focused care. Click here to view the full report.

     

     

     

     

    Call for Abstracts – Traumatic Brain Injury Conference, Feb. 7, 2020
    Submit your abstract to the TBI Conference held in February. Deadline for submissions are on September 20th. Learn more here.

    ECHO Liver: Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach To Hepatitis C, July 11, 2019
    Join the ECHO Liver evening series as they hold a lecture based on real team and patient cases on Hepatitis C. Learn more here.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    Save the Date – ECHO Ontario Conference, Jan. 31, 2020
    Stay tuned for the conference agenda and registration to open this Fall 2019. Learn more here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

  • Bits & Pieces: cabinet shuffle memo, Premier’s Council second report, primary care virtual community & more

    Bits & Pieces: cabinet shuffle memo, Premier’s Council second report, primary care virtual community & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Ford government shuffles cabinet
    • Second interim report from the Premier’s Council released today
    • Reminder- primary care virtual community, June 26
    • AFHTO Board of Directors nominations deadline this Friday, June 28
    • Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, June 28
    • Mental health and addiction QI collaborative slides and video
    • A prescription for Canada: achieving pharmacare for all
    • Amy Coupal announced as new CEO at the Ontario Caregiver Organization
    • CEP tools and resources survey
    • Seeking input: draft quality standard for unhealthy alcohol use and alcohol use disorder
    • Upcoming events including ECHO Liver and more

    Premier shuffles cabinet
    Almost one year since the Executive Council was sworn-in, the Ford government has made the most significant shuffle of cabinet to date. This larger, 28-member cabinet includes some new faces, while promoting those who have performed well over the past year.

    As a direct response to some of the challenges in the first year, the government has bolstered capacity in their key priority areas by adding associate ministers to Health, Transportation and Energy. Added to Cabinet is an Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and a new Ministry of Long-Term Care.

    Get more insight on what this means from the Hill+Knowlton memo in our members-only section.

    Meet the new Cabinet here.

    Second interim report from the Premier’s Council released today
    The Premier’s Council on Improving Healthcare and Ending Hallway Medicine released its second interim report today entitled “A Healthy Ontario: Building a Sustainable Health Care System.”
     
    This report contains ten policy recommendations intended to help the government improve the health care system. AFHTO is pleased to see that one recommendation is to ensure primary care is the foundation of an integrated health care system.

    More information is on our website.

    Reminder- primary care virtual community, June 26Change Foundation logo
    This is the second webinar held by AFHTO, OCFP and The Change Foundation. Join us for an interactive engagement with Dr. Robert Varnam, GP and Head of General Practice Development at NHS England, as he shares learnings on the 10 High Impact Actions.

    This sets the stage for us, as a virtual community to discuss, reflect and share the possibilities of what our own High Impact Actions in Ontario could be. Learn more here.

    AFHTO Board of Directors nominations deadline this Friday, June 28
    Help guide your association by serving on the AFHTO board of directors. The Governance Committee of AFHTO’s board invites anyone who works within an AFHTO member organization to apply. To apply:

    Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, June 28

    2018 Bright Lights winners at the awards ceremony
    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>2018 Bright Lights winners at the awards ceremony</em>
    • Are you proud of what your team has accomplished?
    • Do you want your colleagues to be recognized for the amazing work they do?
    • Do you think it would be great to see your initiative spread across the province?

    Send in your nominations and supporting documents before the deadline, Friday, June 28.
    Four categories have education grants to help you strengthen your team’s development.
    Small, rural and Northern teams are encouraged to apply.

    Mental health and addiction QI collaborative slides and video
    mha and qi webinar june 2019

    On June 13 over 200 attendees joined CMHA, AMHO, and AFHTO for the first in a 4-part webinar series on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives with a focus on mental health and addiction. See the video and get the slides.

     

     

     

    A prescription for Canada: achieving pharmacare for all

    A new report released by Health Canada, the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare has recommended an expansive pharmacare regime that would replace existing public and private insurance plans with a single national framework. To learn more about their recommendations, please click here.

    Amy Coupal announced as new CEO at the Ontario Caregiver Organization
    Amy Coupal has been announced as Chief Executive Officer at the Ontario Caregiver Organization. The Ontario Caregiver Organization was created in the Spring of 2018 as an independent corporation that functions arms-length from government. Their goal is to ease the stress and burden that caregivers experience when caring for a loved one. Visit their site to learn more about OCO and about the new CEO, Amy Coupal.

    CEP tools and resources survey
    The Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) is seeking feedback from family physicians and primary care nurse practitioners about their tools and resources through a survey.

    This 8-minute survey will be open until July 2, 2019. Those who complete the survey will be eligible to enter a draw for a chance to win one of five Indigo gift cards.

    The feedback will help them better understand which clinical tools and resources providers are aware of, and how they may have been used in clinical practice. Responses will help inform the Knowledge Translation in Primary Care Initiative.

    Seeking input: draft quality standard for unhealthy alcohol use and alcohol use disorder
    Health Quality Ontario is developing a new quality standard to address unhealthy alcohol use and alcohol use disorder.

    Share your thoughts on this draft quality standard and its accompanying patient guide by June 27, 2019.

    The Power of Partnership: Reducing Hallway Health Care, Enhancing The Patient Experience, June 26, 2019
    This webinar focuses on how partnerships helped create better health outcomes during the growing demands around hospital services. Held by HQO, SE Health and Trillium Health Partners. Learn more here.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    ECHO Liver: Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach To Hepatitis C, July 11, 2019
    Join the ECHO Liver evening series as they hold a lecture based on real team and patient cases on Hepatitis C. Learn more here.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference, September 19- 20, 2019
    Members get 50% off registration; plus early bird rates are in effect! Get your member access code from your administrator and come explore Health System Integration Built on The Foundation of Team-Based Primary Health Care. Register now!

    Leadershift logo

    LeaderShift Conference Detailed Program Now Available
    We are now only three weeks away from the LeaderShift Conference on Thursday, July 11th, held at the BMO Institute for Learning. There are still limited spots available for this enriching one-day, learning event, where you’ll have the chance to:

    • Connect with leaders across our sector to ignite collaboration and build a more connected, integrated health care system.
    • Collaborate with your peers, discover new tools and build your confidence leading during times of change and uncertainty.
    • Transform the health care system by cultivating new partnerships, building effective coalitions and preparing for the future.

    Click here to see the detailed conference program and to register today!

  • Bits & Pieces: farewell Laura, conference registration open, collaborative leadership for OHTs & more

    Bits & Pieces: farewell Laura, conference registration open, collaborative leadership for OHTs & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Farewell to Laura Belsito
    • AFHTO 2019 Conference: registration now open!
    • Webinar series on collaborative leadership for OHTs
    • Renew your membership before June 30
    • AFHTO partners with eHealth Centre of Excellence to advance QI practices
    • Developing cross-sector partnerships: facilitators, strategies and barriers
    • Seeking Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange Specialist
    • Join a quality standards advisory committee on hypertension
    • Abstract deadline for Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care extended
    • Upcoming events including Primary Care Virtual Community and more

    Farewell to Laura Belsito

    Laura Belsito

    It’s with really mixed feelings we announce the departure of Laura Belsito, AFHTO’s Clinical KTE Specialist, as she leaves to join one of our member teams, Women’s College Academic FHT, to be their Program Coordinator, working directly on program planning and evaluation while continuing her work in quality improvement.

    Laura has been with AFHTO for over two years and during that time AFHTO and its members benefitted from Laura’s enthusiasm and expertise in supporting the QI and knowledge translation activities for the QIDSS and IHPs in our teams. She was critical in developing several knowledge translation events and has been the ‘glue’ in furthering our quality agenda.

    We’ll miss Laura but know she is not too far away – her wealth of experience and her dedication will continue to further the quality agenda in primary care. Please join us in wishing Laura our sincerest best wishes and good luck in her new role.  Laura’s last day with AFHTO will be Friday, July 19th – any questions related to the QIDS work can be directed to improve@afhto.ca.

    Rueben Devlin
    <em>Closing Plenary speaker Dr. Rueben Devlin, Special Advisor and Chair of the Premier’s Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway Medicine</em>

    AFHTO 2019 Conference: registration now open!
    Change can come fast and furious, and Ontario’s healthcare system is no exception. With the introduction of Ontario Health Teams, ‘upheaval’ could be considered an understatement. But the fundamentals remain- no matter the structure surrounding them, patients need care. And primary health care teams need to position themselves to provide this care in the best way possible.

    Join your peers from across the province to learn to how you can contribute to better health care for all.

    This includes ‘Ontario Health Teams: What’s Next?’, our session for the leadership triad.

    Visit our site to learn more, including about our opening plenary speaker Dr. Zayna Khayat, Future Strategist with SE Health.

    AFHTO members receive a 50% discount on registration- check with your administrator for the code!

    Webinar series on collaborative leadership for OHTs
    The Community Health Organization has developed a series of webinars called “Building Collaboration Capacity for OHTs.” They’re starting today and rolling out over the summer.  We’re pleased that the invitation has been extended to AFHTO members to join these webinars, and we encourage you do. Dates, times and registration are here.  
     
    We’ll be arranging a series of webinars with OCFP and other partners to support members with practical tools and resources for OHT development that factor in clinical leadership in governance. Stay tuned for dates and times!

    Renew your membership before June 30
    While most teams have renewed their membership, there are a few who haven’t done so yet. Renew your AFHTO membership today to continue your access to resources and supports uninterrupted. We have launched AFHTO 2019 Conference registration and only AFHTO members receive a 50% discount on registration.

    AFHTO partners with eHealth Centre of Excellence to advance QI practices
    AFHTO has recently formed a partnership with the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) to advance QI practices in the field. This partnership aims to equip AFHTO members with electronic decision support tools and change management support during the implementation of these tools. The eCE, in collaboration with AFHTO, will work with teams to incorporate these decision support tools into clinical practice, customize them for different regions, and extract data from the tool. This partnership will allow quality specialists across the province to be better equipped to support their teams’ data collection and reporting, while simultaneously improving quality of care.

    Developing cross-sector partnerships: facilitators, strategies and barriers
    AFHTO is working in partnership with the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) and several other organizations on The Keeping Kids Healthy through Collective Impact project. Developing and sustaining partnerships takes time and effort. In the first of three webinars, the OPHA will share the results of a primary study conducted to understand the facilitators, strategies and barriers when working in a cross-sector partnership. There will also be time for open discussion.

    You can register here for the first webinar on June 25.

    Seeking Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange Specialist
    Reporting to the CEO, the Clinical Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE) Specialist will be responsible for facilitating sharing of the rapidly expanding body of knowledge about quality improvement (QI) and decision support (DS) among AFHTO members, primarily via QIDSS and QIDSS-like individuals, clinicians, and administrators. Deadline June 28, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.

    Find out more about the role here.

    Join a quality standards advisory committee on hypertension
    Health Quality Ontario is seeking volunteers to help develop a new quality standard outlining what quality care looks like for hypertension.
    They’re taking applications from people who have hypertension, their family members, health care professionals, community service providers and researchers from across Ontario. Deadline June 21.

    Abstract deadline for Toronto International Conference on Quality in Primary Care extended
    The deadline to submit a poster for this Nov. 16 conference has been extended to July 5. The theme is health equity.

    You can submit here.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, June 26, 2019
    Attend the second webinar held by AFHTO, OCFP and The Change Foundation. This time, the focus is on the 10 High Impact Actions created in the UK, and the possibilities in Ontario. Learn more here.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    The Power of Partnership: Reducing Hallway Health Care, Enhancing The Patient Experience, June 26, 2019
    This webinar focuses on how partnerships helped create better health outcomes during the growing demands around hospital services. Held by HQO, SE Health and Trillium Health Partners. Learn more here.

    ECHO Liver: Liver Disease in Primary Care: Approach To Hepatitis C, July 11, 2019
    Join the ECHO Liver evening series as they hold a lecture based on real team and patient cases on Hepatitis C. Learn more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: NP funding program, OHT webinar, Ministry updates & more

    Bits & Pieces: NP funding program, OHT webinar, Ministry updates & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • Ontario primary health care nurse practitioner program funding update
    • Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspective
    • Ministry updates and related news
    • OMA information webinar on Ontario Health Teams
    • LeaderShift Conference July 11
    • Seeking physiotherapists’ input
    • NP Patient Choice Award
    • ECHO complex patient management needs assessment survey
    • Environmental scan of social determinants of health and equity in primary care
    • Upcoming events including Primary Care Virtual Community and more

    Ontario primary health care nurse practitioner program funding update
    We have received notice from the Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program that it has received confirmation from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that the program will be funded for a period of two years.

    This will allow the nine universities participating in the program to continue to provide high quality education for students in a fully distributed model across Ontario (in both English and French), accepting an additional 200 students into the schools.

    Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspectiveOHT webinar june 2019
    Last week’s webinar with Karima Kanani from Miller Thomson LLP reviewed primary care as a key component for Ontario Health Teams, and how this health system reform will impact AFHTO members. Key features of the Connecting Care Act were discussed, as well as OHT requirements, the role of primary care in OHTs, and tips for proactive planning. The presentation and recording are now on our website.

     

    Ministry updates and related news
    Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019: On June 5th, the government introduced legislation that would allow them to manage public sector compensation growth – the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019. The legislation is undergoing public consultations over the summer with the opportunity to provide feedback to the government on the Act.  

    At first glance this appears to be focusing on managing environments with collective agreements, but we know that there are some concerns about the potential impact on our teams, especially in relation to the rollout of next year’s R&R funding. We hope to have a briefing over the summer to get more details and will pass them along when we have more answers.

    Ontario Health Teams Timelines Extended: due to the large volume of self assessment submissions, the timelines for the Ontario Health Teams has been extended

    Assessment process    Dates
    Open call for self-assessments    April 3, 2019
    Deadline to submit self-assessments    May 15, 2019
    Selected groups will be invited to submit a full application    Early July 2019
    Deadline to submit full applications    September 2019
    Announce Ontario Health Team candidates    Fall 2019
    Deadline for Second Round of self-assessments     Fall 2019

    OMA information webinar on Ontario Health Teams
    The OMA is hosting an information webinar on OHTs tonight – the webinar will be led by Dr. Jim Wright, Chief, Economics, Policy & Research, who will be joined by Dara Laxer, Executive Director, Economics, Policy and Research, Jennifer Gold, Director, Legal & Governance and Sarah Hutchinson, OntarioMD, Chief Executive Officer. There will be a presentation providing updates on OHTs followed by questions.

    When: Jun 11, 2019 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
    Register in advance.

    LeaderShift Conference July 11

    Leadershift conference

    The LeaderShift Conference is fast approaching and will welcome the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Honourable Christine Elliott. See the schedule at a glance and register here.

    Seeking physiotherapists’ input
    Do you practice as a physiotherapist in a primary health care organization in Ontario (e.g. family health team, community health centre, etc.)? Consider completing this brief survey being led by researchers at Queen’s University. It seeks to describe the current state of physiotherapy integration in primary health care organizations in Ontario. You’ll have a chance to enter a random draw to win a $100 gift-card after completing the survey.

    NP Patient Choice Award
    Nominations for NPAO’s NP Patient Choice Award are submitted by patients, based on
    their description of their nurse practitioner’s professional qualities, approach to patient care and specific stories of dedication and how the nurse practitioner has made a difference in their lives or the lives
    of others. You can post this flyer to encourage patients to submit a nomination. Deadline June 21, 2019.

    ECHO complex patient management needs assessment survey
    Project ECHO Complex Patient Management focuses on helping family physicians and nurse practitioners manage complexity in primary care, particularly where there is a need to integrate physical and mental health guidelines to prioritize care issues, or mental health concerns that are complicated by physical health concerns. Sessions take place via videoconference.

    Help define the educational supports and curriculum that matter to you. Your responses to this short survey will help create the curriculum for the weekly ECHO-CPM sessions here.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lucy.Trojanowski@camh.ca.

    Environmental scan of social determinants of health and equity in primary care
    Dr. Gary Bloch, St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT and Inner City FHT, is carrying out an environmental scan of primary care-based interventions into health inequities and the social determinants of health in Canada.

    Visit our site to find out how you can participate.

    For Patients: A Skill-Building Webinar on The Habits of Highly Effective Patient Partners, June 12, 2019
    In this webinar, HQO will cover how patients can effectively contribute as patient partners in Ontario’s healthcare system. Learn more here.

    Mental health and addiction QI collaborative webinar, June 13, 2019
    Join CMHA, AMHO, and AFHTO for a 4-part webinar series on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives with a focus on mental health and addictions. Register here for the first webinar.

    Primary Care Virtual Community, June 26, 2019
    Attend the second webinar held by AFHTO, OCFP and The Change Foundation. This time, the focus is on the 10 High Impact Actions created in the UK, and the possibilities in Ontario. Learn more here.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #88: Palliative Care Matters

    In this issue

     

    • Resources to support your team’s palliative care services
    • AFHTO 2019 conference
    • Stay tuned for resources to support your team’s QIP!

    Palliative care, why does it matter?
    Palliative Care is the broad approach to providing comfort and dignity for patients and families who are living with or are at risk of developing a life-threatening illness2. Earlier integration of palliative care may provide benefits for both the patients and the health system. Some evidence shows those who receive palliative care earlier on are less likely to visit emergency room departments frequently or receive aggressive treatment at the end of life4. Palliative care can also lead to better quality of life throughout the entire process from the time of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness1.

    Why do we need to improve? Less than 60% of Ontarians in their last year of life receive palliative care and about half of patients in their last 30 days of life receive home care services. Despite patients’ preference to die at home with appropriate support, more than half of the deaths in Ontario occur in hospitals3.

    Providers can be better prepared by knowing patient preferences and wishes through advance care planning. Advance care planning can have many benefits for both palliative and non-palliative patients7. Earlier research indicates that patients who have end-of-life conversations are much more likely to be satisfied with their care, will require fewer aggressive interventions at the end of life, and reduce anxiety and strain on caregivers6. Advance care planning can start early on and be apart of normal care delivery in primary care.  

    Resources to support your teams palliative care services:

    Teams will receive evidence, tools and supports to integrate knowledge into practice, access to staff facilitators to support team coordination and collaboration, and coaching to provide customized strategies to local barriers. To receive these supports, contact your Regional Palliative Care Network. If you’re not sure who the contacts are, please email info@ontariopalliativecarenetwork.ca.

    Learn more about palliative care initiatives in AFHTO member teams:

    Email improve@afhto.ca if you would like to get in contact with any of the teams above to learn more about their programs.

    AFHTO 2019 Conference

    Here are some important dates relating to this year’s AFHTO conference taking place September 19 & 20.

    • May 30, 2019: Call for Bright Lights nominations
    • June 2019: Conference registration opens
    • August 19, 2019: Hotel group rate deadline
    • September 4, 2019: Early-bird registration ends
    • Sep 19 & 20, 2019: AFHTO 2019 Conference

    Stay Tuned for Resources to Support your Team’s QIP!

    The 2019/20 QIPs have been submitted and are available on the QIP navigator for review. You can search the 2019/20 QIPs using QIP Query or download any organization’s QIP using Download QIPs.

    Stay tuned for resources and tools AFHTO will be providing to help teams once emerging themes are identified.

    References:

    1. Zimmermann C, Swami N, Krzyzanowska M, Hannon B, Leighl N, Oza A, et al. Early palliative care for patients with advanced cancer: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2014; 383:1721-30.
    2. Palliative Care at the End of Life. Health Quality Ontario. (2016). https://www.hqontario.ca/Portals/0/documents/system-performance/palliative-care-report-en.pdf
    3. Ontario Palliative Care Network. Regional profiles tool: describing Ontario decedents’ service use in their last year of life. Version 2.0. Toronto: The Network; 2018.
    4. More Canadians could benefit from palliative care. Canadian Institute for Health Information. https://www.cihi.ca/en/more-canadians-could-benefit-from-palliative-care
    5. Cancer Care Ontario. (2016) Advance Care Planning Toolkit. https://www.cancercareontario.ca/sites/ccocancercare/files/assets/CCOAdvancedCareToolkit.pdf
    6. Speak Up. (2014). HAVE YOU HAD THE TALK? 55% OF CANADIANS HAVE NOT. http://www.advancecareplanning.ca/acp-news/2014-acp-news-release/
    7. CFPC. Guide to Advance Care Planning Discussions Developed by Residents for Residents. (https://www.cfpc.ca/uploadedFiles/Directories/Sections/Section_of_Residents/ACP-GIFT-1pager.pdf

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #87 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: GoodLife launch, Bright Lights nominations, CCO transition to FIT & more

    Bits & Pieces: GoodLife launch, Bright Lights nominations, CCO transition to FIT & more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In this Issue:  
    • GoodLife program launch
    • Bright Lights Awards nominations now open
    • Reminder- CCO transition to fecal immunochemical test June 24
    • HQO patient partnering guide
    • Primary Care Virtual Community- Apr. 25 summary
    • CAMH opioid de-implementation project update
    • Canada’s Volunteer Awards call for nominations
    • Upcoming events regarding mental health and addiction QI collaboration and more

    GoodLife program launch
    AFHTO members can now save up to 40% off regular GoodLife Fitness rates. The annual Corporate Membership rate is $519, and the bi-weekly payment will be $24. For this first phase, all identified members on our ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list as of May 23 are already eligible for the discount.

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

    Any identified member added to ‘Bits & Pieces’ mailing list after May 23 will be assigned member IDs on a monthly basis. For more information:

    If you have any questions, please email info@afhto.ca.

    Bright Lights Awards nominations now open
    AFHTO’s “Bright Lights” Awards recognize AFHTO members’ leadership, outstanding work and the significant progress being made to improve the value interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario deliver. There’s no better time to show what you can do.

    Select award recipients will receive an education grant. Find out how you can nominate an outstanding team or individual here. Deadline June 28, 2019.

    Reminder- CCO transition to fecal immunochemical test June 24
    Cancer Care Ontario through its ColonCancerCheck (CCC) screening program is transitioning to the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as the recommended screening test for people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer. The guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) will no longer be used in the CCC program. The FIT will be available through the CCC program on June 24, 2019. For more information on the implementation of the FIT including eligibility criteria, please visit the FIT Resource Hub.

    HQO patient partnering guideHQO patient partnering guide
    Are you starting a new quality improvement project at your organization? Have you included patient partners in the process? To get the most out of partnering with patients, read Health Quality Ontario’s new guide that addresses some common challenges. It’s based on advice and best practices used by health care professionals and patient partners across the province. For even more tools and resources to better integrate patient partnering into your work, explore their Hub.

     

    Primary Care Virtual Community- Apr. 25 summary
    primary care virtual communityIn the Apr. 25 session Dr. Robert Varnam, GP and Head of General Practice Development at NHS England, shared his learning on the journey that the UK underwent in health system transformation where primary care was at the center of reforms. The community was engaged on how the learning can be applied within Ontario. The links to the summary and video are on our site.

    The next session will be June 26.

     

     

    CAMH opioid de-implementation project update
    On behalf of our partners at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), we’d like to provide you with an update about the Opioid De-Implementation Project, an initiative which aims to improve opioid stewardship and non-palliative pain management by identifying and replacing low-value clinical practices with high-value, evidence-based approaches (a process known as de-implementation).

    As part of the initiative, CAMH will be offering an electronic pathway that will to guide practitioners to assess a range of patient/client domains, including pain severity and interference, current pain treatments, physical and mental health, and substance use. This information will help to identify the risk of opioid overdose or dependence, and based on these risks, will offer recommendations to support shared care decision-making during treatment planning.

    If you’re interested in participating in this project, please contact opioid.project@camh.ca.

    Canada’s Volunteer Awards call for nominations

    canada volunteer awards

    The call for nominations for Canada’s Volunteer Awards is now open. You’re invited to nominate a not-for-profit organization, an individual, a group, a social enterprise or a business that is making a difference in their community to receive an award. Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony, and each recipient gets to choose a not for profit organization to receive a grant of $5,000 (regional award) or $10,000 (national award).
    For more information, please visit their site or call 1-877-825-0434. Deadline June 21, 2019.

    Ontario Health Teams: a primary care perspective, June 5, 2019
    Lunch and learn session specifically for AFHTO members, hosted in partnership with Karima Kanani (Partner at Miller Thomson LLP). Register here.

    Mental health and addiction QI collaborative webinar, June 13, 2019
    Join CMHA, AMHO, and AFHTO for a 4-part webinar series on community and primary care QI projects and initiatives with a focus on mental health and addictions. Register here for the first webinar.

    Considerations for Primary Care Teams as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, July 17, 2019
    Join AFHTO & Grant Thornton LLP for their second webinar in the Financial Webinar Series. Register here.

    For Patients: A Skill-Building Webinar on The Habits of Highly Effective Patient Partners, June 12, 2019
    In this webinar, HQO will cover how patients can effectively contribute as patient partners in Ontario’s healthcare system. Learn more here.