Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: Mental Health Care

  • Bits & Pieces: 2023 pre-budget submission and more

    Bits & Pieces: 2023 pre-budget submission and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • 2023 pre-budget submission and a new Canada Health Transfer agreement
    • Collaboration in team-based primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic: study
    • COVID vaccinations and digital supports materials
    • Member stories
    • Coming soon: Updated High Risk OBSP genetic assessment referral criteria and forms
    • Seeking participants for an online survey about improving osteoarthritis care
    • Seeking patients for early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease
    • Upcoming events including Using Culturally Safe Practices to Build Meaningful Relationships with Indigenous Communities and more

     

    2023 pre-budget submission and a new Canada Health Transfer agreement

    over of AFHTO 2023 prebudget submission titled Primary Care: The Foundation of the Healthcare System. It's an overhead view of five people in blue scrubs and white coats meet around a white table with coffee, paper and laptops.

    On February 6, 2023 AFHTO submitted our recommendations to the government for their 2023 budget. Recommendations 1 and 2 of our 2023 pre-budget submission was done in collaboration with partners in the Primary Care Collaborative and recommendation 3 and 4 are two other recommendations AFHTO is advocating for.

    Our recommendations are broken into four sections:

    1. Make team-based primary care available to more Ontarians through an investment of an additional $75 million per year for 10 years.
    2. Address the health human resource (HHR) crisis in primary care through the creation of a primary care HHR table.
    3. Provide mental health and addictions services and home and community care in coordination with primary care.
    4. Provide resources to support the implementation of primary care networks (PCNs) and recognize PCNs as the organizing model for primary care.

    Read more here.

    And in related news, read the Primary Care Collaborative’s release on today’s meeting between the Prime Minister and premiers here:

    Collaboration in team-based primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic: study

    Now published in BMJ Open, “A qualitative study of collaboration in interprofessional primary care teams during the COVID-19 pandemic” is our study with Drs. Rachelle Ashcroft, Catherine Donnelly and others. “Results revealed the importance of collaboration for provider well-being, and the challenges of providing collaborative team-based primary care in the pandemic context. Caution against converting primary care collaboration to predominantly virtual modalities postpandemic is recommended.” Read more here.

    COVID vaccinations and digital supports materials

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Member stories

    Markham FHT – Dr. Allan Grill on how primary care is dealing with demand

    St. Michael’s Hospital Academic FHT – Dr. Tara Kiran contributes to The Globe and Mail– “We need bold reform to fix family health care”

    Coming soon: Updated High Risk OBSP genetic assessment referral criteria and forms

    Ontario Health wishes to inform everyone of some upcoming changes to the High Risk Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). The High Risk OBSP was launched in 2011 to support organized screening of people at high risk for breast cancer. The program now screens approximately 13,000 participants each year with mammography and screening breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (or screening breast ultrasound if breast MRI is not medically appropriate). Read the full email here.

    Seeking participants for an online survey about improving osteoarthritis care

    With funding from the Arthritis Society, Dr. Anna Gagliardi and University Health Network (UHN) researchers interviewed 27 women with osteoarthritis (OA) and 31 healthcare professionals to identify strategies needed to improve OA care for diverse women, and possibly other disadvantaged groups. They are now seeking women with OA, family physicians, and healthcare researchers to participate in a two-round online survey. They will ask you to complete the Round One online survey (about 20 minutes). A few weeks later, they will send you anonymous results, and ask you to complete the Round Two survey (about 10 minutes).

    ELIGIBLE WOMEN:
    — Have suspected or confirmed osteoarthritis
    — Are aged 40 or older
    — Were born in or have lived in Canada for 10 years or more
    — Can speak and understand English language
    — Represent the following ethno-cultural group(s): Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Pakistani, African, Caribbean
    ***If you are a woman interested in participating or wish to learn more about the study, please contact: Angelina.abbaticchio@uhn.ca. Women will receive an e-giftcard for their participation.

    ELIGIBLE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS:
    — Are a family physician practicing in Canada
    — AND/OR are a researcher in the area(s) of health services research on OA or inequities in women’s health
    ***If you are a healthcare professional interested in participating or wish to learn more about the study, please contact: madeline.theodorlis@uhn.ca.

    Seeking patients for early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

    The Alzheimer Society of Toronto (AST), Toronto Memory Program, Retispec and Summerhill Optometry are conducting a study, funded by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative. The aim is to enable early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s disease through increased awareness and assessment in accessible community-based settings. While they have 3 assessment locations in Toronto, they are also open to travel to your location if there is significant interest. Cognitive Assessments are delivered by trained social workers. The completed assessments will be provided to the patient’s primary care provider for interpretation and follow-up. AST will provide services to those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
    The study is open to individuals 65 years and over who are experiencing memory problems, but do not have a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia.

    Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria:

    Inclusion - Adults (≥ 65 years of age); Able and willing to provide informed consent; Have a memory complaint. Exclusion- Prior diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease or MCI; Exclusion Criteria for RetiSpec scan Have contraindications to the use of mydriatic (dilation) drops (for RetiSpec imaging procedure only)

    To learn more:

    If you would like to find out more by speaking to someone directly, please contact Sangeeta Semwal at DACstudy@alz.to or 416-708-8423.

    Canadian Health and Well-Being In Developmental Disabilities, Feb. 8, 2023
    Digital conference hosted by Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. Find out more here.

    Using Culturally Safe Practices to Build Meaningful Relationships with Indigenous Communities, Feb. 9, 2023
    Hosted by Indigenous Primary Health Care Council. Register here.

    New Horizons Speaker Series webinar, Feb.10, 2023
    What are the roles of virtual only clinics and technology-enabled care in the future of the health care system? How will these shape the future of primary care in Ontario? Join U of T Department of Family and Community Medicine faculty members for this discussion. Register here.

    Cybersecurity and Canadian Health Care: Where do vulnerabilities lie? Feb. 14, 2023
    Hosted by The Globe and Mail. Register here.

    OHT Engagement Learning Series – Session 3 of 7: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Feb. 21, 2023
    Hosted by Institute for Better Health and Trillium Health Partners. Register here.

    Strategies to Increase Client and Family Engagement, Feb. 27, 2023
    Hosted by RNAO and presented by Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Register here.

  • Updated Guidance for MHA Funding & Reporting Requirements

    Dear EDs and Admin Leads,

    As you are aware, we released guidance on potential options for you to direct your MHA funding.

    There is updated guidance from the Ministry of Health on (1) procurement guidelines and (2) inclusion of capital costs. The IPHCC has also provided details on a draft list of questions that you will be asked to answer in April via survey – there is no action to take at this point.

    1. Procurement Guidelines: If you are planning to partner with MindBeacon, AskForHelp.ca, or other provincial organizations that provide MHA services, you may need to spend over $10,000. Please note that the standard OPS procurement guidance will not apply in this case. The Ministry of Health will issue a formal notice on this exception, which you can share with your auditor (and Board) to assist with planning.

    2. Capital Costs: As you may be aware, initial guidance from the Ministry of Health stated that funding could not be used towards capital costs (e.g., leasehold improvements, equipment). However, to assist teams with maximizing the funds received, that guidance has since changed. You may now be eligible to direct funds toward capital costs, subject to approval from your MOH contact. Please reach out to your MOH contact for the required approvals.

    Please note that with these updates, you are still required to spend your funds on or before March 31st, 2023, or they will be subject to reconciliation and unspent funds will be recovered by the Ministry.

    3. Reporting Requirements: The IPHCC has been asked to lead a report back to the Ministry on how the MHA funds have been spent by all interprofessional team based models. IPHCC is working in collaboration with the Nurse Practitioner-Led Association (NPLCA), the Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance) and AFHTO on this report, with the hope that we can use the information to advocate for continued support of MHA in interprofessional primary care.

    You can find the list of draft questions here – much of the information was included on AFHTO’s initial guidance to teams, so you will likely have this information already. We ask that you please complete the survey with as much information as possible once it is officially released by the IPHCC, mostly likely in April. As you know, our goal is to make the case to government for sustainable funding. We appreciate you taking time to gather this information that will support future advocacy work.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at any time. Thank you as always for the services, programming, and support that you provide to your patients and community that are experiencing MHA issues and concerns.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: perks to get you through winter and more

    Bits & Pieces: perks to get you through winter and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Perkopolis winter discounts
    • Reminder- is there a doctor on board? #AFHTO2023 help needed
    • ICYMI- mental health and addiction funding letters
    • Fellowship in Journalism and Health Impact- deadline Feb. 17
    • Association between virtual primary care and ED use and more
    • Workplace mental health training for health care settings
    • Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care evaluation survey
    • Upcoming events including Collaborative Governance: Towards the Next Level of Integrated Care and more

     

    Text at the top- Get a head start on your March break travel plans. Below, CityPass, Vegas foodie tour and Great Wolf Lodge

     

    Perkopolis winter discounts

    AFHTO members are eligible to sign up for free access to over 5000 perks through Perkopolis, including discounts on winter activities, travel, products, and wellness.

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

     

     

    Reminder- is there a doctor on board? #AFHTO2023 help needed
    AFHTO offers Mainpro+ accreditation for our annual conference for physicians. To ensure we maintain the standards required, we invite a member physician to take part in ONE meeting in February to provide feedback and input on the themes and format for our 2023 event. We’ll provide the appropriate materials beforehand and will be available to answer any questions you might have. Please email paula.myers@afhto.ca ASAP if you’re interested. Deadline Jan. 25.

    ICYMI- mental health and addiction funding letters

    On Jan. 18 we sent an email titled ‘Regarding mental health and addiction funding letters’ to EDs and Admin leads. This can now be found here at the triad level. If you have any questions, please contact Abisola.otepola@afhto.ca.

    Fellowship in Journalism and Health Impact- deadline Feb. 17
    You can shape the public discussion about health. The University of Toronto has a journalism fellowship designed with family physicians in mind and you can attend from anywhere. Learn more / apply / join an open house here. The next open house is Jan. 26 and they’re accepting applications until Feb. 17.

    Association between virtual primary care and ED use and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Workplace mental health training for health care settings

    The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario has launched Your Health Space. This free workplace mental health program provides the training, resources, and tools needed to support health care organizations in addressing the burnout and moral distress affecting their teams.

    Your Health Space offers self-directed modules and live workshops, the latter of which can be tailored to each organization’s unique needs. This programming is delivered through three distinct spaces designed to address the needs of 1) Leaders, 2) Health Care Workers, and 3) Support Staff working within an organization. A fourth space for Connection, invites all staff members across an entire organization to participate in training together. Your Health Space’s team of trainers are based across Ontario and are available to facilitate workshops virtually or in person.

    If you are interested in bringing this free training program to your workplace, please visit: https://yourhealthspace.ca/programs/ or contact yourhealthspace@ontario.cmha.ca.

    Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care evaluation survey

    Ontario Health is conducting an evaluation of the ‘Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care’ developed in collaboration with an Expert Panel. You’re invited to complete this survey to capture your awareness of, access to and adoption of the Phase I Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Primary Care.   

    You may access the survey here.  

    The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, and your responses will remain anonymous. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Mimosa Zhao by email at zhao@theevidencenetwork.com.

    Collaborative Governance: Towards the Next Level of Integrated Care, Jan. 24, 2023
    Hosted by HSPN and IFIC Canada. Register here.

    OCFP 2023 Family Medicine Summit, Jan. 27-28, 2023
    Features two livestream days on Jan 27 & 28, plus additional pre-recorded sessions. Find out more here.

    ECHO Ontario Conference 2023, Jan. 27, 2023
    Virtual event, titled Integrated Health Systems and the ECHO Model: Lessons Learned in Ontario. Register here.

    Early Psychosis Intervention Quarterly Webinar, Feb. 9, 2023
    Ontario Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence’s first quarterly webinar on the development of a provincial Early Psychosis Intervention Program. Register here.

    Patient Safety Learning Community of Practice, Feb. 7, 2023
    Learn more about the patient safety narrative question for the 2023/24 QIP submission. Register here.

  • Regarding mental health and addiction funding letters

    This email was sent to EDs/Admin leads of AFHTO member teams

    Dear Members,

    Most of you have or will soon receive your funding letters with regards to one-time mental health and addiction funding for FY 2022-2023. Please note that although those funds are finally confirmed, the ministry is imposing an embargo on public communications related to this funding until further notice so this funding should not be announced to your communities or media until you have been provided with the direction to go ahead.

    To support teams with planning, this document provides information and options for teams to consider as you decide where to direct this funding (if you currently do not have a plan). This is for information only to help generate ideas and aren’t guidelines on how funds must be utilized.  Guidance from the Ministry of Health states that funding can be used for a range of options that are not related to capital costs, and expenses can be made retroactive for this fiscal year.

    The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) may be doing a report back to the Ministry on how the funds have been spent. While they determine the information they wish to collect, please support that work by keeping track of key indicators related to the impact of funding. Examples could include:

    • Number/percentage of patients served (including unattached)
    • Type of service provided
      • Counselling and treatment (internal)
      • Counselling and treatment (hired external)
      • Addiction services
      • Outreach (mobile unit, care in the home)
      • Youth services
      • Support groups
      • Groups/webinars including virtual workshop series
      • Crisis services
      • Purchase of patient resources/tools like workbooks etc.
      • Visual storytelling (patients, families, caregiver, HCPs)
    • Waiting times and waiting list before and after funding was released

    Our goal is to make the case to government for sustainable funding though we know it will be difficult to provide them with meaningful data. However, if you can provide any updates on how the funds made impact with your patients and/or communities it will be shared to help the ministry with their future planning.

    SUPPORTS THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED

    Existing Provincial Services:
    Teams may contract services with provincial organizations (e.g., CMHA, AMHO organizations) that provide a variety of mental health supports through a combination of virtual, in-person, or guided online sessions. These organizations have worked with interprofessional teams in varying capacities and can be leveraged to provide short term supports. This can also be extended to employing short-term contracts with independent practice social workers, psychologists, or other mental health professionals.

    SickKids CCMH Learning Institute

    • The SickKids CCMH Learning Institute offers high-quality and evidence-informed learning opportunities for mental health and medical health professionals, direct service workers, educators, and first responders to advance best practices in mental health care. Program length varies from half-day (3-hour) webinars to multi-day certificate programs. They offer training for professionals who work with patients of every age, across the lifespan.
    • This program is available to AFHTO members at a 15% discount, and it’s a great opportunity to provide educational opportunities for members of your team. Upcoming courses can be found here so please register as soon as you can.
    • To support the Institute with further programming, please also take a few minutes to complete their survey to share insights into training needs for you and your teams.  

    AskForHelptoday.ca

    • The Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) has implemented a stop-gap measure by introducing a navigation and matching service available to all residents of Ontario who require the services of a registered psychologist. Patients are matched to Psychologists or Psychological Associates that are in good standing with the College of Psychologists of Ontario with considerations for their personal preferences (e.g., preferred language, race, location). Services are virtual and match patients with consideration for their personal preference.
    • Primary care teams have the potential to refer patients through Ocean eReferral or on the web portal askforhelptoday.ca. OPA is willing to work with a group of teams to develop services best suited to the needs of individual health teams. An example of the service offering currently operational in Ontario is the Ministry of Health funded COVID-19 Psychological Support Program which supports the psychotherapeutic needs of frontline healthcare workers in partnership with Ontario Health and five hospitals. Click here to learn more about the CPS program.  
    • You can also click here to learn more about the types of patients that are most often referred to psychologists. For more information, please contact Dr. Sylvain Roy, DrRoy@psych.on.ca  

    MindBeacon

    • Offers Canadians a full spectrum of mental health supports for depression, anxiety and other common mental health concerns with face-to-face live therapy, virtual therapy, and a therapist-guided Internet Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TAiCBT) program. Clinicians can determine what therapy is best for their patient or can leave the decision to one of MindBeacon’s licensed professionals to help guide the patient to a therapy that meets their needs and preferences.
    • TAiCBT helps patients with over 12 mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety insomnia, panic, stress, and PTSD). It is offered to patients (16+) for up to 12 weeks of personalized therapy on a platform with their own licensed mental health professional. This therapy is all delivered online, with no phone calls and no appointments and. Guidance from their therapist is done on the platform through messaging.
    • Interprofessional teams have the option of pooling funds and developing a contract with MindBeacon to help meet service demand.
    • MindBeacon can provide different referral options for teams and is currently working on having a site on Ocean eReferral. Training and communication materials for clinicians and patients on MindBeacon’s therapy and referral options is also available to all partners. Click here to learn more about MindBeacon.
    • For more information, please contact Felicia Fallen, Felicia.fallen@mindbeacon.com

    ONE-TIME, SHORT-TERM PURCHASES:

    • Modalities of therapy training (trauma, CBT, DBT, ACT, EFT, IFS) to allow for future programming.
    • Resources (e.g., textbooks, audio books (psychoeducation and worksheets for patients), podcast subscriptions, laptops, and screens for programming and remote work, increasing capacity for virtual care services.
    • Payments to support patients’ daily needs (e.g., clothing, temporary housing, utility costs, grocery gift cards, community kitchens, bus passes etc.).
    • Leverage existing partnerships (e.g., work with existing OHTs, partner with CMHA to staff a drop-in centre for MH&A patients that need a warm shelter during the winter).
    • Increase staffing capacity on a temporary or long-term basis (e.g., hire and sustain a mental health counsellor role within your team, hiring a care coordinator/patient navigator).

    IDEAS FROM INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAMS:
    These are initiatives currently underway or planned by primary care teams that may spark ideas for you to consider if you choose to manage services locally.

    • North Shore Family Health Team: NSFHT received a 0.5 percent FTE staffing increase for navigation, and directed a portion of this position for intake, assessment and care coordination services for patients that experience mental health/socio-economic struggles. The program has improved inter-agency flow with patients being continuously supported as they are referred to the services that best address their needs. The care coordinator works with patients to coordinate other beneficial interventions, such as volunteer opportunities, and continues to do wellness checks until another organization can take over. Click here to learn more.
    • Windsor Family Health Team: A stand alone non-profit was created to serve anyone in need, however, the majority of the patients are those with MH&A issues. These services include providing groceries, housecleaning, transportation to out-of-town appointments, medical equipment, hotel stays, help with utility and/or rent payments, etc. A yearly limit is set for each patient. This service works in conjunction with other local agencies to provide the most comprehensive support possible. WFHT offers MH counselling and a RAAM Clinic.

    We’re here to support you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Abisola Otepola.

    Yours in good health,

    The AFHTO Team

  • QI in Action eBulletin #125: Patient and Family support for pregnancy loss

    In this Issue:

    • Patient with a pregnancy loss? There is support – for you, and for families
    • Primary care clinicians can directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    • Mental Health Resources
    • CMHA Ontario’s Your Health Space
    • The Indigenous Voice | Daadibaajimo
    • Virtual Care Guidance Statements Checklist for Clinicians and other resources
    • Upcoming Events

     

    Patient with a pregnancy loss? There is support – for you, and for families
    Content developed by Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network

    Lisa Marie Buccella stands in front of a group of health care workers and shares tips for engaging with patients experiencing possibly one of the worst events of their lives: losing a baby.

    As a parent who has had a loss, she provides feedback on what wasn’t very helpful: Never start a sentence with “At least you have other children…” or “Just be grateful for…”. The room is clearly engaged and pipe up with questions. Families with an experience of pregnancy and infant loss will also share the importance of being connected with meaningful support, and how validating it feels for a professional to offer information and a referral.  

    Offered by Sunnybrook’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network, the workshop is just one example of a resource for professionals to help support bereaved parents and families during a loss. PAIL Network also offers suggestions for communication with families, memory making, forming bereavement committees, and practical information and handouts for families on issues like lactation after loss and employment leave.

    For families living in Ontario, PAIL Network organizes peer-led group and individual support services at no cost. The supports are comprehensive, including groups for each trimester of loss, and groups focused on infant/neonatal loss, SIDS, termination of pregnancy, pregnancy after loss, partners in grief and grief after abortion. Referring a family for support can be done online by any health care or service professional through a secure form that is sent directly to PAIL Network and ensures that a family will be contacted to be connected with peer support online or over the phone.

    We encourage you to check out their resources and consider signing up for a session as well as ordering handouts to support families. For more information, visit Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network.

    Primary care clinicians can directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    Content below developed by Ontario Psychological Association

    Primary care providers can now refer patients directly to psychologists from their Electronic Medical Record system (EMR) enabling increased access to timely specialized mental health services. The new development is made possible through a partnership between the Ontario Psychological Association and Ontario’s eServices Program which saw the integration of the Ocean and Strata Health e-referral platforms thereby allowing family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other primary care providers to connect with psychologists.
     
    The Covid-19 Psychological Support Program, funded by the Ministry of Health, ensures that frontline health workers can receive up to 12 psychotherapy sessions with a registered psychologist or psychological associate at no cost. Primary care clinicians wishing to learn more can email opa@psych.on.ca or read our e-referral guidelines for more details. For a demo, please click here.

    Mental Health Resources
    Webinars

    Select Resources

    CMHA Ontario’s Your Health Space
    Just a reminder that the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario has launched Your Health Space, a free mental health service for Ontario’s health care organizations. This program provides the training, resources, and tools needed to encourage complex conversations about stress and burnout and promote psychological health and safety in health care workplaces.

    Your Health Space offers self-directed modules and live workshops, the latter of which can be tailored to your organization’s unique needs. This programming is delivered through three distinct spaces designed to address the needs of 1) Leaders, 2) Health Care Workers, and 3) Support Staff working within an organization. Furthermore, Your Health Space has a team of trainers across Ontario that are available to facilitate workshops virtually or in person, at your workplace. Upon completion of the program, primary care teams will receive a digital badge and individuals will receive a digital certificate.

    If you are an organizational leader interested in bringing this free program to your workplace, please visit www.yourhealthspace.ca or contact yourhealthspace@ontario.cmha.ca.

    The Indigenous Voice | Daadibaajimo
    Content developed by IPHCC

    The IPHCC recently launched a public facing newsletter titled: Indigenous Voice | Daadibaajimo to keep the audience informed on how we are improving Indigenous health outcomes and supporting the advancement and evolution of Indigenous primary health care services throughout Ontario. This newsletter is designed for both non-Indigenous and Indigenous audiences as it entails specific content and resources to promote education and awareness about Indigenous Peoples. To learn more about how the IPHCC is shaping Indigenous health care, subscribe to our newsletter here or send an email to communications@iphcc.ca. Click here to view the past issue.

    Virtual Care Guidance Statements Checklist for Clinicians and other resources
    The Virtual Care Guidance Statements Checklist for Clinicians and other support tools for the Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidance in Primary Care are now live on the Ontario Health website. They are currently available in English and French. For feedback/questions, email PCP.Gudance@ontariohealth.ca.

    Upcoming Events

    ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health
    Beginning January 19, 2023, 12:00-1:00 pm
    Many Ontarian children and youth live in remote and underserved communities. Eighteen percent of Ontarians live in rural areas, where only 2% of the province’s child psychiatrists live. ECHO Ontario CYMH aims to change diagnostic, prescribing, treatment and referral practices of Primary Care Providers (PCPs) who are caring for children and youth with mental health problems. Register here.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #124 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • Bits & Pieces: improving IHP networking and more

    Bits & Pieces: improving IHP networking and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • AFHTO’s IHP Directory: Improving IHP networking and communication
    • Farewell to Raveen Bahniwal
    • Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing webinar materials available
    • Consultations with physicians on PHIPA changes
    • Community Services Recovery Fund
    • IMPaCT survey
    • Updated recommendations on the use of Paxlovid and Evusheld
    • Reminder- join AFHTO’s Executive Director Mentorship Program!
    • CareCanvas: Better Care, Made Easier
    • OH updates- early psychosis intervention and Provincial Primary Care Lead, Cancer Screening
    • Upcoming events including Virtual Care and Pandemic Reflections and more

    AFHTO’s IHP Directory: Improving IHP networking and communication

    IHPs in AFHTO member teams are encouraged to sign up to AFHTO’s IHP Directory! This directory will help improve AFHTO’s communication to IHPs, and it will support IHP networking, information sharing, and collaboration.

    After you sign up, you will be emailed a link to a spreadsheet with the names, professions, team names, and work emails of all IHPs who have signed up for open communication. You may sort by profession to see the names of those in the same discipline as you.

    AFHTO will be checking the directory and emailing links to new registrants every 1-2 weeks. We look forward to improved communication from AFHTO to IHPs, and across IHPs in AFHTO-member teams!

    ravninder bahniwal headshot

    Farewell to Raveen Bahniwal

    We must announce that Raveen Bahniwal will be leaving AFHTO for a literal dream come true- we hate to see her go, but we’re happy say it’s for a great opportunity as she has been accepted to medical school.

    Raveen has only been with AFHTO for a short time as our Quality and Knowledge Translation Specialist, but so many of you had the pleasure of working with her, attended the webinars she has organized or the QIDSS session at the conference. She has also helped AFHTO with our growing research portfolio.

    We’re going to miss Raveen but know she will bring so much to her future endeavours, and we look forward to her return to Ontario as Dr. Bahniwal. Please join us in giving her our sincerest best wishes. Her last day with AFHTO will be Friday, December 30 – any questions related to her work can be directed to info@afhto.ca.

     

     

    video screenshot- 100 doses equivalent to a 290 km car journey

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing webinar materials available

    On Dec. 8. CASCADES and the Primary Care Collaborative hosted a webinar exploring the carbon footprint of healthcare systems and how inhalers contribute to it, and imagining practice change that results in “high value, low carbon care”. Slides and video are now available.

     

     

    Consultations with physicians on PHIPA changes

    The Ministry of Health is seeking physicians interested in participating in a focus group to talk about their experiences with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). This work is part of the Ministry’s Dialogue on Data engagement strategy. Your knowledge and experience will inform the development of a data strategy report to the Ontario Health Data Council that will be seen by the Minister of Health, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, and many other important stakeholders. Learn more here.

    Focus groups will take place January 17 to 19, from 12-1 pm and we are looking for 20 physician volunteers spread over the three days. If you are interested in participating, please email info@afhto.ca. Please share this opportunity with physicians on your team.
     
    NOTE: at the moment they are only interested in talking to physicians affiliated with Family Health Teams

    Community Services Recovery Fund
    Members and/or their partners may be eligible for this fund, which is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support nonprofits and charities as they focus on how to adapt their organizations for pandemic recovery. Find resources here or sign up for January webinar here.

    IMPaCT survey

    IMproving performance in Primary Care Teams (IMPaCT) Survey is a survey of primary care physicians working in Ontario to understand what influences how physicians interact with data about their patients and their practice. You can find the survey and additional details about the study here. If you have any questions, please contact, Braeden Terpeu (braeden.terpou@thp.ca).

    Updated recommendations on the use of Paxlovid and Evusheld

    Recent updates include:

    • Updated recommendation on the use of Evusheld-EN and FR– OH, Dec. 12, 2022
    • Updated recommendation on the use of Paxlovid- EN and FR – OH, Dec. 8, 2022

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Reminder- join AFHTO’s Executive Director Mentorship Program!

    Are you a leader with 3+ years of experience in team-based primary care? Are you interested in supporting new EDs as they develop in their role? If YES, AFHTO is looking for executive directors to join our ED Mentorship Program, and we want to hear from you!

    Please fill out this brief survey, and we will be in touch.

    More information about the program is here.

    CareCanvas: Better Care, Made Easier

    The University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine and the POPLAR network have launched a new tool to support practice improvement.

    CareCanvas is an interactive online dashboard that that summarizes clinical information from a physician’s practice EMR to make it easier to care for patients. Three types of dashboards are available: one for physicians, one for clinics, and one for Ontario Health Teams.

    CareCanvas summarizes more than 15 quality of care measures including information on diabetes, hypertension, prescribing, and immunizations. You can see trends in your practice over time and can compare your practice to that of your peers. For some measures, you can see differences in care by age, gender, and neighbourhood income.

    CareCanvas is available to existing UTOPIAN contributors, with plans to expand the program to all of POPLAR in early 2023. Register here to access the dashboard. Sign up before December 31, 2022 to receive a dashboard with the next release.

    OH updates- early psychosis intervention and Provincial Primary Care Lead, Cancer Screening

    Virtual Care and Pandemic Reflections, Dec. 16, 2022
    54th in OCFP and UofT’s series “Changing the way we work” on Friday, December 16, 2022, at 7:55-9:15 am. Register here.

    ADVANCE Special Topics series – Balancing Task and Process in Leading Integrated Care Systems, Jan. 9, 2023

    Hosted by RISE. Professor Robin Miller, University of Birmingham in the UK, will discuss the promise and pitfalls of collaborative leadership within integrated care systems and how attending to process can support inter-sectoral teams to achieve the aim of collaborative governance. Register here.

    Healthcare Decision-Making in Ontario, Jan. 10-31, 2023
    Four-part webinar series hosted by Hospice Palliative Care Ontario. Facilitated by Jane Meadus, the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE), you can join to learn what you need to know about consent, capacity and healthcare decision making in Ontario. Register here.

    Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP Monthly Call, Jan. to Jul. 2023
    The Community of Practice hosted by Ontario Health to support Primary Care and Covid-19, holds monthly calls, and the new registration link for the first 7 months in 2023 is available. Register here.

  • Year-End Update to Executive Directors/Administrative Leads – December 2022

    Dear Executive Directors/Administrative Leads,

    With December now here, we would like to share updates on a few issues that are front of mind for many. We also met with the Primary Health Care Branch on December 1, and they provided some insight that we would like to share.

    Bill 124
    Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019 was declared “to be void and of no effect” by Justice Koehnen of the Ontario Superior Court on November 29. The court declared Bill 124 was unconstitutional and a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

    AFHTO, along with our health system partners, have been advocating to government to repeal this law since it was proclaimed in 2019, so we welcome this news. We hope it will start the pathway toward fair and equitable compensation for healthcare workers.

    The government plans to appeal the decision, but they have stated that they will not use the notwithstanding clause, so this appeal could take years to settle.

    What does this mean for primary care teams?
    Maria McDonald of McDonald HR Law sent a communique on November 30 that noted:
    As of November 29, 2022, Bill 124 is not an enforceable law. It is unknown what the government will do but an appeal could take years. It is highly unlikely government will make any revised law retroactive. As such, right now, Bill 124 (which does not exist because it is void and unenforceable) does not prevent granting bonuses.

    However, it’s important to note that there are clauses in your agreement that will direct how you can interpret this for your team. For FHTs, this is referenced in Clause 7.3:
    “All Funding shall be applied directly to the payment of Schedule “B” expenditures, and for no other purpose. The Recipient shall expend the Funding in each Funding Year only in accordance with the Annual Budget for each Funding Year. No changes to the approved items in Schedule “B” are permitted without the prior written consent of the Ministry, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement.”

    For NPLCs, refer to Clause 3.03:
    “All funding shall be applied directly to the payment of Schedule “A” and “A-Appendix 1” expenditures, and for no other purpose. No changes to any Schedules are permitted without the prior written consent of the Ministry as set out in section 2.09. Continued Funding under this Agreement is subject to Ministry review and approval of Approved Annual Operating Budgets and Banking and Payment Schedules and Service Requirements.”

    All other models, please reference your agreements for relevant clauses.

    In 2019, the Ministry provided some guidance on how best to interpret increases with staff. This guidance still applies:

    • If you increase salaries, ensure you have sustainable funding to maintain the increase as the Ministry will not be providing additional funding.
    • You cannot eliminate a position to accommodate for increases. During reconciliation, your budget will be ‘right-sized’ if you no longer need that position, and the funding will be taken back.
    • If performance-based merit pay is part of the organization’s compensation plan and fits within the HR budget, this would be allowable.
    • Vacant positions or underfilled FTE positions cannot be used to fund additional compensation for other positions. Funding needs to be allocated for all funded positions within the framework of the board’s compensation plan and policies.

    As we learn more about what is now allowable with the repealing of the Bill, we’ll share this information with you.

    A reminder that we are working on a compensation market refresh with our partners in interprofessional primary care, mental health and addiction, community care, and not-for-profit long-term care: Addiction and Mental Health Ontario, AdvantAge Ontario, Alliance for Healthier Communities, Canadian Mental Health Association (Ontario), Children’s Mental Health Ontario, Family Service Ontario, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association, and Ontario Community Support Association.

    This work will be the grounding for advocacy for sustainable increases in salaries. We’ll share more once the work is underway with our recently approved vendor.

    If teams have questions, please contact us any time.

    Mental Health and Addiction Funding

    Funding packages for the MHA one-time funding are still in approvals. Funding is expected to flow in January, and it will cover expenses from October 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
    We know that this isn’t enough time to spend the funds. Planning is very important, so we encourage you consider the following given the tight time frame you will be working in:

    • Work with your fellow primary care teams to discuss pooling the funding to purchase MHA supports for teams, OHT, and/or unaffiliated physicians. We encourage you also work with other mental health organizations and providers, such as CMHA, AMHO organizations, and private psychologists regarding pooling or transferring funding.
    • Increase the FTE of your MHA staff or hire temporary staff to support the backlog of MHA in your team or in your community.

    We appreciate this is difficult without knowing the funding amount you’ll be receiving. However, we hope you can get a general plan in place with or without your partners as you await confirmation of the amount and flow of the funding.

    We’ll be in touch next year to ask about how funding was used as this will help the Ministry build a case for sustainable funding to embed much-needed MHA supports in primary care.

    Approval Process for Extra Costs Incurred During this Respiratory Season
    The Ministry memo from November 21 is still front of mind for many teams. A reminder that the memo, though not well communicated, was about communications to your patients and doing your best to support this respiratory illness surge.

    If your team is planning to increase capacity, we encourage you do your projections to year-end and assess your existing funding. If you still feel unable to fund the increased work you wish to do, please reach out to your program consultant to demonstrate this, and then begin discussion for funding support. If you have any issues, please outreach to us at any time.

    FHT Contract Recommendations
    Thank you to everyone who participated in AFHTO’s FHT contract recommendations. Your advice and suggestions were critical for us to develop a thoughtful set of recommendations for the Ministry.  
    The recommendations for modernizing the FHT contract, Schedule A, the governance attestation document, and the annual operating plan have been submitted. You can read more here. We expect to hear back soon on next steps.

    Budget Planning for FY 2023/2024
    Many of you have heard that CHCs were asked by Ontario Health to plan for a 2% increase in their base funding as part of their planning assumptions for the next year. OH has said that planning assumptions are not a confirmation of funding and should be used for planning purposes only.

    Funding comes from the Ministry, so there is no guarantee of an increase; however, AFHTO has strongly advocated that any increases to CHCs are given to all interprofessional team-based primary care models. We hope to hear soon about the budget approvals.

    TRIN funding
    FHTs and CHCs should have received their temporary retention incentive for nursing (TRIN) funding, and NPLCs were sent their approval letters on November 30 with anticipation of flow-through of funding in January.

    Nurses paid directly by physicians and specialists are still waiting on their incentive funding. These funds will start making their way to the privately funded nurses in the next few months. Any questions should be directed to pcoinquiries@ontario.ca.

    Procurement Activity Reporting
    The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery has added large primary care teams to the list of funded organizations responsible for procurement activity reporting. This applies to teams that receive $10M or more in funding. These teams received an email from their senior program consultant notifying them that they now need to submit their procurement activities as a Broader Public Sector (BPS) accountability measure.

    If these teams have any questions about the initiative, please contact SCO.Reporting@ontario.ca who can provide you with access to your portal and answer your questions.

    We know 2022 has been another exhausting year and that you’re juggling so many priorities. As administrators, you are at the front lines, working to increase morale of your team members while ensuring exceptional care is being provided to your patients and communities. We hope you do not forget to take care of yourself and that you enjoy some much-deserved rest and time with your loved ones soon.

    We wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season. Thank you for everything you do.

    Yours in good health,

    Your AFHTO Team

  • Bits & Pieces: update on the Ministry request memo and more

    Bits & Pieces: update on the Ministry request memo and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Update on the Ministry request memo and more
    • Refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered treatment
    • Reminder- Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24
    • Recruiting for study on healthcare providers and sex trafficking
    • Strategies to improve antibiotic use in primary care
    • TechSoup courses- disaster planning and cybersecurity
    • Have thoughts on how social work practice is organized and supported in primary care?
    • Exceptions to the Prescription Drug List- deadline Nov. 29
    • Upcoming events including Routine childhood vaccination: How to address lapses during COVID-19 and more

     

    Update on the Ministry request memo and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and updates. You can find links to related pages here as well.

    Refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered treatment

    Primary care providers can now refer patients directly to psychologists from their EMR enabling increased access to timely specialized mental health services. This is possible through a partnership between the Ontario Psychological Association and Ontario’s eServices Program, which saw the integration of the Ocean and Strata Health e-referral platforms thereby allowing family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other primary care providers to connect with psychologists.
     
    The Covid-19 Psychological Support Program, funded by the Ministry of Health, ensures that frontline health workers can receive up to 12 psychotherapy sessions with a registered psychologist or psychological associate at no cost. To learn more email opa@psych.on.ca or read their e-referral guidelines for more details.
     
    This builds on a prior collaboration between AFHTO, NPAO, OCFP, NPLCA, OMA’s section of General & Family Practice, and the Alliance for Healthier Communities.

    Reminder- Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout, Nov. 24

    Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Register here.

    Are you a healthcare provider wanting to improve services and supports for sex trafficking survivors?

    Recruiting for study on healthcare providers and sex trafficking
    Women’s College Research Institute seeks social workers, nurses and physicians who live and work in Ontario to discuss their thoughts and experiences regarding the domestic sex trafficking of adolescents and adults in Canada.   
     
    “In Canada, there has been limited research on sex trafficking, especially in adult populations and from a healthcare perspective. By attending to healthcare providers’ thoughts and experiences as professionals regarding domestic sex trafficking of adolescents and adults in Ontario, Canada, we can build an understanding of the gaps in care for this population and areas in which care can be improved.”   

    For further information please contact frances.recknor@wchospital.ca.

     

    Strategies to improve antibiotic use in primary care
    Nov. 18-24 is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. To help promote this year’s campaign and to reinforce their commitment to the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), PHO has published new fact sheets, Strategies to Improve Antibiotic Use in Primary Care.

    TechSoup courses- disaster planning and cybersecurity

    Have thoughts on how social work practice is organized and supported in primary care?

    This study from the University of Toronto is looking to host one more focus group for social workers who haven’t had the chance to share their experience and perspectives on how social work practice has shifted during the pandemic. Participants will take part in a 60-minute focus group with other social workers in primary care.
     
    Led by Dr. Rachelle Ashcroft, Associate Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, it’s supported by AFHTO and OASW.
     
    If you’re interested in participating, please send an email to Simon at sck.lam@utoronto.ca and include the clinic you work in.

    Exceptions to the Prescription Drug List- deadline Nov. 29

    Health Canada’s initial consultation on exceptions to the Prescription Drug List will close on Tuesday, November 29.
    You can participate in this consultation and provide feedback about which existing exceptions are still needed and why on their site. For more information, you can watch this recorded webinar.

    Routine childhood vaccination: How to address lapses during COVID-19, Nov. 24, 2022

    Accredited webinar offered by the Canadian pediatric Society and co-developed with Public Health Agency of Canada. Register here.

    Trauma Informed Care for Primary Care Providers: A Four-Part Series, Nov. 24- Dec. 15, 2022

    Free special series by ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health. Register here.

    Collaborative Health Governance in a Time of Deep Uncertainty, Nov. 25, 2022

    In this View From the Top session, held by McMaster University, guest speakers, Helen Bevan, Jodeme Goldhar and Stacey Daub will discuss why radical collaboration and collaborative governance make a difference for population health, healthcare, and wellbeing. Register here.

    Highlights and implications of the Ontario Science Table’s brief on primary care, Nov. 30, 2022

    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. Register here.

    NEW Patient Safety Learning Community of Practice, Dec. 6, 2022

    The Quality and Patient Safety Team at Ontario Health kicks off the new community of practice focused on developing robust processes to track, prevent and learn from patient safety incidents. Register here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing, Dec. 8

    Metered dose inhalers produce significant carbon emissions. Ironically, these contribute to changes to the climate that can exacerbate respiratory conditions. Simple practice changes can help disrupt this cycle and lessen the health sector’s contributions to climate change.

    Register here.

  • QI in Action eBulletin #123: HFHT Green Initiative, Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidelines

    In this Issue:

    • The HFHT Green Initiative
    • Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care- Guidance for Primary Care
    • Primary care clinicians can how directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    • Evidence2Practice Ontario Program
    • Upcoming Events

    The HFHT Green Initiative
    Content below developed by Hamilton FHT

    The HFHT Green Initiative is an interprofessional team developing practical solutions to improve patient healthcare outcomes while simultaneously reducing climate change. The initiative provides a free and evidence-based program which includes an action-based checklist, poster orders (1148 so far delivered), a monthly newsletter (17 sent so far), a CFPC Mainpro+ accredited webinar series (212 attendees thus far), an infographic series (31 different topics), 2 waiting room videos, 2 EMR-embedded prescription templates, patient-facing group education, resource kits, and project support.

    Since its launch in 2019, this project has supported environmental efforts in 19 different Ontario Family Health Teams as well as additional primary care teams across Ontario and Canada and has helped direct the efforts of our local OHT as well as national sustainable health care initiatives such as CASCADES. For more information, please contact the HFHT Green Team at green.team@hamiltonfht.ca.

    The Hamilton FHT’s Green Initiative recently presented a disease prevention webinar highlighting practical tools that will make cancer screening and smoking cessation easier in both the clinical setting and for QI projects. Please watch this 20 min webinar recording to hear family physician and project lead Dr. Meghan Davis speak about:

    • Understanding how cancer screening/smoking cessation is good for our patients and the environment
    • Accessing a cancer screening dashboard for teams and individual practices  
    • The Screening Activity Report
    • Finding patients who were lost to follow-up after screening positive
    • A new digital patient communication pathway for ordering FITs
    • Managing colonoscopy results
    • Providing paps: Pathway for interprofessional health care training & updated guidelines
    • Guidelines for mammograms post-COVID-19 vaccine
    • Videos for your waiting room
    • Helping patients to quit smoking

    Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care- Guidance for Primary Care
    Ontario Health recently released new virtual care guidance materials for primary care clinicians. The “Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care Guidance for Primary Care” aims to help primary care clinicians feel supported in the decisions they make related to the planning and delivery of virtual care. This is ‘phase one’ of the virtual care guidance for primary care. More detailed virtual care guidance will be released in the future, including materials focused on other specialties and areas of care. The virtual care guidance materials can be accessed here in English and French. Click here to watch the Ontario Health Community of Practice recording from November 9 where Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Bordman speak about the guidance document.

    Primary care clinicians can now directly refer frontline health workers to psychological practitioners for MOH-covered psychological treatment
    Content below developed by Ontario Psychological Association

    Primary care providers can now refer patients directly to psychologists from their Electronic Medical Record system (EMR) enabling increased access to timely specialized mental health services. The new development is made possible through a partnership between the Ontario Psychological Association and Ontario’s eServices Program which saw the integration of the Ocean and Strata Health e-referral platforms thereby allowing family physicians, nurse practitioners, and other primary care providers to connect with psychologists.
     
    The Covid-19 Psychological Support Program, funded by the Ministry of Health, ensures that frontline health workers can receive up to 12 psychotherapy sessions with a registered psychologist or psychological associate at no cost. Primary care clinicians wishing to learn more can email opa@psych.on.ca or read our e-referral guidelines for more details.
     
    This work builds on a prior collaboration between the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO), the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP), the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association, Ontario Medical Association’s (OMA) section of General & Family Practice, and the Alliance for Healthier Communities. For a demo, please click here.  

    Evidence2Practice Ontario Program
    Content below developed by Centre for Effective Practice

    CEP is proud to lead the launch of Evidence2Practice Ontario (E2P) and its first set of digital tools and supports for heart failure. Co-led with the eHealth Centre of Excellence and North York General Hospital, E2P is a province-wide initiative developed to strengthen and support the delivery of evidence-based care and best practice in primary and acute care settings. The first E2P tool, developed in the Telus PSS EMR, focuses on enhancing care of patients with suspected or diagnosed heart failure.

    CEP’s renowned academic detailing service and accompanying clinical tools on heart failure are available to further support primary care providers. Tools and supports in additional EMRs (e.g., Oscar and Accuro QHR) will follow in 2023, focused on supporting adult patients living with major depression, anxiety disorders and type 2 diabetes. Click here to learn more.

     

    Upcoming Events

    Evidence2Practice Ontario
    Friday, November 18, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Evidence2Practice Ontario is co-hosting a webinar with Ontario Health: Dr. David Kaplan, Vice President, Quality at Ontario Health, and Young Lee, Vice President, Corporate Performance and Digital Health Innovation at North York General Hospital will provide an overview of how this key initiative is embedding quality standards into health information systems to support clinician adoption. Register here.

    CCHL Webinar: Leading Climate Resilient and Low Carbon, Sustainable Health Systems
    Tuesday, November 22, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Climate and environmental change pose accelerating and complex threats for 21st century health systems- and these modern health systems are a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Increasingly, the executive boards, and healthcare staff leading Canada’s health systems are recognizing the need to address these challenges. New Leadership and Governance standards include explicit requirements to consider environmental stewardship, with implications for patient engagement, enterprise risk management plans, capital investment plans, talent management and acquisition, procurement policies and practices and budgeting. Click here to register.

    Infection Prevention and Control in Primary Care “Spread Prevention- Not Infection”
    Wednesday, November 23, 2022, 12:30-2 pm
    The Hamilton Family Health Team’s Patient and Provider Safety committee has planned a virtual IPAC information session with their partners from Public Health Ontario and Hamilton Public Health Services. The content shared will be focused on increasing the learner’s knowledge of current IPAC trends as well as providing practical strategies for primary care providers to enhance IPAC practices in their clinical setting. Click here to register.

    Supporting Caregivers Supports Patients- The Critical Role of Primary Care in Preventing Caregiver Burnout
    Thursday, November 24, 2022, 12-1 pm
    Primary care providers can play a key role in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiver well-being by initiating early interventions and connecting caregivers to support. Co-hosted by The Ontario Caregiver Organization and the Primary Care Collaborative, this webinar will include insights from a caregiver with lived experience, as well as examples of primary care initiatives across Ontario that are connecting caregivers to support. Click here to register.

    Highlights and Implications of the Ontario Science Table’s Brief on Primary Care
    Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 7:45-8:45 am
    On October 3, 2022, the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (OST) released its final brief, a 3-part exploration of how primary care responded to and was affected by the pandemic, and implications for ongoing health system planning and policy. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of primary healthcare experts who contributed to that brief, as they share some of the most significant findings and implications. To register, click here.

    Climate Conscious Inhaler Prescribing
    Thursday, December 8, 2022, 12-1 pm
    This webinar will explore the carbon footprint of healthcare systems and how inhalers contribute to it, examine two problems related to inhaler prescribing and imagine practice change that results in an immediate reduction in emissions: “high value, low carbon care”. To register, click here.

     

    In Case You Missed It: Check out eBulletin #122 or other back issues here!
    Questions? Comments? Contact us at improve@afhto.ca.

  • AFHTO fall update for triad

    This email was sent to executive directors/admin leads, board chairs, and lead clinicians

    Hello triad members,

    As there isn’t a scheduled leadership council meeting before the end of the year – and the follow-up communique that comes with it – we’d like to provide a summary for you of some work that’s underway at AFHTO.

    Compensation Market Review Update
    As you may recall, the Community Health Compensation Working Group (CWG) invited consultants to submit a proposal for a community health market salary review for Ontario. Consensus has been reached on the preferred candidate for this role, and we’re in the final stages of securing the contract. We have received contributions from all ten members of the CWG and anticipate this project to be completed within the next few months.

    This project will allow us to have greater insight into wage disparities for 78 positions across the primary and community care sectors. The final report will serve as an important tool to support discussions with government on reasonable, fair compensation. Stay tuned for further updates.

    Mental Health and Addiction Funding Update
    The Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, federal health minister, is meeting with the provincial and territorial health ministers in Vancouver in mid-November. One topic of discussion is the mental health funding transfer. The provinces say that health cost share is currently 78% provincial and 22% federal, and they are jointly advocating for more from the federal government, including targeted funding for mental health and addiction. Duclos has said that the government is currently negotiating $3B in transfer for MHA with provinces and territories. We hope to have an update following their November meeting, with the hope that some of the funding is embedded sustainably in primary care.

    As we noted in our September 27th communique, the Ontario Ministry of Health is providing one-time funding to support teams with innovations in improving mental health and addiction challenges within the communities served. We know that the timing for the funding isn’t ideal or sustainable and that teams will likely have a short amount of time to utilize it. But to  support knowledge sharing and to build a business case around sustainable funding, AFHTO will reach out to EDs in mid-November to glean plans underway and share ideas and strategies across regions. If you would like to share your ideas now, please email Abisola at abisola.otepola@afhto.ca.

    Progress Towards Development of Primary Care Networks
    AFHTO continues to work with other associations and providers about ensuring that a strong primary care sector is the foundation of an integrated system. For this to happen, primary care needs to be organized. Primary care networks (PCNs) are an opportunity to strengthen the sector and see improved health outcomes.
    AFHTO and partners developed a concept paper blueprint with recommendations for the establishment of PCNs within the Ontario Health Teams based on best practices and lessons learned from other jurisdictions. This was submitted to the ministry in mid October for consideration, and discussion is now underway. If there is agreement that this is something that the ministry (and possibly Ontario Health) wants to pursue, there will be consultations with stakeholders and our collective members to refine the recommendations in the coming months. We will keep members apprised of this work as it continues.

    Status of FHT/MOH Contract Recommendations
    After over a year of consultations with members and stakeholders, AFHTO is in the process of submitting the final recommendations for the next FHT contract to the ministry. Along with our consultant, Dale McMurchy, we met with ministry officials on October 19th where we outlined the recommendations focused on the three key areas: governance, accountability/performance, and FHT/physician affiliations with recommended MOUs.
    As the current contract expires on March 31, 2023, we look forward to working with MOH on this in the next few months and will consult further as needed. MOH will make the final decision, and we will keep members apprised of this work. Thank you to all the working group members who contributed to the development of the recommendations and for providing insights.

    Mandatory Vaccine Policies
    Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law, has provided more thoughts for employers on mandatory vaccine policies in the workplace. Members can see her comments here.

    Reminder: Governance Training with Charity Village
    We’d like to remind teams that AFHTO has undertaken a partnership with Charity Village to offer three different governance training programs that align with the expectations in teams’ governance attestation. Over 20 teams have already participated!  

    We encourage teams check out these programs if they feel they might benefit. Any questions can be directed to Bryn Hamilton.

    Improving Communication with and Between IHPs
    IHPs may have seen the QR code that was set up around the conference to sign up for IHP communication. This is where IHPs can share their name, profession, and work email to improve AFHTO’s outreach to IHPs, especially for participation in research, in showing the value of the work you do, and upcoming work around compensation advocacy.
     
    It has also been set up as a way for professions to communicate with one another and to create their own communities of practice to network and share best practices.
     
    We encourage all IHPs to provide their work email addresses so we can include you in relevant communications and so you can network with your colleagues across AFHTO’s member teams. If you can please share this information with the IHPs on your team and encourage them to sign up, we would greatly appreciate it.

     

    Finally, it was a pleasure seeing so many of you at the conference last month! The resources and recordings were emailed to attendees on October 19 and the Bright Lights Awards winners are posted. We also saw a great attendance of EDs at the session with Fernando Tavares from the Ministry of Health the day before the conference. If anyone was unable to attend and would like to listen to the recording, you can find it here.

    Enjoy the rest of the fall, and if you have any questions or comments, please contact us any time at info@afhto.ca.

    Yours in good health,
    AFHTO