Ultimate Blogging Championship

Tag: social determinants of health

  • Bits & Pieces: virtual funding opps, aggregate report update, and more

    Bits & Pieces: virtual funding opps, aggregate report update, and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Virtual funding opportunities for primary care, Sep. 16
    • Expanding your differential diagnosis, Oct. 14
    • 3rd dose referral and guidance
    • Update on COVaxON Aggregate Primary Care Vaccination Report
    • Reminder – Pandemic PPE Transitional Supports (PPTS)
    • Keeping our kids safe at school, new IPAC guidance, and more
    • New telementoring program for health-care providers in occupational medicine
    • PSHSA workplace violence toolkits: work refusal and emergency response to workplace violence (code white)
    • Opportunity to bring Early Words program to your team – at no cost
    • Upcoming events regarding COVID-19 malnutrition and more

    Virtual funding opportunities for primary care, Sep. 16
    Co-hosted with Ontario Health, this webinar will provide information and answer questions about FY2021-22 digital and virtual care provincial funding opportunities for Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) and In Development Team, including support for online appointment booking and virtual primary care projects.
    Find out more and register here.

    Expanding your differential diagnosis, Oct. 14
    Co-hosted with ECHO Ontario at UHN, this presentation provides an overarching schema of rheumatic diseases, with a focus on types and patterns of articular involvement, and extraarticular and serologic correlates. By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to apply this schema when approaching common rheumatic disease presentations.
    Find out more and register here.

    3rd dose referral and guidance

    Since Ontario announced third doses of COVID-19 vaccine for some populations, the Ministry has prepared a draft sample letter that physicians and nurse practitioners may wish to use to provide their patients with the necessary referral and attestation in the cases where the patient’s own primary care provider/specialist are not administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Your local public health unit may also have additional forms/information so please also check with them too.

    The updated guidance on third does for special populations can be found in this link.

    Update on COVaxON Aggregate Primary Care Vaccination Report

    Please find attached a memo from Ontario Health highlighting two important changes that have made to the COVaxON Aggregate Primary Care Vaccination Report:

    • The full list of rostered patients (everyone born in 2009 and older) will be available to PEM primary care providers not just those who received one or two doses; and
    • The refresh cycle is moving from monthly to weekly to provide data in a timelier manner.

    Reminder – Pandemic PPE Transitional Supports (PPTS)

    Just a reminder about the availability of PPE for Primary Care Providers and Interprofessional Primary Care Teams from the provincial stockpile. As part of the Pandemic PPE Transitional Support (PPTS)  for Primary Care Providers, Specialists (Community-based Physician Specialists), Community Health Service Providers, and Indigenous Communities and Health Service Providers, it is imperative to follow the steps in the ‘How-To Complete Remedy Form’ document before submitting a request. For more detailed instructions on how-to complete the Remedy Intake Form, please reference the ‘Detailed How-To’ document. For additional information related to the transitional support, please reference the ‘FAQ’ document.

    Please note the below attestation, which is at the bottom of the “General” section of the intake form, does not apply to the Pandemic PPE Transitional Support. Primary care providers, specialists (community-based physician specialists), community health service providers, and Indigenous communities and health service providers are asked to please select this box to continue with the intake process.

    ☐   By selecting this box, your organization confirms it still has a supply shortage of under 14 days of stock despite following Steps 1-3* and requires PPE from the pandemic stockpile to continue providing services. Additionally, I have verified or will verify and confirm that any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) I receive from Ontario Health will remain in Ontario, and will be used for direct patient care. Further, the PPE received will not be resold or redistributed without the express written consent of Ontario Health.
     
    The ministry provides guidance on the use of PPE that can be found on the Ministry of Health (MOH) COVID-19 website and in the Guidance for Primary Care Providers in a Community Setting.

    Keeping our kids safe at school, new IPAC guidance, and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Someone whose hands and torso are visible sits in front of an open laptop with stehoscopre beside it and a clipboard with pen in front of it

    New telementoring program for health-care providers in occupational medicine

    Primary health-care providers in Ontario are invited to join ECHO Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ECHO OEM). The new program will increase provider capacity to recognize occupational and environmental exposures, and support patients in recovery and return to work. Over 12 weekly, 1.5-hour sessions, an interprofessional team of specialists will guide and mentor providers as they discuss patient cases and pertinent topics in OEM. Health-care providers will also gain CME credits, confidence in providing comprehensive care for their patients, and a new community of practice.  

    The ECHO OEM sessions run on Fridays from September 17 to December 3, 2021. Learn more and register here.

    PSHSA workplace violence toolkits: work refusal and emergency response to workplace violence (code white)
    PSHSA’s Violence, Aggression and Responsive Behaviours (VARB) toolkits were developed in partnership with healthcare and labour stakeholders to support healthcare workplaces in reducing and preventing the risk of workplace violence.

    Two new toolkits are now available on Work Refusals and Emergency Response (Code White). These join their five initial toolkits on Workplace Violence Risk Assessment, Individual Client Risk Assessment, Risk Communication/Flagging, Security and Personal Safety Response System.

    Opportunity to bring Early Words program to your team – at no cost
    Early Words, the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation’s literacy program is expanding and accepting expressions of interest from clinics and hospitals.

    The program launched in Iqaluit in 2020 and is now operating in 12 clinics in Nunavut, as well as two clinics in Winnipeg. They provide free books, training, and resources to support healthcare professionals integrate early literacy into their practice.

    They’re seeking Expressions of Interest from healthcare clinics and hospitals whose patient population includes children aged five and under experiencing barriers to literacy – such as families with low literacy, limited access to programs and resources, and low socioeconomic status. They provide access to books and resources to help professionals counsel families on early literacy.

    For more information, you can visit their site or register for the September 14 info session.

    The deadline to apply for the Expression of Interest is October 1 at midnight local time. If you have any questions, you can contact Zoe Keefer at zkeefer@childrensliteracy.ca.

    COVID-19 malnutrition – how to identify and treat in team-based primary care, Sep. 20, 2021

    Gain a greater awareness of prevalence of malnutrition in primary care and the impact of undiagnosed malnutrition on quality of life, health outcomes and health care dollars. Find out more and register here.

    NPAO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference, Sep. 23-24, 2021
    This years’ Conference theme is Nurse Practitioner: Innovative Influencers of Health and Wellness. Find out more and register here.

    OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Sep. 30, 2021
    This virtual day will focus on leveraging digital health and virtual care tools to complement the in-person delivery of patient care. Register here.

    Promoting Resiliency in Children, Youth, and Families in Primary Care, Sep. 30, 2021

    ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health Special Interest ECHO Session. Register here.

    Tapering and Stopping Opioids, Oct. 19, 2021
    Co-hosted with ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain and Opioid Stewardship (UHN). Register here.

    AFHTO 2021 Conference, Oct. 27-28, 2021
    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild. Members get a significant discount on the registration fee. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: last chance for Bright Lights, member stories and more

    Bits & Pieces: last chance for Bright Lights, member stories and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 27
    • Member stories
    • Memo re unused doses, tracking COVID-19 through race-based data and more
    • Call for the government to implement vaccine certificates
    • ECHO Ontario Autism registration open
    • Upcoming events regarding election strategy and more

    Bright Lights nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 27

    Don’t wait until the last minute to shine a light on your team’s achievements. You can nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award even if:

    1. You’re a small, rural, or Northern team- we have an award dedicated to you.
    2. Your team has already won a Bright Lights Award- you just need to nominate a new program or individual
    3. You’re not sure if it’s eligible- just ask! Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x1200. We’re here to help!

    Two awards also have education grants! The deadline is this Friday, August 27, 2021. Find out more here.

    Health For All c19-vaccines Mar-Jul 2021

     

     

     

    Member stories

    Health For All FHT– COVID-19 vaccines March- July 2021 infographic

    North York FHT- ‘Getting to the last 20 per cent is challenging.’ Why a mobile health team is bringing COVID-19 vaccines to the hidden unvaccinated

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Memo re unused doses, tracking COVID-19 through race-based data and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Call for the government to implement vaccine certificates

    The Alliance for Healthier Communities, the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, and the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association strongly encourage all Ontarians to protect themselves and others against COVID-19 by getting the vaccine and call on the government to implement vaccine certificates. Read the full news release here.

    ECHO Ontario Autism registration open

    The ECHO Autism program, at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, is now registering paediatricans, family physicians and nurse practitioners for their September 2021 to June 2022 sessions. Funded by the Ministry of Health, this free online program provides training that will help screen, diagnose, and manage children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MOC credits awarded.

    Other health team members, including occupational therapists and psychologists, are also welcome to attend sessions as observers. For more information, visit their site or email Salina Eldon seldon@hollandbloorview.ca.

    Member Consultation Forum on Election Strategy, Sep. 15, 2021

    The 2022 provincial election is fast approaching, and we need to hear from you! Register here.

    The Canadian/Global COVID-19 Policy Response, Sep. 1, 2021
    Lung Health Foundation & McMaster’s Global Nexus Policy Forum, moderated by Heather Bakken, Deputy Publisher and VP, Business Development, iPolitics.ca Register here.

    COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care Connecting Call, Sep. 8, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health, the webinar will cover some thoughts on the QI evaluation to date, review any new or emerging evidence and discuss the groups needs moving forward. Find out more here.

    ECHO Care of the Elderly (COE): Community series, Sep. 15- Dec. 15, 2021
    Hosted by Baycrest Health Sciences, in partnership with North East Specialized Geriatric Centre. Apply here.

    ECHO UHN FALL Programs, starting Sep. 2, 2021
    Multiple weekly series include Chronic Pain & Opioid Stewardship, Rheumatology, Liver, Concussion and Managing COVID-19. Register here

    Mood Disorders: Comprehensive and Realistic Strategies for Primary Care, Sep. 13 and 17
    Hosted by OCFP. Register here.

  • Bits & Pieces: election consultation, last chance for board award and more

    Bits & Pieces: election consultation, last chance for board award and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • It’s election time! Please register for AFHTO’s member consultation forum
    • Board Award nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 20
    • Ontario makes COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory for high-risk settings and more
    • Federal Holiday on September 30, 2021 – Does NOT impact health care and other provincial employers
    • Seeking family physicians’ input regarding routine screening of patients for poverty
    • Upcoming events regarding caregivers, COVID-19 CoP and more

    It’s election time! Please register for AFHTO’s member consultation forum

    The 2022 provincial election is fast approaching, and we need to hear from you! We’re asking all members in all professions to join our member consultation forum with our government relations firm, Enterprise Canada, on Wednesday, September 15, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM.

    Enterprise will present the election material they’ve drafted, and then we’d like your input. Is the proposed messaging effective? What would you change? What tools do you need for successful local advocacy that we may be missing?

    Please register here to receive your individual join info.

    We ask leaders to circulate this important invitation across your teams.

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

    Board Award nomination deadline this Friday, Aug. 20

    Bright Lights logo

    For the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award. Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    And don’t forget to shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by August 27, 2021. Find out more here.

    Ontario makes COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory for high-risk settings and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Federal Holiday on September 30, 2021 – Does NOT impact health care and other provincial employers

    Per Maria McDonald, McDonald HR Law regarding the new Sep. 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

    “The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is ONLY for FEDERAL workplaces, such as banks, Canada Post, Federal public servants, etc.

    It is NOT a holiday for provincial employees, such as those working in healthcare.

    Here’s a tip to determine if you are federal employer or not. If you are governed by the Ontario Employment Standards Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code, or the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act; then you are NOT a federal employer and the September 30, 2021 holiday does NOT apply to your workplace.”

    Seeking family physicians’ input regarding routine screening of patients for poverty

    Queen’s University researchers are conducting an online survey study titled, ‘Identifying barriers and facilitators for family physicians in Ontario around routine screening of patients for poverty’.

    Poverty has been recognized as a risk factor for many health conditions, and family physicians may be well-positioned to identify poverty among their patients. They are seeking participants who are licensed family physicians currently involved in or previously have been involved in office-based primary care in Ontario.  

    Participation in the study involves completing a 15-minute online anonymous survey; participants can be entered into a draw for a $100 gift card, as a token of appreciation. For more information, please contact Ashvini Yogarajah at ashvini.yogarajah@queensu.ca or Dr. Amrita Roy at amrita.roy@queensu.ca.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Caregivers And Puppets: The Perfect Pair, Aug. 19, 2021
    Hosted by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Find out more here.

    COVID-19 CoP- OCFP, Aug. 20, 2021
    “The vaccine, virus and in-person visits as we head into Fall”. Register here.

    Health Law: A primer for family caregivers in the mental health and addictions sector, Aug. 26, 2021
    Hosted by the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Find out more here.

    ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health, starting Sep. 7, 2021
    Limited spots available. The next cycle begins on September 7, 2021.  These weekly sessions take place via Zoom from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST every Tuesday for 24 weeks. Register here.

    COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care Connecting Call, Sep. 8, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health, the webinar will cover some thoughts on the QI evaluation to date, review any new or emerging evidence and discuss the groups needs moving forward. Find out more here.

  • Bits & Pieces: tapering opioids, Bright Lights and more

    Bits & Pieces: tapering opioids, Bright Lights and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Tapering and stopping opioids, Oct. 19
    • AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – nominations now open
    • Updates on aggregate primary care vaccination reports and more
    • Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) changes
    • Seeking input from healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice  
    • Upcoming events regarding asthma and more

    Tapering and stopping opioids, Oct. 19

    Cohosted with ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain and Opioid Stewardship (UHN).

    There is evidence that chronic opioid therapy has a negative impact on patients’ quality of life and increasing the risk of serious complications like opioid use disorder, unintentional overdose, and death.

    Tapering opioids can be challenging to the prescriber and to the patient, and there is not a lot of guidance on how to do it safely, comfortably, and effectively. In this webinar, Dr. Furlan will summarize the 10 years of experience of the pain clinic at Toronto Rehab UHN where she works with an interprofessional team to help patients come off long term opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain. Find out more and register here.

    AFHTO Bright Lights Awards – nominations now open

    Bright Lights logo

    Shine a light on your team’s achievements. Nominate an outstanding team or individual for a “Bright Lights” Award by August 27, 2021. Five awards will be presented this year:

    1. Demonstrating a community response to COVID-19
    2. Small, rural, and Northern teams that have taken care of their communities during COVID-19
    3. Local-level research
    4. Reducing unnecessary care *
    5. Integrated care for older adults living with complex health conditions**

    * Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Choosing Wisely Canada.
     
    ** Education grant will be given to the award recipient in this category above thanks to the generous donations of our sponsor Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario.

    Find out more here.

    And don’t forget- for the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award. Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    Updates on aggregate primary care vaccination reports and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) changes

    The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has revised the Disability Determination Package (DDP) for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) applicants and developed a new Medical Review Package (MRP) Self Report for recipients.

    The objective is to improve the ODSP adjudication process by introducing updated forms which will be easier for health care professionals (HCPs) and ODSP applicants and recipients to complete. Relevant documents include:

    Seeking input from healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice 

    Laval University researchers would like to assess training and education among Canadian healthcare professionals who provide nutrition information and advice in their clinical practice.
     
    Participants are asked to complete a short online survey of 14 questions, which takes about 10 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed here. Anyone who chooses to participate can provide their email address at the end of the survey (optional), for a chance to win one of three $50 grocery store gift cards. If you have any questions/concerns, please email justine.horne.1@ulaval.ca.

    OHT Virtual Engagement Series: collaborative Quality Improvement Plans, Aug. 11, 2021

    Hosted by the Ministry and Ontario health, this Information Session will be focused on the development and planning of collaborative Quality Improvement Plans (cQIPs). Find out more.

    Applying the Ontario Health Asthma Quality Standards for Children and Adolescents in your practice, August 12, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    NPAO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference, Sep. 23-24, 2021
    This years’ Conference theme is Nurse Practitioner: Innovative Influencers of Health and Wellness. Find out more.

    OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Sep. 30, 2021
    This virtual day will focus on leveraging digital health and virtual care tools to complement the in-person delivery of patient care. Find out more here.

  • Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

    Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

     

    Primary Care Collaborative logos

     

    To: Hon. Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health
    Hon. Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General

    Cc: Hon. Greg Rickford, Minister, Indigenous Affairs
    Matthew Anderson, CEO, Ontario Health
    Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ministry of Health
    Helen Angus, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health

    Re: Need for Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and Education for all public servants

    August 3, 2021

    Dear Deputy Premier Elliott and Minister Jones,

    The leaders representing the Ontario Primary Care Collaborative across the province write to you today urgently about the ongoing crisis facing Indigenous people and communities due to systemic racism and trauma rooted in colonization. Throughout the pandemic, the challenges of COVID-19 have intersected with other public health challenges and emergencies and we’ve seen that racism can create and maintain barriers – to vaccinations, to people getting the services and care they need, and to healing. The impacts of racism, intolerance and lack of understanding contribute to ongoing trauma experienced by Indigenous people and communities.

    Deputy Premier and Minister, we all know systemic racism is itself an emergency that impacts health. It’s why we’ve seen governments at all levels talking the talk on addressing anti-Indigenous racism in the last several months, particularly as Canada has started to reckon with the full truth and ongoing trauma of residential schools. Walking the walk of addressing anti-Indigenous racism requires bold leadership and courage, however, and taking practical steps with foundational policy shifts that can truly change the systems, organizational structures, cultures and actions that perpetuate and sustain systemic racism against Indigenous people and communities.

    We need to work together to create truly safe spaces (physical and virtual), environments, and the ability for Indigenous people to interact with Ontario’s systems with a reduced risk of racism and violence, and to increase access to health and social care and services across the board. To do it, Ontario needs to mandate and fund Indigenous cultural safety training for all decision-makers and all branches of government whose services and programs interact with and serve Indigenous communities. We need meaningful training opportunities that are created and led by Indigenous people and communities, and which broker the conversations and connections needed to create conditions for healing, safe spaces and active reconciliation. It is also essential – while we support behavioural changes for individuals through Indigenous cultural safety training opportunities – that we also simultaneously work to create change at organizational levels, so the health system not only supports, but encourages and fosters change of practices and policies.

    The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) is in the process of modernizing a made in Ontario Indigenous Cultural Safety approach to health care that will aim for individual behavioural change through Foundational ICS, but which will also work to support organizations within the health system on their journey towards creating culturally safe spaces through implementation of culturally appropriate policies, procedures and practices. The IPHCC Indigenous Cultural Safety approach is focused on supporting Indigenous Health transformation as part of the overall health and social service systems transformation underway in Ontario. We are strongly recommending that you learn more about this program and make this available to your staff.

    By now, we are all acquainted with the stories of Joyce Echaquan, Brian Sinclair, and many others, which speak to the worst-case scenario of racism seen in Canada’s health systems. At that higher level, we also see through occurrences with the recent evacuation efforts in Northern Ontario and reported living conditions that the need for Indigenous cultural safety is as great as ever. Ontario has the capacity to improve how all of the province engages with Indigenous leaders, organizations and populations when action and coordination are needed to help people. We can and must do better, and we know you agree we can.

    Changing minds, hearts and attitudes long term is what many governments have professed to in the wake of the discovery of mass and unmarked graves across Canada. We believe the Ontario government has an opportunity to lead with concrete actions that will truly change behaviours and make an impact with safer, fairer and more just spaces, services and organizations serving Indigenous peoples. Together, we can make a tangible impact in addressing systemic anti-Indigenous racism and showing others the path forward, but we need your support to do it.

    We look forward to hearing from you very soon, and we’re available to meet or answer any questions you might have on next steps.

    Sincerely,
    Leanne Clarke, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians
    Katie Hogue, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association
    Sarah Hobbs, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities
    Caroline Lidstone-Jones, CEO, Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
    Kavita Mehta, CEO, Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario
    Allie Kinnaird, Executive Director, Ontario Medical Association, Section on General & Family Practice

    See the pdf version here.

  • Bits & Pieces: youth grants, updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Bits & Pieces: youth grants, updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • Youth Opportunities Fund- applications open
    • LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!
    • Updated primary care guidance, back to school and more
    • Call for interest- BORN’s Health Equity Advisory Group
    • Free furniture donation – Ottawa
    • Upcoming events regarding collaborative Quality Improvement Plans and more

     

    Youth Opportunities Fund- applications open

    AFHTO members and their partners may be eligible to apply for the Systems Innovation Stream of Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Youth Opportunities Fund, a grant worth up to $250,000 per year for  2 to 6 years.

    • The System Innovations Stream supports collaboratives that are strengthening the quality and responsiveness of systems so they work better for youth facing systemic barriers.
    • Organization Registration Deadline: September 1, 2021
    • Grant Application Deadline: September 29, 2021
    • Information Sessions: August 12 and 17, 2021

    Shocked emoji- top of head exploding

     

     

    LAST DAY to submit a poster abstract!

    Today is the deadline! Submit your poster abstract by 5:00 pm!

    Email info@afhto.ca or call 647-234-8605 x1200 if you have any questions. We’re here to help.

     

     

     

    Updated primary care guidance, back to school and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    Call for interest- BORN’s Health Equity Advisory Group

    Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario is looking for members of equity-seeking groups with lived experience to join their Health Equity Advisory Group (HEAG). “Equity-seeking groups are communities that face significant collective challenges in participating in society. This marginalization can be created by attitudinal, historic, social, institutional, and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender status, etc.”
     
    The group will provide guidance and recommendations to BORN with a lens on equity. If you have questions about HEAG or this application process, please email Meron Berhe, Health Equity Advisory Group Chair at equity@bornontario.ca. Deadline August 18, 2021.

    Free furniture donation – Ottawa

    Any teams in the Ottawa area looking for free furniture and equipment donations from corporations to improve your office and working spaces? You can join Green Standards’ Charitable Network to receive notifications when furniture and equipment becomes available near you.

    How to Speak with Loved Ones About Getting Vaccinated, Aug. 4, 2021

    Join Dr. Danyaal Raza, Rexdale Vaccine Ambassador Terrence Rodriguez, and Behavioural Neuroscientist Olga Rodríguez-Sierra on having conversations with vaccine hesitant community members. Sign up here.

    OHT Virtual Engagement Series: collaborative Quality Improvement Plans, Aug. 11, 2021

    Hosted by the Ministry and Ontario health, this Information Session will be focused on the development and planning of collaborative Quality Improvement Plans (cQIPs). Find out more.

    Applying the Ontario Health Asthma Quality Standards for Children and Adolescents in your practice, August 12, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    Pandemic Recovery and Chronic Disease Management: Primary Care for Adults with Asthma, August 19, 2021
    Hosted by Ontario Health and the Lung Health Foundation. Find out more here.

    NPAO 2021 Virtual Annual Conference, Sep. 23-24, 2021
    This years’ Conference theme is Nurse Practitioner: Innovative Influencers of Health and Wellness. Find out more.

    OMD Digital Health and Virtual Care Day, Sep. 30, 2021
    This virtual day will focus on leveraging digital health and virtual care tools to complement the in-person delivery of patient care. Find out more here.

  • LESS THAN A WEEK to submit a poster abstract

    LESS THAN A WEEK to submit a poster abstract

    Post-Pandemic Primary Care: Respond, Recover, Rebuild

    Submit your poster abstract- deadline August 3, 2021

    Scrabble pieces spelling 'equity'

    We want your insight on these topics:

    -Building sustainable programs for improved access

    -Navigating complex systems to lead effectively

    -Picking the right partners and integrating care around the patient

    -Innovations in digital health, especially for rural and remote communities

    -How to address challenges at the policy and system level

    -Digital equity

    -Indigenous health and creating care that is culturally safe

    -Treating the whole person in the context of their lived experience

    Colleagues from other health care sectors, non-profits, and the academic community will join, all eager to hear about these and more in our 5 core themes. The deadline to submit for an #AFHTO2021 presentation is August 3, 2021.

    Helpful links:

    All are welcome. Please pass this along to your peers, colleagues and network including those from other healthcare sectors, non-profits, and the academic and research communities.

    Nominate a partner for a Board award

    For the first time ever, the AFHTO board invites all members to help them select the recipient of a Board award.

    Submit a nomination online for the Board Award category by August 20, 2021.

    Find out more about the criteria here. You can find the nomination template here.

    Other related updates: We’re currently in discussions with potential sponsors for AFHTO’s “Bright Lights” Awards, which recognize AFHTO members’ leadership, outstanding work and the significant progress being made to improve the value interprofessional primary care teams across Ontario deliver. Nominations will open soon, but members can get started by taking these things into consideration.

    For more information, you can contact us by phone (647-234-8605 x1200) or e-mail (info@afhto.ca).

  • 2021 Conference Themes

    2021 Conference Themes

    Tectonic shifts: rebuilding primary care in a new world
    (more…)

  • Bits & Pieces: PTSD, relationships & accessible supports, farewell to Rachel and more

    Bits & Pieces: PTSD, relationships & accessible supports, farewell to Rachel and more

    Your Weekly News & Updates

    In This Issue  
    • PTSD, Relationships & Accessible Support, July 14
    • Farewell to Rachel So
    • Attn: Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology and GeriMedRisk only available live
    • Call for applications to Indigenous and expanded midwifery programs
    • Member stories
    • Q&A for mixed COVID-19 mRNA vaccine schedules and more
    • COVID@Home: winding down of distribution pathways for oxygen saturation monitors
    • Mental health of northern Ontario nurses working during COVID-19 study
    • Upcoming events regarding providing care to 2SLGBTQ persons and more

    PTSD, Relationships & Accessible Support, July 14

    Co-hosted with Couple HOPES, join this webinar with Dr. Candice Monson, Professor of Psychology at Ryerson University, Director of the IMPACT psychology research lab, and Registered Clinical Psychologist as she discusses posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and relationships.

    During this webinar, you will learn about:

    • PTSD and its symptoms;
    • how PTSD impacts relationships;
    • and how relationships impact PTSD.

    Register here.

    Rachel So headshot

    Farewell to Rachel So

    It is with genuinely mixed feelings we announce that Rachel So will be leaving AFHTO for a new role in the non-profit sector.

    Rachel has been with AFHTO for nearly three years, starting first as our conference assistant before becoming our Programs & Operations Coordinator, so many have you had the pleasure of working with her over the last few years.

    We’re going to miss Rachel but know she will bring so much to her new team. Please join us in giving her our sincerest best wishes. Her last day with AFHTO will be Friday, June 25th – any questions related to her work can be directed to info@afhto.ca.

     

    GeriMedrisk title slide

    Attn: Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology and GeriMedRisk only available live

    In Geriatric Clinical Pharmacology and GeriMedRisk: drug safety for older adults beyond “Start Low, Go Slow” on June 24, Dr. Ho will review the pharmacology of aging and its impact on adverse drug events among seniors. We’ll also explore tools and services for primary care providers to use to optimize drug safety. Unlike most of our webinars, this will NOT be recorded, and slides will NOT be available afterwards. So register today.

    Call for applications to Indigenous and expanded midwifery programs

    The Ministry of Health is inviting applications for two programs with a special focus on improving access, choice, and care that is responsive to the needs of the community. These are:

    • Indigenous Midwifery Programs (IMP)- one of these models works within Interprofessional Primary Health Care Teams
    • Expanded Midwifery Care Models (EMCM)- could include, but are not limited to, interprofessional primary care teams in areas of demonstrated need.

    The Primary Health Care Branch is hosting a webinar about this initiative on June 28, 2021. To participate, please send an email to midwifery@ontario.ca by Friday, June 25, 2021, noting contact information for interested participants and the ministry will reach out to those individuals with the webinar details. The Indigenous midwifery team at the AOM is also offering a webinar on Wednesday, July 14 12:00pm-1:30pm. Get more information here.

    Member stories
    Markham FHT – our president and chair Dr. Allan Grill on CTV on protecting immunocompromised individuals and vaccine interchangeability

    Municipality of Assiginack FHT– Gwekwaadziwin Miikan success leads to new pilot project for adults over 30

    Norfolk FHT – wins Transformative Change Award with Grand River CHC for providing primary and COVID-19 support to seasonal agricultural workers.

    Q&A for mixed COVID-19 mRNA vaccine schedules and more

    Recent updates include:

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

    COVID@Home: winding down of distribution pathways for oxygen saturation monitors

    The COVID@Home initiative was designed to help primary care providers to remotely monitor patients who have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms in the community. As the third wave of the pandemic subsides and health care capacity constraints gradually abate, Ontario Health will begin to wind down the distribution program for oxygen saturation monitors. Primary care professionals and teams who are still in need of oxygen saturation monitors should place orders by June 30th. Find out more here. 

    Mental health of northern Ontario nurses working during COVID-19 studyResearchers from Laurentian University’s Centre of Research in Occupational Health and Safety (CROSH) and the Public Services Health & Safety Association are conducting a study to explore the mental health of Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) in northern Ontario working during the COVID-19 global pandemic. This study aims to understand the perspective and experiences of nurses, their support needs to cope with the COVID-19 crisis, and its consequences. For more information visit their site.

    COVID@Home Community of Practice, June 23, 2021

    Learn how to monitor your COVID-19 patients in the community through this CoP.
    Learn more here.

    Providing Care to 2SLGBTQ Persons, June 24, 2021

    Discuss cultural safety and humility, clinical competencies, and interdisciplinary care for cisgender and transgender patients with speakers with the Ontario Caregiver Organization.
    Register here.

    OHT Learnings through COVID-19, June 28, 2021

    The Ministry of Health (ministry) and Ontario Health are hosting the third OHT Virtual Engagement Series webinar Register here.

    Primary Care Vaccination QI Support CoP, June 17 & July 8, 2021
    Join PCPs, EDs & clinical managers from AFHTO, AHC & NPLCA to share learnings, tools and strategies to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario.
    Find out more here.

  • AFHTO Statement on Racism and Hate

    AFHTO Statement on Racism and Hate

    AFHTO logo- full

     

    We want to start by expressing our grief and sorrow about the tragic and horrifying events of the last few weeks, recognizing that racism and hate has been part of Canada since its inception.

    We mourn the discovery of the mass grave at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The profound loss of 215 young lives, some as young as three years old, will have long lasting impact on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc community and all other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. It will remain a reminder to all Canadians of our nation’s shameful history of residential schools and colonialism.

    To all who may have been shocked by this discovery, it’s important to remember Indigenous communities have long said there are thousands who never made it home. We must listen to marginalised communities when they speak of their pain rather than instinctively shy away because it’s hard to hear or goes against what we’d like to believe about our country.

    We support the calls to the Government of Canada to implement the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and to prioritize the search of all residential schools across the country so that all Indigenous children can be brought home. They Came for the Children is a powerful but painful story of Canadian colonialism, but it is important for all of us to read to better understand the legacy of residential schools and to participate in the work needed for reconciliation.

    We are grateful for the wisdom and support of our primary care partner, the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC), who we work with to amplify the need to confront our own biases with respect to anti-Indigenous discrimination.

    AFHTO looks forward to continuing to learn about the Indigenous Cultural Safety Program through the IPHCC, which improves Indigenous healthcare experiences and outcomes by increasing respect and understanding of the unique history and current realities of Indigenous populations. We encourage others to do so as well.

    The racism that is so prevalent in this country continued earlier this week with the deliberate, hate-filled murder of a Muslim family in London, Ontario. We grieve and are saddened by the tragic loss of four lives of people targeted because of their faith. We will forever hold in our hearts the young 9-year-old boy who has lost his family.  

    We stand in solidarity with our Muslim communities. We will work to ensure that our governments and political leaders are held accountable for their words and actions to counter hate and racism. We urge our primary care colleagues to uphold human rights, to acknowledge our collective responsibility as individuals to stand in solidarity with members of our Muslim communities, and to combat all forms of discrimination.

    On May 26, 2021, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Professor of Global Health at the University of Toronto, wrote an op ed piece entitled Why hatred should be considered a contagious disease. He notes that ‘‘Hatred can be conceptualized as an infectious disease, a determinant of health and a public health issue spreading violence, fear and ignorance” and “Hatred is a public health issue because it often engenders widespread physical, psychological or political violence.” In the conclusion, he notes that the global community, including the medical community, needs to recognize that hatred is a public health issue, and it is up to all of us to “address the root causes through promotion, education and awareness.”

    Like many of you, AFHTO is on its own Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) journey to address the inequities and built-in racism that exists in our health and social systems. Together with our allies, we will continue to listen, learn, grow, and do better. We look forward to this journey with our partners, our members, and our communities.