Your Weekly News & Updates
| In This Issue | |
|
|
AFHTO’s 2022 Pre-Budget Submission
On February 10, AFHTO submitted our recommendations to the government for their 2022 budget. This was done in collaboration with our five partners in the Primary Care Collaborative.
Our recommendations are broken into four sections: 1) Address the HHR crisis and system capacity; 2) Integrate health care across Ontario; 3) Prioritize digital and data equity; and 4) Create a culturally safe healthcare system that addresses health inequities.
With primary care at the foundation, our submission lays out what is needed to help build a province where people can access better care, more integrated care, and more accessible and continuous care.
Our 2022 pre-budget submission can be read here.
Inequity in online OHIP renewal being addressed
AFHTO began advocacy for the online OHIP renewal system last fall after learning that only people with a driver’s license could renew their OHIP card online. Like others, we felt it was unfair to limit this ability, particularly when it most negatively impacts people with disabilities that may prevent them from driving and, as such, having a driver’s license. It’s a concern at any time, but especially with a fast-approaching OHIP renewal deadline during a pandemic.
AFHTO’s advocacy, along with partners, has paid off and the government announced on February 9 that they will be fixing the system to allow those with an Ontario Photo Card to renew online as well. To allow them needed time to fix this, they have extended the OHIP renewal deadline to September 30, 2022. Read more here!
FHT contract extension confirmed
FHT funding agreements were set to expire March 31, 2022. On Feb. 9 the Primary Health Care Branch sent the long-anticipated letters to teams confirming the extension of your current contracts to March 31, 2023. To minimise any potential disruption in funding, please return a signed copy as requested by March 15, 2022. Please contact your Ministry representative if you have any questions.
Our response regarding the impact of team-based care on ED visits
In the Jan/Feb Annals of Family Medicine journal Dr. Tara Kiran et al. showcased the Impact of Team-Based Care on Emergency Department Use which found adoption of team-based primary care may reduce emergency department use. See here for our response to the editors on this very important work.
Windsor-Essex OHT announced
Congratulations to Windsor-Essex OHT, whose 45 partners include members Amherstburg, Erie Shores, Harrow Health Centre, Windsor FHTs, and Essex County NPLC. Their focus will include ensuring underserved communities have equitable, culturally appropriate, and safe access to care. Read the news release here.
Updates re revoking Directive #2 and more
Recent updates include:
- Memo regarding revocation of Directive #2– CMOH, Feb. 10, 2022
- Memo re renewed focus on vaccination for children 5-12 – CMOH, Feb. 10, 2022
- Children’s vaccination toolkit – Fact Sheet EN and FR; Poster EN and FR– MOH, Feb. 10, 2022
- Parent Homework Social Media Toolkit – Children’s Health Coalition, Feb. 2022
- Public health ideologies explained– latest newsletter from infectious diseases specialist Dr. Andrew Morris
We continue to update several pages on our site with resources and news:
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates– the original page, with news and Ministry situation reports (please note that the Ministry Situation Reports on COVID-19 are posted daily so review them to better understand the provincial response)
- COVID-19 Vaccination Information
- COVID-19 assessment centres in Ontario
- COVID-19 information for Patients, Caregivers and the Public
- Infection control resources and tools for primary care
- Management and operations, human resources and COVID-19
- Mental health and wellness during COVID-19
- Providing Comprehensive Care During COVID-19
- Resources for Re-opening
- Virtual Care, Digital Health and COVID-19
Accessible Drive-to-Vaccines Program extended
Ontario Community Support Association has been administering the Accessible Drive-to-Vaccines Program since June 2021, which is a Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility funded initiative that provides rides to COVID-19 vaccines for people with disabilities and seniors with mobility issues. The program was originally set to conclude in December 2021, but was extended to accommodate further transportation to booster shots, etc. The Ministry has announced that the program has been extended to March 31, 2022. Visit their site for more information.
Advance care planning guides on sale
National Advance Care Planning Day is on Saturday, April 16, and Hospice Palliative Care Ontario has a resource, Guide to Advance Care Planning in Ontario, to encourage important conversations. From now until March 31 at 4 p.m. all orders placed for full boxes will be provided with a discount of 10% off. Order the guide in English, French, Punjabi, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, or Tagalog. Please email your completed order form to Nav.Dhillon@hpco.ca.
The Omicron Aftermath: Post-acute COVID and Physician Wellness, Feb. 18, 2022
39th in the series ‘Changing the way we work’ – COVID CoP for Family Physicians, hosted by OCFP. Register here.
Segmenting your OHT population: Stories from the Field Part 3, Feb. 22, 2022
The next HSPN OHT evaluation webinar. Register here.
OMD Educates: Targeting Patient Populations in Primary Care – A Practical Approach, Feb. 23, 2022
Presented by Dr. Anil Maheshwari, Dr. Lee Donohue, and Dr. Vineet Nair, OMD Physician Peer Leaders with support from OMD Practice Enhancement Consultants.
Register here.
Five Recommendations for Using Labs Wisely During Global Blood Tube and Other Resource Shortages, Feb. 24, 2022
COVID-19 has put an extraordinary strain on laboratory medicine in Canada due to critical shortages in blood tubes, devices, and lab staffing. Join Choosing Wisely Talks for a discussion on the need to conserve tubes and other critical lab resources. Register here.
MyPractice: Primary Care Report: Using Data for Improvement, Feb. 28, 2022
Hosted by Ontario Health. Register here.
Supporting caregiver well-being within Ontario Health Teams: Building caregiver resilience and reducing the risk of caregiver burnout, Mar. 2, 2022
Hosted by Ontario Caregiver Organization. Register here
Leave a Reply