December 2023 Newsletter

December Newsletter Highlights

  • Health811

  • Declaration of State of Emergency - Primary Care

  • Online Appointment Booking (OAB) Funding

  • ETHP Digital Equity Community Survey

  • MGH Hip & Knee Arthritis Rapid Access Clinic

  • Thanks Dr. Jeff Powis for a successful Open Forum

  • Toronto Community Hep C Program and SCOPE

  • Community and Specialist Resources

    • Toronto Grace Health Center - Outpatient Respirology Clinic

  • Practice Supports and Patient Resources

Health 811

  • Health811 is a free, secure and confidential service Ontarians can access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to receive health advice from a registered nurse, locate local health services and find trusted health information. Ontarians can call 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007), chat online or access resources online at ontario.ca/health811.

  • Health811 can also help Ontarians to find a family doctor or nurse practitioner accepting new patients, offer support to quit smoking and/or a referral for vaping cessation services, nutrition counselling by a registered dietitian, breastfeeding assistance, colorectal cancer screening, and refugee health supports all continue to operate.

  • More information can be found [here]

Declaration of State of Emergency - Primary Care

  • Canada faces a crisis in access to primary care and this is predicted to worsen over the coming decade.

  • We call on provincial/territorial governments and the federal government to declare a state of emergency in access to primary care.

  • Read and sign the declaration here. Deadline for signatures is December 20, 2023.

Online Appointment Booking (OAB) Funding

  • MOH has approved funding until March 2024 to help primary care practices adopt OAB; providers who have never implemented OAB licenses are eligible for funding.

  • OAB solutions are designed to reduce the administrative workload around appointment bookings, by enabling patients to electronically book appointments with their family doctors and nurse practitioners and receive automated confirmations and reminders.

  • Click here for more information and to apply; please email Peter.Gong@tehn.ca for any questions.

ETHP Digital Equity Community Survey

  • The East Toronto Health Partners (ETHP) is collecting patient/caregiver feedback on how to improve online healthcare services in East Toronto.

  • We are looking for your help distributing the survey in the community, by posting this flyer in common waiting areas or places where your patients/caregivers are likely to have time to complete the survey.

  • Please encourage patient-facing staff to share with patients as well when possible.

Now on OCEAN eReferral - MGH Hip & Knee Arthritis Rapid Access Clinic (RAC)

  • RAC Hip & Knee at MGH provides patients with hip and knee arthritis timely access to assessment services, education, referral to self-management programs and other treatment programs, as well as consultation with an orthopedic surgeon as needed.

  • Access RAC through Ocean eReferral (searchable by keywords: "Hip and Knee").

Thanks Dr. Powis for the Open Forum!

  • The Primary Care Open Forum with Dr. Jeff Powis on November 22, 2023 has yielded great discussion regarding COVID-19 and Hepatitis C.

  • If you missed the open forum, the link to the recording can be found [here].

  • The presentation slides, summary note and a compilation of the Q&A can be found [here].

Toronto Community Hep C Program (TCHCP) Partnered with SCOPE in East Toronto

  • The TCHCP is a community-based collaborative care model that provides HCV support, education, testing and treatment to individuals living with or at risk of acquiring Hepatitis C infection. 

  • For easy access to the Hep C program, you can now refer your patients through SCOPE. Please dial the SCOPE number, press 5 for MGH and 6 for the Hep C program. 

  • If you are not registered with SCOPE, please register [here].

Community and Specialists Resources

  • Toronto Grace Health Centre - Outpatient Respirology Clinic is now accepting general Respirology referrals with a broad focus and expertise in airways disease (asthma, COPD, cough) and rehabilitation. 

  • The clinic endeavors to see new referrals within 2-4 weeks and provides same day consultation notes. The clinic is also accepting PFT requests which can be accommodated in 1-2 weeks. 

  • The clinic offers a unique virtual pulmonary rehabilitation program for any patient with pulmonary disease and ongoing dyspnea despite optimized pharmacotherapy.

  • More information about our respiratory services can be found [here].

  • To send a referral: for the pulmonary rehabilitation program please use the referral form [here]; for Respiratory consultation or PFT, please use the referral form [here].

Practice Supports and Patient Resources

  • Become an EasT-FPN member to receive clinical and practice support, and opportunities to engage with the East Toronto community. Please fill out the Membership application form to become a member.

East Toronto Family Practice Network