October 2021 Newsletter

October Newsletter Highlights:

Clinician Workload and Patient Access Survey

Help us help you! Please take some time in filling this survey about clinician workload and patient access so we can try and focus our collective efforts on mitigating these issues.

Congratulations 2021 OMD Luminary Award

Congratulations to Dr. Meera Shah and Dr. Marco Lo for winning the 2021 OMD Luminary Award for their outstanding contribution in the design and implementation of the ETHP OHT digital strategies!

Congratulations DFCM Quality & Innovation Faculty and Staff Impact Award

Congratulations to Dr. Louisa Huband, Dr. Stephanie Godard, Dr. Catherine Yu, Dr. Thuy-Nga Pham, Ms. Mireille Chung, Ms. Kathleen Foley, Mr. Ian Ritchie, Mr. Stephen Beckwick & Ms. Shobha Oza for winning this award for their work on the QI project and improving quality in primary care.

COVID-19 Outreach Centres: Testing and Vaccination Access for Patients

Anyone can receive COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and other COVID-19 support all in one spot at the new COVID-19 Outreach Centres! Click here for more information and locations/hours.
Find out how you can sign up for shifts at the COVID-19 Outreach Centres and Vaccination Clinics.

COVID-19 Response Forums:

Diabetic Wound Care Management Webinar

An approach to wound care management in the family practice for people with diabetic foot pathology.
You will learn how to: conduct effective lower limb screening, classify and manage diabetic foot infection, and be connected to resources to support your role in prevention, management and monitoring.
The webinar will be on Wednesday October 27th from 5pm to 6:30pm, please RSVP to Mary Carlos - Mary.Carlos@uhn.ca

Practice Supports and Patient Resources

Co-Admin of Vaccines

NACI has updated guidance on co-administration of vaccines, noting “COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as, or any time before or after, other vaccines, including live, non-live, adjuvanted, and non-adjuvanted vaccines.”

This should make the COVID/flu shot rollout easier this fall. A reminder that you can reach out to your local PHU/Primary Care contact if you wish to provide COVID vaccination in office.

Check out the recording and resources from our last Community of Practice session, co-organized with the U of T Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), which focused on the upcoming flu season and flu vaccines (available here).

Third Doses

Vulnerable elderly living in high-risk congregate settings, and people who are immunocompromised are currently eligible for third doses. See pages 5-8 for a list of the immunosuppressant medications for third doses.

Menstruation and Vaccines

You likely have heard concerns from patients about changes in menstruation after COVID-19 vaccination. Helpful info for your patients: this Myths and Facts info-sheet from the SOGC and patient-friendly infographic from Unambiguous Science.

Child & Youth Mental Health Outpatient Service Intake Change at MGH

MGH is partnering up with Mental Health T.O, to offer a more streamlined referral and intake process for children, youth, families and providers. Click here for more information.

Resources for Vaccine Hesitant Patients

SHN Vax Facts Service is open to all patients across Canada. Scheduled access to a Physician to discuss vaccine hesitancy or other vaccine concerns. All PHU booking operators or others may refer to this service.
Sick Kids ‘Vax Facts’, this is a similar service based on SHN model to provide access to clinicians to discuss youth/family COVID vaccine concerns.

Primary & Community Care Response Teams

Help vulnerable adults by developing a coordinated care plan that addresses the various social determinants of health that may affect their well-being. Click here for more information on how you can refer clients to PCC response teams.

Guidance on the Navigation of Patients with Influenza-like Illnesses

This guidance document outlines options for primary care providers managing and navigating patients presenting with influenza-like illnesses.
This one-pager resource sheet outlines the COVID-19, Cold & Flu/ILI Resources in the Toronto Region.

SCOPE

Register for SCOPE today and get rapid access to nurse navigation, general internal medicine, diagnostic imaging and more!
Please email SCOPE@tehn.ca with any feedback/suggestions for new services you would like to see added.

Digital Solutions

Download Hypercare for easy and secure communication among community primary care providers and hospital care providers. Visit the EasT-FPN website for more information on digital solutions and Hypercare.

Ocean eReferral

Ocean eReferral continues to expand in East Toronto – enabling enhanced communication between primary care providers and specialists/organizations and simplifying the referral process. If you are interested in using Ocean eReferral, please contact the eServices Team:eReferral@ehealthce.ca.

Become an EasT-FPN member

The EasT-FPN encourages you, if you have not already, to become a 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.