Dear Colleagues,
In May, we celebrated World Family Doctor Day. Leading up to that day, I had the opportunity to connect with family physicians across the province and learn more about the amazing work that you do every day. I continue to be inspired by you and am proud to be a family physician with you.
Below you will find information and tools to support you in your practice.
In This Email:
- Advocacy
- Expression of Interest for Interprofessional Primary Care Teams
- COVID-19 and IPAC
- Tools For Your Practice
- From the OCFP
- Other Opportunities
- Recent Media
Advocacy
Physician Services Agreement: The OCFP has recently made a submission to the OMA Negotiations Task Force, bringing your voice forward to address compensation and administrative burden. The OCFP will continue to speak up for family doctors and bring real solutions to government and health care policymakers. Learn more about our advocacy work.
Expression of Interest for Interprofessional Primary Care Teams
Reminder: Applications for new or expanded interprofessional primary care teams are due on June 16, 2023. Find information to support you through the process on our website and at the links below:
COVID-19 and IPAC
IPAC considerations: The OCFP has developed a tool that outlines measures for infection prevention and control against COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
COVID-19 booster recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer of Health:
- Six months – four years: completion of a primary series.
- Five years and older: completion of a primary series and a booster after September 1, 2022 (booster only required if primary series was completed prior to September 1, 2022).
- Specific high-risk populations: primary series and a bivalent booster every six months.
- For more details review the May 5, 2023 “Changing the Way We Work (COVID-19). Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians” from 21:50 to 24:33.
Remdesivir: New pathways for vulnerable patients to access Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 are available through Home and Community Care Support Services. More details are available.
Paxlovid drug interactions: Canadian cases of adverse events following a drug-drug interaction between Paxlovid and tacrolimus have been reported to Health Canada. Read more: Health Canada’s March 2023 Health Product Info Watch.
Tools For Your Practice
Invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) Disease cases are trending upwards and Public Health Ontario is sharing a provincial epidemiologic summary. The Ministry of Health is reminding clinicians to report cases.
Updated Lyme disease clinical guidance document is now available from Ontario Health to support family physicians in the management and investigation of tick bites and localized Lyme disease.
Anxiety and depression digital tools and supports now available from the Centre for Effective Practice:
- Point-of-care EMR tools (OSCAR & Accuro QHR) and Mainpro+ accredited change management support to optimize implementation: sign-up here.
- Mainpro+ accredited one-on-one academic detailing support with a pharmacist and a clinical education tool: sign-up here.
From the OCFP
The next “Changing the Way We Work (COVID-19) Community of Practice” is scheduled for June 16, 2023. Registration is open. During the session we will update participants on respiratory illness in the Southern Hemisphere and share the results of the OCFP’s recent admin burden survey results and next steps.
CFPC Certification Exam Orientation Workshop will be held on August 19 and 20, 2023. Registration is open. Registration is also open for residents to participate as simulated office orals examiners.
OCFP’s 2023 Annual Members' Meeting is on September 27, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. Registration is open.
Other Opportunities
OMA’s Family Medicine Billing webinar on June 15, 2023 will help family doctors understand their service obligations, identify billing resources and enhance chronic disease and preventative care outcomes by linking to chronic disease and preventative care billing.
Navigating stressful interactions with patients and other providers can be challenging. A recording of our recent education session on strategies you can use is now available.
Recent Media
The OCFP continues to advocate publicly on behalf of family physicians. See recent media interviews by OCFP Board Directors:
- Dr. Mekalai Kumanan: College of Family Physicians Focused on Cambridge Doctor Shortage.
- Dr. Jobin Varughese: 415k People in Toronto Now Without a Family Doctor.
As always, thank you for your compassion, dedication and commitment to your patients. You truly are making a difference in their lives.
Mekalai