Today, the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto launched a website called DFCM Open. Inspired by open knowledge and collaboration initiatives, such as the open source software movement, DFCM Open (www.dfcmopen.com) will collect and store clinical, educational and research material that is created, peer-reviewed and voluntarily submitted by its faculty members and their collaborators.
Today Minister Matthews announced that Ontario is improving access to physiotherapy services for eligible Ontarians by changing how and where these services are provided. Beginning August 1, 2013, the province will expand availability of community-based physiotherapy, exercise classes and falls prevention services in more locations across Ontario. Steps include integrating physiotherapy positions into primary care settings, including Family Health Teams, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, and Community Health Centres. The total number of positions is not yet known.
You are invited to submit an abstract to present a concurrent session or poster in 8 core themes areas that showcase and support FHT Leadership in Healthcare for Ontarians. The AFHTO 2013 Conference takes place October 22-23 in Toronto.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is informing all health system partners of preparedness activities related to influenza A (H7N9):
The AFHTO board is pleased to announce the renewed vision, mission and strategic priorities to guide our work on behalf of our members over the next 2 – 3 years. Please click here for more information.
One year after releasing Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care, Health Minister Deb Matthews presented her progress report today. She called it a plan for “fundamental transformation” that puts “family health care at the centre of the system.”
Congratulations to the Wise Elephant and West Carleton Family Health Teams, first and third-place winners in Canada Health Infoway’s ImagineNation Outcomes Challenge, competing in the Patient Access to Health Information category against teams across the country.
Peninsula Family Health Team’s innovative work to connect its rural population to specialist support is featured in this week’s Healthy Debate. Go to http://healthydebate.ca/opinions/telemedicine.
Innovation Award Winner – Sherbourne Health Centre, Infirmary Program The Sherbourne Health Centre, which encompasses the Sherbourne Family Health Team, was honoured for developing an innovative program to provide chemo and radiation therapies to individuals experiencing homelessness, or those with no real ‘home’. These patients face significant barriers to accessing mainstream treatment. Even those in shelters or rooming houses lack a sufficiently safe or hygienic environment, and cannot appropriately dispose of the toxic chemotherapeutic waste.
Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced the release of Seasonal Influenza 2012/ 2013: Ontario’s Blueprint for Action. This document updates the 2011/ 2012 Blueprint for Action by outlining the actions that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Labour are taking to support the health system’s response to this year’s influenza season.