London's COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centre transitions to COVID, Cold, and Flu Care Clinic

Today (December 9), the COVID-19 Assessment Centre will transition to the COVID, Cold, and Flu Care Clinic (CCFCC) at its current location, building 24 at Victoria Hospital.

This medical clinic is staffed by Physicians and Nurse Practitioners that can test, assess, and provide treatment for people with COVID-19 and other cold and flu-like illnesses. The clinic continues to offer COVID antiviral treatments for patients who are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.

Patients with a primary care provider are still encouraged to contact their primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) first. At this time, the clinic is only open to adults, however there are plans to expand to the pediatric population in the near future.

Read the entire notice here -- LHSC site map with the exact clinic location is also included.

• Ontario Pharmacists to begin prescribing Paxlovid to eligible patients on December 12 at no cost. MOH.
• Register now - Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP. Monthly Community of Practice hosted by Ontario Health to support Primary Care and COVID-19. New registration link for the January-July 2023 is available. Register here.
• Canada Dental Benefit announced for children under 12 - see canada.ca/dental for details on how to apply, payment amounts, eligibility requirements.

From your community pediatrician colleagues

re: patients aging out of pediatrics whose parents don't have family physicians to take them on

'Dear Colleagues:

...Many of us ... are finding it difficult to find our complex patients a medical home once they graduate from Pediatric care at 18 years old. We realize we are all stretched thin, and that most family doctors of our area are not accepting new patients. We also realize you must get similar requests all the time ... 

We are humbly asking any family physicians with an interest in these types of patients to put their name forward if you are willing to accept some of these patients ... These patients with ongoing complex needs require a medical home, but their parents do not have family physicians to take them on. 

• We are happy to send a referral with appropriate records and summary of issues. 
• If they require subspecialist care, this will be transitioned appropriately by the individual subspecialty teams. ...'

Read the full letter here.

Please contact info@lmprimarycare.ca if you can help or would like to know more.

ICYMI: managing respiratory illnesses in children

• Navigating Antipyretic Shortages and Managing Pediatric Infections and Intermittent Pediatric Antibiotic Shortages: The Dose- from Thames Valley FHT pharmacists.
• Bronchiolitis: Recommendations for diagnosis, monitoring and management of children one to 24 months - Canadian Paediatric Society
• Uncomplicated pneumonia in healthy Canadian children and youth: Practice points for management- Canadian Paediatric Society 
• Canadian Thoracic Society 2012 guideline update: Diagnosis and management of asthma in preschoolers, children and adults- Executive summary - PMC (nih.gov) Canadian Pediatric and Canadian Thoracic Society joint position, Canadian Pediatric Society 
• Managing an acute asthma exacerbation in children- Can. Paediatric Society
• Diagnosis and management of asthma in preschoolers: A Canadian Thoracic Society and Canadian Paediatrics- Canadian Paediatric Society
• Parent resource: What to do if your child has fever or viral illness? (norfolkfamilymedical.ca) 
• Resources for respiratory illness in children and adults- OCFP

Free, 1-on-1, Mainpro+ Accredited Best Practice CE Discussions with CEP/TVFHT pharmacists (Academic Detailing)

For family physicians, primary care nurse practitioners, family medicine residents - we facilitate practice change by tailoring information and resources to the provider's interests/practice. Current topics include:

• Type 2 diabetes (insulin and non-insulin pharmacotherapy);
• Falls prevention;
• Heart failure;

New topics are added every 5-6 months, and we will update them here.

Book a virtual visit or email Nicole Seymour to set up an in-person visit (nicole.seymour@cep.health)

Thames Valley FHT sites: Contact your FHT pharmacist to book

Reminder: OHIP Billing for virtual care changed December 1*

• Summary of the changes
• OMA resources (need OMA login to access)
• Billing Brief 1: Comprehensive and limited virtual care services: an introduction to new OHIP virtual care services and fee codes
• Billing Brief 2: Terms and conditions: an overview of select new payment rules and processes relevant to new virtual care services (effective Dec. 1, 2022)
• Permanent virtual care codes: a visual guide
• Virtual care FAQs (updated)
• Sample referral letter templates (Word documents:  Providing referrals; Requesting a referral

* Thanks to the Elgin Primary Care Alliance

Single door approach: connecting patients to health and social services in Middlesex London

Are you interested in providing a primary care provider's perspective to a localized navigation solution for Middlesex London?

The Middlesex London Ontario Health Team (MLOHT) would like to hear from providers who contact the navigator on behalf of the patient about what is needed. As with all MLOHT engagements with Primary Care practitioners, your time would be compensated at a rate of $165 per hour.

For more info, contact Trudy DeVries, MLOHT Healthcare Navigation Planning Lead at Trudy.Devries@mloht.ca.

Changes coming to OHTs

• Ontario Health Teams - The Path Forward- new guidance document, MOH, November 2022
• Webinar on new guidance with the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, along with other MOH and OH officials 

Educational opportunities are available on the LMPCA website https://lmprimarycare.ca/education-opportunities/