COVID, Cold & Flu

Updated: Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 in Ontario, Mar. 27, MOH. Changes are:

• Updates to the data entry requirements for outbreaks.
• Updates to language that PCR testing may be performed, instead of should be performed, on those who have symptoms and are eligible for PCR testing.

Other:

• Diagnosing and Treating Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) in Long COVID patients- OCFP, Mar. 16
• Guidance on an additional COVID-19 booster dose in the spring of 2023 for individuals at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19- NACI, Mar. 3

Patient Care

• Weekly Pap clinic: the London Intercommunity Health Centre holds pap clinics every Friday morning at its Argyle location for people who are unable to access cervical screening. Read more here.
• Free community lab blood testing for celiac disease: the MOH has extended the pilot program where diagnostic blood testing for celiac disease (IgA and tTg IgA) is free through community-based labs until March 31, 2024.
• Free prenatal information group for pregnant individuals and their partner(s)/support(s) who want to learn about overall prenatal wellness. Interactive education- Thames Valley FHT health care providers share information about the physical, mental and emotional changes that may occur during the prenatal period. Find out more here.

Rural Practice: Funding for Advanced Skills Training

From the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada: if you a practicing rural physician looking to enhance your skillset to optimize patient care, training is available. Up to 30 days of training will be reimbursed at $1,000 per day in addition to travel, accommodation, and locum and preceptor costs. Apply asap – funding is first-come, first-served. 

Are you interested in becoming a preceptor to facilitate advanced skills training of rural physicians? Click here to indicate your interest in being a preceptor. 

Find out more about the National Advanced Skills and Training Program for Rural Practice.

Wholistic needs screener: co-design sessions

LHSC, in partnership with the Middlesex London Ontario Health Team (MLOHT), invites primary care providers to take part in a co-design session for a Wholistic Needs Screening tool. The goal of the screener is to enable a more preventative approach to managing individuals' health and social needs and to connect people more easily to the most appropriate services for them.

Organizers are looking for community members and service providers to help develop and review the questions and the format of the screener. Two virtual sessions are currently scheduled: 

Evening Event- Tuesday, April 25, 7:30-8:30pm

Lunch event- Thursday, April 27, 12:30-1:30pm 

To register, contact Laura Cuthbertson. Learn more.

If you employ RNs...

The Centre for Studies in Family Medicine is looking for primary care clinics who employ RNs to participate in the "Funding Models and the Integration of Registered Nurses in Primary Health Care Teams". Both physicians and RNs will be interviewed briefly.



This study is specifically looking at RN roles within different funding models, and will provide important information on optimizing family practice nursing within primary health care. Read more here. For additional info, contact Leslie Meredith (leslie.meredith@schulich.uwo.ca)

More education opportunities can be found on the LMPCA website: https://lmprimarycare.ca/education-opportunities/

New Quality Standards from Ontario Health

• Surgical Site Infections Quality Standard Webinar, Apr. 13. This session introduces the recently released Surgical Site Infections quality standard. Register here.
• Eating Disorders Webinar, May 7: new quality standard to improve care for people with eating disorders. Featuring clinicians and panelists with lived experience of eating disorders. Supporting materials include guides for clients and caregivers, to help them have informed conversations with their health care providers. Register here.

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

Anxiety and depression have been added to the list of information and resources available.

Other topics include: Type 2 diabetes (insulin and non-insulin pharmacotherapy); falls prevention; heart failure. For family physicians, primary care NPs, family medicine residents. 

Thames Valley FHT sites: Contact your FHT pharmacist to book

All other sites: book a virtual visit or email Nicole to set up an in-person visit (nicole.seymour@cep.health)

31^st Annual Clinical Day in Family Medicine

Wednesday, May 10, Four Points by Sheraton in London. Register here (early bird registration closes March 22). See the flyer with more details.