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From the Primary Care Alliance
I’m foregoing a lengthy introduction this month as like all of you, I’m fully aware of the crisis in our health care system and the pressures we continue to face as physicians amid a fourth wave.
Instead, I would like to encourage you to seek the supports you need and give yourself permission to take the breaks that are crucial if you are to manage the pace that has been set by the pandemic and its impacts on work/life balance, compassion fatigue, staff shortages and more. We recently repurposed a Physician Champions Network webinar to have an open discussion and connect with each other versus formal content, and it was a worthwhile breather. We talked over some simple strategies to help with burnout and the prioritization for rest and coping.
There is a positive development in our environment that I will just mention here as you can read about it in the newsletter. More than one thousand physicians are now participating in the Community Information Integration/Central Patient Attachment Registry initiative. We’ve reached a commendable milestone in the work to bring some planning ability and predictability to an unpredictable time. Your participation will continue paying dividends in patient care improvement long into the future.
Take care and stay safe,
Dr. Brad Bahler
Chair
Primary Care Alliance
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Planning in unpredictable times rather than reacting
In a time with high unpredictability, CII/CPAR can bring some planning and predictable work to the provider and team.
More than one thousand community physicians now have their EMR integrated with in over 230 clinics across Alberta.
Read about a physician's experience with eNotifications at the link below.
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Join the collaborative mentorship network for chronic pain & addiction
Connect with fellow family physicians and interdisciplinary team members who have experience and expertise treating pain and addiction.
Sign-up to gain access to a discussion board, exclusive events, resources, Pain BC courses, and mentorship opportunities.
CMN membership is completely free, join today!
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One Nail at a Time podcast - focus on transitions
Join the One Nail at a Time podcast team to learn about Alberta’s new ‘Home to Hospital to Home Transitions Guideline’ with Dr. Linda Slocombe.
She explains the six components that together, help patients successfully transition from home to hospital to home. Dr. Slocombe talks about the roles of primary care and acute care, and the significant positive impact this guideline can have on continuity and the patient experience. Best of all, once established, it could mean less work for your practice!
Also, check out Podcasts #15 & #16 for more information about CII/CPAR.
Listen at the link below. |
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PEIP 2021 - Last day of standard pricing!
For a decade now at the Practical Evidence for Informed Practice (PEIP) Conference, the Alberta College of Family Physicians and the PEER team have partnered to provide primary care providers clinically relevant topics that combine evidence, experience, and patient values that is free of industry bias.
Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to attend, as Alberta’s largest primary care conference can be attended both in-person and virtually. To save your spot AND your dollars, register today Sep. 30 before 11:59 p.m. (MT)!
Want to save even more? Share the #PEIP2021 experience and the cost savings and register with your clinic!
Register now at the link below.
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Joint statement on ivermectin
The CPSA and the Alberta College of Pharmacy have both received reports about the prescribing and dispensing of ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19 and recently released this statement.
AHS memo to primary care physicians in Alberta: Does the Mandatory Immunization Policy apply to you?
Read more.
Update to PPE ordering process
Please note that the Adult Primary Care Pathway has been updated to reflect pregnancy as a “high risk stratification”.
COVID-19 FAQs updated
The AHS COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions documents for Immunization and Patient Care & Testing have been updated.
Togetherall - support and resources for mental health
Do you need mental health resources for your patients?
Togetherall is a free, safe, online peer-to peer mental health community for Albertans over 16, that empowers individuals to anonymously seek support. It is available 24/7 and monitored by trained clinicians. Provincially funded, Togetherall also acts as a hub of courses and resources that foster positive mental health. Promotion tools are already available like talking points, flyers, posters and scripts.
Read more about it on the Canadian Mental Health Association website.
You can also watch a webinar to learn more about the service.
Join the TARRANT Viral Watch program
The TARRANT Viral Watch program in Alberta is expanding beyond influenza to include COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. The program is comprised of a team of researchers at the University of Calgary. The goal is to detect influenza-like illness clinically as it occurs in the community and to measure influenza virologically in the lab. Data is collected by sentinels (physicians and nurse practitioners) and is compiled by the program prior to being forwarded to Alberta Health, AHS, and others. This contributes to the picture of influenza activity and helps to detect epidemics and pandemics.
Family physicians and nurse practitioners are invited to join this important surveillance particularly in Central, Edmonton and North zones. You can apply online and visit their website for more information.
Perceptions and use of PALS course cognitive aids
Physicians are invited to take part in a short 10-minute survey on assessing and improving the current Pediatric Advanced Life Support cards for pediatric resuscitation. Information gathered will be used to complete a needs assessment, address deficiencies and areas of improvement and create a new version of the PALS card which will be tested for efficacy. For further information email Dr. Lynn Jacoby. You can take the survey here.
Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Throughout this month, AHS has been communicating with healthcare providers and the public about the importance of newborn screening. As a provider, you may know that newborn screening is the most effective way to detect serious but treatable conditions before there are symptoms. It’s critical to identify and treat these conditions early to help prevent health problems, improve health and development, and save lives.
Two population-based programs offer newborn screening free of charge:
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Alberta’s Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program identifies permanent congenital hearing loss in newborns. Parents receive results after the test – it’s important they attend any follow-up appointments, if required.
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Alberta’s Newborn Metabolic Screening Program screens for serious but treatable conditions. Results are available on Netcare – ordering healthcare providers are notified by phone if results are abnormal.
Speak with your patients before they give birth (at 30 to 36 weeks) about the importance of newborn screening. Visit AHS.ca/newbornscreening to learn more.
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