The Connection Newsletter

Clinic for Women by Women another success!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:17:40 -0400

West Windsor Monday, October 26th, 2009 - The Sandwich Community Health Centre (SCHC) held another Well-Women Clinic Day on Saturday, October 24th, 2009.

Women health care providers offered thirty-six female participants clinical assessments focusing on breast, cervical, skin and colorectal cancer screening. Participants were also offered blood glucose testing, blood pressure checks, advice on medications, diet and EKG’s.

Free mammograms were offered by the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) to seven participants who met the screening criteria. Free transportation to receive a mammogram was provided by the Canadian Cancer Society to the seven women who received a mammogram. Three other participants under the age of 50 were referred for a mammogram at Windsor Regional Hospital (to meet their specialized needs).

Beth Dulmage, Manager Cancer Prevention & Screening, Erie St. Clair Regional Cancer Program extended a heartfelt thank you to the staff and volunteers who made Saturday’s OBSP/SCHC’s clinic a success. Beth commented that a number of women who had never had a mammogram before had been screened. “This was truly an example of teamwork making the logistics work so women were able to obtain the full benefit of all cancer screening programs”.

Access to transportation can be a barrier for many women in need of a mammogram. It is recommended that women age 50 and older should have a mammogram every 2 years. This is the first time that the Centre or any other organization throughout the province has partnered with the OBSP to offer access to mammograms on the weekend and as part of a clinic. It is believed that if 70% of women aged 50 to 69 had regular mammograms, more breast cancer could be detected and treated successfully and the number of deaths from breast cancer would drop by a whopping 30% over 10 years (Cancer Care Ontario).

Participants were also offered a Pap Smear. The Task Force for Cervical Cancer Screening recommends all women age 18 years and older who have had sexual intercourse be screened for cervical cancer. Screening is recognized as an effective means of reducing cervical cancer mortality. Cervical cancer is completely treatable if detected early.

Four women were referred to local area specialists for additional follow-up.

This event was made possible through a grant by Greenshield Canada. The purpose of this event is to provide an opportunity for women who may encounter barriers, such as access to female providers, to obtaining life-saving cancer screenings and health promotion information.

For more information contact: Maureen Dennis, SANDWICH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE INC. 519-254-3402, ext. 210 or Lynda Monik, Executive Director cell 519-564-4858

Expanded New Beginnings Club keep Acquired Brain Injury top of mind

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:34:40 -0400

Acquired brain injury (ABI), such as stroke, concussion and tumours, impacts a staggering number of families in the Erie St. Clair LHIN each year. The effects of ABI alter how survivors perceive themselves, their capabilities and their self-image. These perceptions are associated with depression and social withdrawal, which may in turn, exacerbate depression after an ABI. Large social networks and perceived social support are associated with better physical functioning and may be prognostically important for higher levels of recovery.

In 1992, the Brain Injury Association of Chatham-Kent (BIACK) was created as an advisory group to the Kent County District Health Council. Their main initiatives were to identify and propose solutions to gaps in services for survivors of acquired brain injury. BIACK provides social recreational programming for survivors of ABI through the New Beginnings Club. In January of 2007, they moved to their new 9,000 square foot, open-concept, barrier-free, accessible facility in Chatham. In September of 2008, an additional 12,000+ square feet of accessible tranquility gardens was completed.

The New Beginnings Club promotes:
1. personal development increasing self-worth and helping the survivor work towards their individual goals
2. socialization and the reacquisition of new and lost personal, professional, physical and emotional abilities through enjoyable activities such as art, woodworking, music and fitness. Membership in the Club is free of charge and does not require a referral from a medical professional.

An Erie St. Clair LHIN supported collaborative, lead by Michelle Chernets of the Brain Injury Association of Chatham-Kent, has acquired annualized base funding to begin to provide Club services in the Sarnia/Lambton area starting September 2009. Through integration and collaboration, BIACK is already working with other Sarnia based organizations to maximize the successful implementation of these funds.

BIACK's supportive partnerships and community presence over the last 3 years has made the New Beginnings Club a provincial and national leader in the provision of social recreation services for survivors of ABI. Membership in Chatham has increased 240% in less than 2 years and the expectation is that similar results will be seen in Sarnia through integration, programming and partnerships. For more information visit www.biack.com or contact Michelle Chernets.

Michelle Chernets
Program Manager
New Beginnings Club &
Brain Injury Association of Chatham-Kent
9 Maple Leaf Dr.
Chatham, On.
N7M 6H2
519-351-0297

eHealth Update

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:33:08 -0400

By Steve Banyai
Erie St. Clair LHIN eHealth Lead and President & CEO of Consolidated Health Information Services

Over the past few months, eHealth Ontario has been under scrutiny. While we wait for the Auditor General’s report, which is expected this fall and should lay the ground work for what needs to be done internally at eHealth Ontario, we must remember that the agenda remains the same. In Erie St. Clair that means we are working to deliver eHealth Ontario’s agenda of an electronic health record for all Ontarians by 2015.

Steve Banyai is President and Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Health Information Services, a Shared Services Organization owned by Windsor Regional Hospital, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and Bluewater Health. Prior to joining CHIS in January 2009, Steve was the Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Bridgepoint Health for seven years. Bridgepoint Health is a 400 bed complex care and rehab hospital in Toronto. Steve has also worked as a Senior Consultant for Healthtech and was President and CEO of SMB Technologies, his own company which provided IT Strategic Planning and consulting services for hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area.

Steve is a native of Essex County, growing up in Kingsville and attending the University of Windsor before departing to the United Kingdom to further his education and career.

In March, Ontario’s eHealth Strategy was released. It lays out three clinical priorities (Diabetes Management, Medication Management, and Wait Times) and four foundational priorities (Cornerstone Information Systems, Clinical Activity Information Systems, Technology Services, and, Enabling Practices and Talent Management). The strategy is really a road map of what needs to be done over the next three years across Ontario.

In Erie St. Clair, the LHIN has embraced the potential for Consolidated Health Information Services (CHIS) to deliver on its own priorities in addition to being the technology service delivery vehicle for the LHIN/eHealth. As the eHealth Lead in this region and the President & Chief Executive Officer of CHIS, my role is to ensure that Erie St. Clair is properly prepared to implement a wide range of solutions supported by eHealth Ontario. The good news is that our LHIN, due to the existence of CHIS, is well positioned to do so. In fact, we’ve already started that work.

Last winter, CHIS led a pilot initiative to help physician offices and a Family Health Team link their electronic medical records (EMR) system to a number of hospitals. By doing so, physicians benefit from having comprehensive patient records available in their offices that include access to results of hospital-based services such as lab tests and diagnostic images. It also means that patient care is improved because family physicians are aware of hospital results more rapidly, which means they can also provide care more quickly. Although a limited number of physicians participated in the initial pilot, we are looking at ways to expand this service to other physicians across the region.

In spring of this year, a CHIS Project Management Office (PMO) was established (supported by the LHIN and eHealth Ontario), for the purpose of creating capacity in the area and to ensure the successful implementation of the provincial strategy. The PMO will lead eHealth projects in Erie St. Clair and provide support to health service provider-based projects. Consider the PMO as a shared resource that will help all of us to achieve our common eHealth goals.

This summer, Erie St. Clair was selected as the pilot LHIN to test the community-based Integrated Assessment Record. This exciting project helps healthcare providers in community-based organizations (currently focused on mental health) and hospitals share patient information through a secure on-line viewer. By being able to ‘view’ information from multiple systems and organizations, providers in a patient’s circle of care benefit from a consolidated, more complete view of the patient. Since going live in early August, the number of providers involved in the pilot has expanded and LHINs across the province have indicated that they are eagerly waiting to learn about its success.

Most recently, as your eHealth Lead my energy has been focused on aligning our local priorities with the province and to seek additional support to pursue a number of initiatives that will drive eHealth activities in Erie St. Clair in the coming months. I hope to have more to share on this in the near future.

As we forge ahead on our eHealth activities, CHIS is growing and evolving to better serve our members and health service providers within the Erie St. Clair LHIN. At our recent Annual General Meeting, a number of key themes were identified that will drive our organization and further support the implementation of eHealth solutions in the region. They are:

Excellence in Service Quality
Access to the Right Information, Anytime, Anywhere
Leveraging Information to Apply Knowledge
Innovative Leadership and Strategic Alliances
Establishing a Sustainable, Accountable Enterprise

In the coming months, it is our intention to meet with health service providers and clinicians across the region to discuss the eHealth Ontario Strategy, our local priorities, and to better understand local needs and opportunities.

There is a lot of activity currently underway in support of eHealth. Although much of it is focused on complex technologies the end goals are quite simple – eHealth is about enabling people to work together; improving the secure flow of patient information; and, focusing on the patient, their information and the provision of integrated care. It’s really about improving patient care across Ontario and in Erie St. Clair.

Enhanced Hearing Health Care at The Canadian Hearing Society

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:55 -0400

On July 7, 2009, The Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) in Chatham expanded its services to include an on-site audiologist who will be conducting hearing testing and hearing aid evaluations and sales. We have moved our location to 75 Thames Street, 2nd Floor in order to accommodate our complete hearing testing facility with state-of-the-art diagnostic and hearing aid equipment.

You can be confident in sending your clients to CHS knowing that our first priority is meeting the unique communication needs of every person who walks through our doors:

Our clients come first
Our audiologists have access to a full-range of hearing aid products and will prescribe the hearing aid that will best suit a client’s hearing loss needs and their budget.

Funding information
Our team will work diligently to identify if a client is eligible for funding as well as walk them through the application process.

Complementary services
We offer an accessible and diverse range of support programs including counselling and speechreading which are offered at a nominal fee or free of charge.

Doing good work in our communities
Proceeds from fees or the sale of any hearing aid or communication device are reinvested directly into our charitable programs from literacy and basic skills training to mental health counselling.

Anyone is welcome to book an appointment for a hearing test directly with our office – no referral is necessary. To learn more or to refer your clients, please contact us at (519) 354-9347 Phone/TTY.

CHATHAM-KENT OFFICE 75 Thames Street, 2nd Floor, Chatham, ON N7L 1S4 - www.chs.ca

How to Tell Your Organizations "EPIC" Story

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:47 -0400

Engaging People Improving Care, or EPIC, is a “toolkit” – an accessible, organized collection of resources on community engagement (CE) for health.

A group of Ontario health providers and planners wanted to develop a “one-stop shop” where they could find the resources that would help them address the challenge of putting CE into practice, and EPIC was born.

What is EPIC?
Engaging People Improving Care, or EPIC, is an online “toolkit” – an accessible, organized collection of resources on community engagement (CE) for health. The resources cover the gamut of issues associated with CE – how to plan for it, how to do it and how to evaluate it. EPIC has been developed for health professionals, health planners, governments, and health-related groups and organizations that want to incorporate CE into their work.

Resources

All
Go to a list of all resources on the website

By CE goal
Go to a list of all resources, organized by CE goal

By stakeholder
Go to a list of all resources, organized by stakeholder

By topic
Go to a list of all resources, organized by topic

By techniques & tools
Go to a list of all resources, organized by techniques & tools

Why was EPIC developed?
CE is of increasing importance to people and organizations involved in funding, planning and delivering health services. Members of the public have greater expectations for accountability and involvement in decision-making, and some jurisdictions have made CE mandatory. In addition, CE is considered by many to be a necessary element for the development of more coordinated, integrated and responsive health service systems.

What will I find on EPIC?
EPIC includes a wide variety of resources from Canadian and international sources, including:

Overall guides and frameworks for CE.
CE tools and techniques.
Case studies.
Resources on specific issues such as evaluation.

All of the resources have been reviewed and annotated so you can scan or search them quickly to find the ones that should best meet your needs.

How were the resources selected for EPIC?
EPIC resources are:

“Evidence-informed” (in other words, developed based on a combination of best available evidence and experience from the field).
Easily accessible at no cost on the Internet.
User-friendly.
Tested, piloted or evaluated (whenever possible).

Resources have been selected for their applicability and relevance to the Ontario health care sector, but should also be useful in other jurisdictions.

Progress on team-based care

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:30 -0400

There has been a significant push in funding and government efforts to expand the use of team-based care in the last decade, but it is still evolving, says the Health Council of Canada.

By John G. Abbott

Teams in Action Report - Download

In 2004, governments committed to increase the use of primary health care teams in Canada, with a goal of 50% of Canadians having access to these teams by 2011. Governments were concerned about the aging population and the increasing number of Canadians with chronic conditions, and using teams of health care professionals was seen as one promising way to help strengthen primary health care in Canada.

Five years later, what do teams look like across the country? And what difference are teams making to Canadians? The Health Council of Canada looked at these issues in a recent report, entitled Teams in Action: Primary Health Care Teams for Canadians. We looked at research that had been done on team-based care, and interviewed the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to find out about their progress in developing teams.

What clearly came through in our interviews with all governments is a strong commitment to implementing team-based care, with a wide range of often innovative approaches. There has been a significant push in funding and efforts in the last decade to expand the use of teams, and each jurisdiction has made a good start. They are largely tailoring their activities towards specific populations and high-needs groups (such as those with chronic conditions), where teams have been shown to make a difference. They are also using teams to provide service to areas that lack enough – or any – family doctors, and to reach out to vulnerable populations that can have difficulty getting access to the primary health care they need.

What we don’t know – yet – is the impact of all this promising activity. First, we’re unable to report how many Canadians have access to collaborative teams. Not all jurisdictions are gathering this information in a consistent way. It’s unlikely that in two years governments will be able to say they have met the target established in 2004: that 50% of Canadians would have access to multidisciplinary teams by 2011. However, since 2004, more evidence has been gathered that shows the value of teams is most significant for specific populations. It may make more sense for governments to focus first on expanding team care for those who need it the most. This may or may not represent 50% of their populations.

Another challenge in evaluating the cross-Canada efforts is that there is no single, clear definition of what makes a truly collaborative team. There are lots of different models of teams in Canada, but little evaluation to tell us how they work together or which mix of health professionals is best for addressing specific health needs. In addition, although research shows that teams make a difference for people with chronic conditions and other specific populations such as the elderly, we don’t know how much they make a difference for other populations, or for people with relatively uncomplicated health care needs. More evaluation is needed.

Team-based care is still evolving in Canada. At the Health Council of Canada, we’ll be exploring teams in more detail this fall, looking at the barriers standing in the way of broader implementation, and the system support that is needed.

John G. Abbott is Chief Executive Officer with the Health Council of Canada, and a former Deputy Minister of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Health and Community Services. The report, Teams in Action: Primary Health Care Teams for Canadians, is available at www.healthcouncilcanada.ca.

SCHC wins two of five provincial awards

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:23 -0400

The Sandwich Community Health Centre (SCHC) located in West Windsor has been awarded two of five prestigious “Model of Care Awards” by the Association of Health Centres of Ontario (AOHC). Chosen from among 75 Community Health Centres and satellite Centres from across the province of Ontario, the SCHC was awarded the Model of Care Award for Primary Care and the Model of Care Award for Health Promotion.

The Model of Care for Primary Care was
awarded for the Well Women Clinic

The Model of Care for Primary Care was awarded for the Well Women Clinic. This one-day clinic provided women with the opportunity to obtain cancer screening (breast and cervical). The centre was staffed by female health care providers, volunteers and translators, many of who donated their time. Women of all cultures were welcomed. The presence of an all female staff ensured women of all cultures/backgrounds/ preferences could seek cancer screening in an environment that was comfortable for them.

The Model of Care for Health Promotion was awarded for the Community Corner Program. Community Corner was first launched in the 7 elementary schools in September 2008 with the intent of educating the West Windsor residents of the importance of pedestrian, helmet and rail road safety through fun and interactive mediums. It was determined that more programming was necessary. Currently a new injury prevention topic is delivered each month in all 7 elementary schools. The program has gained popularity and is now offered in a private Islamic school within our catchment area, after school programmers; numerous Ontario Early Centres and an Intergenerational Program has been developed to partner senior safety and youth safety inclusively.

The Centre was nominated by community partners throughout Windsor-Essex for the awards. The award is designed to recognize those who show exemplary leadership.

The Model of Care for Health Promotion was awarded for the Community Corner Program

Executive Director Lynda Monik commented that “there is no greater honor than to be recognized by one’s colleagues for the work we do to deliver care to our clients”.

The AOHC is the policy and advocacy organization for non-profit, community-governed, multidisciplinary primary health care organizations. AOHC members are Ontario's Community Health Centres (CHC), Aboriginal Health Access Centres and Community Family Health Teams.

The Sandwich Community Health Centre addresses the physical, emotional and social well-being of residents in Windsor-Essex through the provision of primary health care and health promotion and prevention programs and services.

Lynda Monik
Executive Director
Sandwich Community Health Centre Inc.
http://www.sandwichchc.org/

GRAND BEND HEALTH CENTRE AWARDED FULL ACCREDITATION

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:21 -0400

Overall, the review team found GBACHC to be “a healthy, effective learning organization that is delivering high caliber, needed programs and services to its clients and community”.

After undergoing an exhaustive review by the accrediting body, Community Organizational Health Inc., the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre has been awarded full accreditation status, the highest level possible. The review was conducted in March but the preparation for the process began more than a year in advance and required many hours of work shared by all the staff at the Centre. The accreditation process allows organizations to evaluate their services and systems against acknowledged standards of good practice that support sustainability and learning. It also serves to promote learning, improvement, excellence and innovation.

The reviewers noted the pride and ownership expressed by the board and staff over the work that they have done and the complexities they have managed to overcome. The significant changes that have occurred over the past three years were described as “impressive.”

Overall, the review team found GBACHC to be “a healthy, effective learning organization that is delivering high caliber, needed programs and services to its clients and community”.

In addition to meeting all mandatory standards of practice the Centre received recognition for innovation and excellence in five key areas: leadership and planning; creating a healthy workplace; accessibility; assessment and work with students in all disciplines.

The staff of the Centre under the leadership of Dr. Glenn Bartlett, Executive Director, are to be commended for the tremendous effort which they put into the accreditation process in the words of Dr. Michael Hoare, Board Chair. Congratulations to all involved are most deserved.

14 LHINs + Enhanced Collaboration = New LHIN Collaborative (LHINC)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:11 -0400

The LHIN Collaborative (LHINC) is a new LHIN-led provincial organization intended to support the LHIN mandate and transformation of the broader health system.

The LHINC encompasses all LHINs and provincial health service provider associations. In this new collaborative structure, LHINs and provincial associations will work together to promote integration and implementation of provincial strategies.

October 2008 KPMG Report MOHLTC-LHIN Effectiveness Review - Download

The structure responds to a key recommendation in the October 2008 KPMG Report MOHLTC-LHIN Effectiveness Review which stated that a framework should be developed to clearly identify which of the two bodies has decision-making authority over processes and function, and an understanding of their shared authority over certain decisions.

LHINC was formed to strengthen relationships between and among health service providers, associations and the LHINs, and to support the LHINs in:

Fostering engagement of the health service provider community in support of collaborative and successful integration of the health care system;
Their role as system manager;
Where appropriate, the consistent implementation of provincial strategy and initiatives;
The identification and dissemination of best practices.

“As an organization who works collaboratively with Ontario’s 13 other LHINs, the North East LHIN is very pleased to welcome and support the valuable work of the LHINC,” says Peter Vaudry, Interim Chair of the NE LHIN Board of Directors. “The LHINC’s spirit and intent – in building on previous work and anticipating the future – can only help citizens in our region and elsewhere as we collaboratively pursue our province-wide quest for health care system enhancement.”

LHINC will be led by a council whose role will be to set priorities for the organization and to recruit and monitor the performance of the executive director. Council membership will include LHIN management, members of provincial associations within the LHIN mandate, as well as representation from public health and primary care.

Recruitment of the LHINC Leader and Council is underway.

CCIM scope expands at sector and project levels

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:09 -0400

CCIM extends Business Systems software to Small and Chronic Care Hospitals

The CCIM program, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance-BPS Supply Chain Secretariat, would like to offer financial/statistical, materials management and human resources/ payroll software solutions, at no cost during the implementation period, to approximately 25 small and chronic care hospitals across Ontario.

The software solutions will meet CCIM’s objective to provide organizations with business systems that will enable standardized reporting to help achieve an integrated, cost effective and efficient care system that provides timely access to services and performance metrics.

The benefits of this software include:

A universally accepted and reliable tool to facilitate the collection and reporting of financial/statistical, materials management and human resources/payroll data
Improved operating efficiencies due to standardization and economies of scale
The ability to establish consistent human resources/payroll processes
A materials management system that introduces tools and automated processes resulting in improved back-office practices

CCIM will introduce the software solutions to approximately 25 small and chronic care hospitals by the end of August 2009, with implementation completed by March 31, 2010. Currently, seven hospitals are actively participating in the pilot phase of this project.

If you are interested in participating in this initiative and meet the following criteria, CCIM is interested in talking to you.

Have less than 100 patient beds
Successfully completed the OHRS/MIS training
Successfully submitted a Trial Balance; and
Can demonstrate the ability to implement the software within the agreed timeframe (financial/statistical and materials management by December 2009; human resources/payroll by March 31, 2010).

To participate in this exciting new initiative, contact the support centre at SCCH.MOH@ontario.ca for further information.

We look forward to hearing from you!

CCIM announces three new business systems projects, an integrated assessment project and an integrated data strategy to further positively transform health care delivery in Ontario’s Community Care sectors.

Small and Chronic Care Hospitals
Two business systems projects are being initiated for Small and Chronic Care Hospitals (SCCH). These include facilities with less than 100 patient beds or that provide continuing, medically complex and specialized services to patients with long-term illnesses or disabilities (see sidebar).

Community Health Centres
This project aims to assist Community Health Centres (CHCs) meet their financial and management accountability requirements as non-profit organizations providing primary health and health promotion programs for individuals, families and communities.

This Business Systems-focused project will introduce financial and statistical reporting standards, as well as MIS-compliant software in a phased approach. Phase 1 will include developing and implementing financial and statistical reporting standards within 70 CHCs. Phase 2 will include a gap analysis to determine a software solution and then an RFP process to select the appropriate vendor and software solution.

Integrated Assessment
Within the CCIM Common Assessment stream, an Integrated Assessment solution is being created, which will allow health care professionals to see community-based assessment data to help inform the treatment planning for people in their care.

Plans are being made to begin a pilot in two or three volunteer Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) this summer, prior to a provincial rollout.

The pilot will test the use of shared assessment data to facilitate increased collaboration between providers, such as community mental health, CCACs and primary care.

Integrated Data Strategy
This initiative builds on the past and present work being done in the Business Systems and Common Assessment project streams regarding the implementation of standardized data, tools and processes across the Community Care sectors. Currently, information is being reported individually by these streams to reflect the sectors’ clinical, financial and HR information. The Integrated Data Strategy aims to combine this information to more clearly demonstrate the relationship between needs, services, outcomes and cost.

This initiative will define how the Ontario Healthcare Reporting Standards/Management Information Systems (OHRS/MIS), HRIS and Assessments data can be leveraged effectively in an integrated way across the community care sector to better inform decision makers and improve health care delivery.

Click here to enlarge chart

CCIM helps LHINs improve information flow for better delivery of care

Information efficiencies that Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) can expect from implementing the CCIM common assessment tools, business systems solutions and the initiatives regarding integrated assessment and data are the focus of this issue of CONNECTIONS.

For example, CCIM’s systems and processes lead to:

Standardized, shareable and reusable information to support existing LHIN processes and systems
Automated data submission and reporting processes to help identify trends, demonstrate service efficiencies and measure best practices in their business operations and policies
Common language that facilitates information sharing between HSPs, consumers and other organizations in the sector and the LHINs

You’ll find examples of information efficiencies in this issue’s articles. Please contact us for further details at 1-416-314-7365 /1-866-909-5600 or by email to CCIMSupport.moh@ontario.ca.