October 27, 2022

In this issue

• Connect Care Launch 5 scheduled for November 6

• HQCA opens call for applications for 2023 Patient Experience Awards

• $1 million in funding will expand targeted services available through PFSP

• Updated breast cancer screening clinical practice guidelines released in Alberta

• ACTT training now available to access through Learn@AMA!

• News from ACFP:

  • Let's meet on Thursdays!

  • Doc Blog - "Medicine for the Gender Spectrum" by Dr. Charissa Ho

• Making responsible investing the norm

• Survey Corner:  

  • Have patients with advanced/decompensated/non-curative lung, heart, liver and kidney disease or solid organ cancers? 

  • Awareness and perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in primary care

Connect Care Launch 5 scheduled for November 6

The Connect Care Launch 5, scheduled for November 6 affects sites in Calgary and Central Zone. Make sure you use your Connect Care identifiers on your requisitions to continue to receive laboratory and diagnostic imaging results to your community clinic without disruption.

Community providers will receive clinical documentation from Connect Care via their electronic medical record, mail and/or fax. Providers who work both within Alberta Health Services and in a community or private practice (mixed-context providers), may need to manage some unique information flows that relate to clinical documentation and results delivery.

For more detailed information, please refer to: What community providers need to know for Connect Care Launch 5 (albertahealthservices.ca)

HQCA opens call for applications for 2023 Patient Experience Awards

The Health Quality Council of Alberta is accepting applications until November 25 for its annual awards program.

The Patient Experience Awards celebrate up to four initiatives or programs annually. Any team in Alberta involved in designing and implementing an initiative that promotes a positive patient experience in accessing or receiving health care services can apply or be nominated. The initiatives that will be considered must have resulted in a positive impact on the patient experience.

Applications for the 2023 awards are accepted online, and close November 25. 

HQCA is a provincial agency that brings together patients, families and partners from across health care and academia to inspire improvement in patient safety, person-centred care, and health service quality.

$1 million in funding will expand targeted services available through PFSP

The AMA is pleased to announce the receipt of $1 million in funding over six years from the Physician Wellness+ Initiative, a partnership of the Canadian Medical Association, Scotiabank and MD Financial Management (the Affinity collaboration). This funding will be used to develop programs and services through the Physician and Family Support Program that addresses the health and wellness needs of our members. PFSP is fully funded by Alberta Health and provides confidential support and resources for member physicians, residents and medical learners.

“Now more than ever we need to have access to the right tools and resources at the right time,” says Dr. Alika Lafontaine, CMA President. “We’re proud to support and enhance the services available through the Physician and Family Support Program.”

This contribution is part of a broader 10-year, $115-million commitment from Scotiabank, MD and the CMA to support the medical profession and advance health in Canada. To date, they have committed over $60 million to this collaboration with funds distributed to organizations best attuned to the needs of physicians. To learn more, please visit md.ca/physicianwellness.

Updated breast cancer screening clinical practice guidelines released in Alberta

The AHS Alberta Breast Cancer Screening Program, on behalf of the Alberta Breast Cancer Screening Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) Committee, is pleased to announce the release of updated breast cancer screening clinical practice guidelines for the province. Updates are based on the latest available evidence and input from many content experts, including family physicians and radiologists.

Most notably, the recommended age for biennial screening for average risk women has been lowered from 50 to 45. Alberta is the first province in Canada to make this change, which will expand the benefits of routine screening to more people. 

ACTT training now available to access through Learn@AMA!

We are excited to announce that all current training offerings from the Accelerating Change Transformation Team (ACTT) are now available on the Learn@AMA platform!

Learn@AMA is the Alberta Medical Association’s on-demand learning platform for current and future training. ACTT’s training offerings focus on supporting health care system transformation priorities. Key audiences include physicians, clinics, primary care networks (PCNs) and other health care system stakeholders.

There is training available for different needs and roles with more curriculums continuing to be added. Take a look at what’s available and register for anything that fits your needs. To get started learners require a Learn@AMA account.

News from ACFP

Let’s meet on Thursdays!

Thursday nights are now home to two of the ACFP’s popular webinar series — the Collaborative Mentorship Network Virtual Collaboration Forums and the ACFP Virtual Education Series. Partake in quality CPD on sought-after topics including: chronic pain, quality improvement, addiction, billing codes, harm reduction and more.

To register and learn more about the upcoming schedule, visit ACFP Webinars.

Doc Blog - “Medicine for the Gender Spectrum” by Dr. Charissa Ho
 

“For most of us, there was very little (if any) exposure to transgender medicine or people who identify as gender diverse during our training. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to locum for Dr. James Makokis.”

Read the latest blog from the ACFP’s First Five Years in Family Practice Committee on “Medicine for the Gender Spectrum”. 

Making responsible investing the norm

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Survey Corner

Health care partners and other organizations often seek physician feedback through surveys. This month, the following is available for your consideration:

Awareness and perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence in primary care

This study aims to determine clinical awareness of AI and AI-based health care solutions, as well as characterize primary care providers’ perspectives on potential AI applications in practice. You need not have prior knowledge of AI to participate. The survey should take approximately five minutes to complete and is conducted anonymously. 

Have patients with advanced/decompensated/non-curative lung, heart, liver and kidney disease or solid organ cancers?
University of Alberta researchers are seeking providers to test One:carepath’s shared care plan template with at least three complex patients over a four-to-six-month period using one of four EMRs (MedAccess, PS Suite, Healthquest or Accuro). One:carepath is a patient-first, disease-inclusive approach to integrating supportive care in the Patient’s Medical Home, through careful attention to symptom management, determining patient’s values and preferences for care, and timely transitions to a more conservative approach to care. Contact Lynn Toon or Kirby Scott to participate.

Editor's note: "Survey Corner" presents survey requests received and reviewed by the AMA, that may be of interest to our members. We will publish new opportunities as we receive them.

Reminders

Membership renewal
If you have not yet renewed your AMA membership, you may do so on the AMA website. 

Call for nominations: Zonal/Regional RF Delegates

Deadline for responding is Nov. 4 See the AMA website for details.

Social media training

The AMA is offering its members training in social media:
 

Social Media 201

November 22
5:30-6:30 p.m.
 

View all upcoming events on the AMA website.

Have an event you'd like to promote?

Review our criteria and submit your event.

Recognition Roundup

Below are special dates deserving recognition:

October awareness:

- Canadian Patient Safety Week Oct 24-28

- Canadian Intensive Care Week Oct 27-30

November awareness:

- Lung Cancer 

- Movember

Recommend a special date.

Last issue's top story

- Bank of Canada raises interest rate: job's not done, more to come.

In the October 27
MD Scope Classifieds
you'll find listings for:
 

- Physicians wanted

- Locums wanted

- For sale
- Services

More from the AMA

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