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From the Primary Care Alliance
As we head into the summer months I want to wish you, your family, and loved ones a fantastic season.
If at all possible, take some time to experience our beautiful province, spend time with family and friends, or just do what relaxes and invigorates you; I really urge you to do that in the next couple of months.
Use this time to renew your energy for a return to the busy nature of the fall.
This publication will be on hiatus for July and August, returning in September.
Please enjoy your summer!
Take care.
Dr. Brad Bahler
Chair
Primary Care Alliance
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Do you have an up-to-date Privacy Impact Assessment?
Get yours now!
To participate in CII/CPAR (Community Information Integration & Central Patient Attachment Registry) and qualify for the CII/CPAR Acceleration Grant, a community-based clinic must have an up-to-date Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) that reflects the clinic’s current EMR and privacy policies.
A limited-time-offer on reduced rates for PIAs expires on September 30, 2023. It is an ideal time to submit your CII/CPAR Confirmation of Participation form to eHealth and, if required, update your clinic PIA, at a discounted rate.
Note: These consultants and companies are not endorsed or vetted by the AMA.
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New sessions available for PCN Governance Training – Essentials
Enrol today!
The Acclerating Change Transformation Team (ACTT) is excited to share that new sessions have been added for PCN Governance Training – Essentials. If you are new to PCN Governance, this curriculum is for you! This training is targeted to members of the physician not-for-profit board, joint governance committee, PCN non-profit boards, PCN executive directors and any individuals who provide direct support to PCN boards/governance committees. The available session dates include three options in September and two in October. This 2-credit-per-hour Group Learning Program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for up to 12 Mainpro+ credits. For more information or to enrol, visit the website.
In addition there is an online only option available for those simply interested in learning more about PCN Governance.
Questions: learn@albertadoctors.org.
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Volunteers needed for incoming medical student shadowing program
The Alberta College of Family Physicians Incoming Medical Student Shadowing Program is seeking additional family physician volunteers to support the many student applications flooding in! Help provide an authentic family practice experience in either a rural or urban setting.
Fill out the brief survey to volunteer this August as a 2023 Shadowing Program mentor!
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Heart of Family Medicine moment: Dr. Annalee Coakley
Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic
Earlier this month, the Alberta College of Family Physicians visited Dr. Coakley at the Mosaic Refugee Health Clinic to capture the incredible work the clinic does to support refugees in need and how family medicine is at the heart of building trusted relationships they can count on. |
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Family Caregivers - the backbone of the healthcare system - need support
One in four Albertans is a family caregiver. Their work includes medical care, functional and financial supports, social connections, dignity, and well-being of the Albertans they care for. While they see caregiving as a normative course of life, their stress is exponentially increasing with significant deterioration of their physical and mental health. In University of Alberta research, physicians saw Family Caregivers as partners in care and were highly interested in education to enhance their knowledge, skills, and approach to supporting the family caregivers of their patients.
The Caregiver-Centered Care Applied Program of Research in Family Caregivers in the Department of Family Medicine at the U of A is offering training sessions on person-centered care for family caregivers. The competency-based education modules are free online and each module takes 45-60 minutes to complete.
Foundational Education for all health providers.
Advanced Education for health providers who interact frequently with family caregivers.
Lung Cancer Screening Program Expanding
Eligible Albertans aged 50 to 74 who currently smoke or previously smoked can get screened for lung cancer through a two-year pilot project. The Alberta Lung Cancer Screening Program (ALCSP) is offering low-dose CT scans to approximately 3,000 at-risk individuals. The pilot will inform further implementation of a province-wide program. Regular screening of high-risk asymptomatic individuals can lower the risk of dying from lung cancer by almost 25%.
The project is now offered through clinics in six Primary Care Networks (PCNs) – Mosaic, Calgary West Central, Highland, Edmonton O-day’min, Edmonton Southside, and Grande Prairie.
Refer eligible patients using the ALCSP Smart Referral Form.
Cigarette smoking is the cause of 8 out of 10 cases of lung cancer. Talk with your patients about options available to help them quit. Individuals referred to the program will have access to enhanced tobacco cessation support.
Visit screeningforlife.ca/lung to learn more.
New patient appointment booking brochures available for community providers
DynaLIFE’s new patient appointment booking brochure is now available to all community providers. It provides instructions and step-by-step guidance for patients to navigate the appointment booking processes online and/or over the phone.
Community providers can now order these brochures for their clinics through DynaLIFE’s supply ordering portal under FORM#ISI002, at no cost, and they will be sent out like any other in-clinic medical supply order. Need help? Contact DynaLIFE’s Material Management team at (587) 686-3454 or email: supply.order@dynalife.ca.
If there are questions about the information in the brochure, please email Karli Butler.
Cancer Care Alberta’s new website for community and primary care providers
In collaboration with Primary Care, Cancer Care Alberta (CCA) recently developed a new cancer website with comprehensive information to support community and primary care providers who provide care to patients across the entire continuum of cancer care. The website links to important resources in the areas of:
- Cancer prevention and screening
- Cancer diagnostic work-up and referral
- Supporting patients during their cancer treatment(s)
- After cancer treatment surveillance and management of well-patients
- Advanced cancer, palliative and end-of-life care
- Cancer supportive care and wellness
Visit the website. CCA will continue to build and develop areas of this website. If you are interested in contributing to this work, or have questions or feedback, email ccawebsitefeedback@ahs.ca.
Taking account of financial strain in healthcare
If you’re working to improve efficiencies by addressing social determinants of health in treatment plans and with community partners, check out this this story about the Reducing the Impact of Financial Strain project. You’ll read about Dr. Joseph Ojedokun and Lacey Smoole of the McLeod River PCN about their team-based approach to holistic care. Questions: PHC@AHS.ca.
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