Be Aware Health Care | May 23rd, 2023

Ready. Set. Apply! Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant

Are you interested in joining and working in Ontario’s healthcare community? Do you know someone who might be? Ontario’s new school grant may help.

Applications have opened for Ontario's Learn and Stay Grant, which provides full funding for tuition, books, and other costs for students enrolling in eligible nursing, paramedic, or medical laboratory technologist programs. In return, students agree to work in underserviced communities after graduation. The program aims to address the shortage of healthcare workers in communities across the province. The grant is seen as a win-win, offering students world-class training while boosting healthcare facilities in areas that need it most. Applications are now being accepted for the 2023-24 academic year, and more information can be found on the Ontario government's website.

Resources:

1. Overview, Eligibility, and Application

2. Additional OSAP Application

In today’s email:

Ontario

• Community Health Centre: Bridging Gaps in Primary Care

• Hospital Professionals Fight Against Health Care Privatization

• Grey Bruce Gears Up for Community Referendum 

• New Health Care Retention Strategy | Positive Feedback

Canada 🇨🇦

• Revolutionary EZResus App: Transforming Patient Care on Earth and in Space

• Waffle Maker Recall In Canada & U.S. | Burn Hazard

• StatCan | COVID-19 Disruptions Lead to Sharp Drop in New Cancer Diagnoses

Ontario

Community Health Centre: Bridging Gaps in Primary Care

Centretown Community Health Centre in Ottawa is providing comprehensive care to a diverse range of patients, including the unhoused, seniors, and families without family doctors. As a community health centre (CHC), it offers collaborative and location-based access to family physicians along with other health professionals like nurses, social workers, and dietitians. The CHC model aims to address the gaps in primary care by offering a range of services under one roof. Centretown CHC, established in 1969, serves complex clients who may be turned away by doctors with limited appointment times. It also provides gender-affirming care for transgender individuals.

One notable aspect of Centretown's model is its staffing approach. Unlike traditional family practices, where doctors function as small business owners, Centretown operates as a not-for-profit organization. The physicians and nurse practitioners are employees, enjoying the stability of salaries, pensions, and benefits. This structure has facilitated recruitment, as the clinic has not encountered difficulties in filling positions.

While Centretown Community Health Centre serves as a successful model of collaborative and comprehensive care, primary care offices across Canada are grappling with capacity issues. Advocates are urging ministries of health to focus on expanding team-based healthcare to meet the growing demand for primary care services.

Hospital Professionals Fight Against Health Care Privatization

Hospital professionals in Barrie and Kingston organized protests to oppose the impact of Bill 60, a healthcare privatization bill passed by the Ford government. The bill will lead to the privatization of surgical and diagnostic services, diverting funding and staff from public hospitals. Demonstrations held by OPSEU/SEFPO Local 4106 and Local 346 aimed to raise awareness of the negative consequences of privatization and the staffing crisis in public hospitals. Hospital professionals are urging the government to address the crisis by providing funding for more staff in Ontario's public healthcare system.

Grey Bruce Gears Up for Community Referendum

Next weekend, polling stations will be established in various locations across Grey Bruce for the Ontario Health Coalition's community referendum on healthcare. This referendum, organized by citizens, aims to gauge public opinion on healthcare privatization in response to the passing of Bill 60, also known as the Your Health Act, by the Ford government. Voting options will be available online and in-person on May 26 and 27 in several communities, including Owen Sound, Kincardine, Walkerton, Port Elgin, Southampton, and Sauble Beach.

Find your nearest polling station or vote online here!

New Health Care Retention Strategy | Positive Feedback

Ontario's new health care retention strategy, including the "Learn and Stay Grant," has been well-received by Northern EMS and universities in the region. The grant program aims to address the shortage of critical health care workers by offering full funding for tuition, books, and supplies to first-year students in nursing, paramedic, and medical laboratory technologist programs.

In exchange, students agree to work in underserviced communities for two years after graduation. The initiative aims to encourage students to study and live locally, ultimately helping to meet the health care needs of northern, rural, and remote areas. Nipissing University and EMS officials express optimism about the program's potential to attract and retain health care professionals in their communities. The grant application process is now open, and over half of the available spaces have already been filled.

Canada 🇨🇦

Revolutionary EZResus App: Transforming Patient Care on Earth and in Space

The EZResus app, created by Dr. Frédéric Lemaire, an emergency physician from Charles-Lemoyne Hospital in Montreal, is a finalist in the Canadian Space Agency's Deep Space Healthcare Challenge. This app streamlines the critical first hour of resuscitation by providing all necessary tools and information in one place. With over 5,000 users worldwide, winning the competition would allow the app to improve patient care beyond Earth and potentially aid astronauts on their journey to Mars. The app has received funding from the hospital foundation and has garnered significant recognition for its innovative approach to healthcare.

Waffle Maker Recall In Canada & U.S. | Burn Hazard

Health Canada has issued a recall for the 5-inch PowerXL Stuffed Wafflizer Waffle Maker due to a burn hazard. The recall was prompted by reports of hot pieces of waffle or stuffing being expelled from the waffle maker during use, posing a risk of burns to consumers.

Over 350,000 units were sold in the U.S., while 777 units were sold in Canada. Empower Brands, the company behind the product, has received 44 incident reports, including 34 burn injuries in the U.S. So far, no injuries have been reported in Canada. Affected customers are advised to stop using the waffle maker and can contact Empower Brands for a free latch adaptor part and repair instructions. The affected units were sold in Canada from July 2021 to October 2022.

StatCan | COVID-19 Disruptions Lead to Sharp Drop in New Cancer Diagnoses

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decrease in new cancer diagnoses in Canada during 2020. Statistics Canada (StatCan) reported a more than 12% decline in cancer incidence rates compared to the previous years. The disruption of healthcare services, including screening and appointments, likely resulted in many undiagnosed cases. Common cancers such as breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal showed notable decreases. However, certain cancers, including throat and anal cancer, experienced increased incidence rates. The data emphasizes the need to address underdiagnosis concerns caused by pandemic-related healthcare challenges.

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