Be Aware Health Care | February 6th, 2024

What In The North America is A Primary Health Team?

Lately, and for sure in the future, you’ll be hearing a lot about “Primary Health Teams”, but you also might be asking the following:

“What in the world is a primary health team?”

“How does it help me?”

Primary health care teams in Ontario are interprofessional groups providing comprehensive care, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, social workers, and pharmacists. The model aligns with the Patient Medical Home concept, emphasizing accessible, patient-centered care. Family Health Teams (FHTs), Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (NPLCs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) represent diverse primary care models. The goal is to offer holistic care, meeting physical, social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual well-being. Digitization and integration of health records are essential for efficient and patient-centric care.

Key Benefits:

1.  Comprehensive Care: Teams include various health professionals for holistic patient care.

2.  Patient-Centered: Emphasis on patient needs, accessible care throughout life stages.

3. Cost-Effective: Robust primary care reduces overall healthcare costs and hospitalization.

4.  Evidence-Based: Aligned with evidence showing better outcomes with strong primary care.

5.  Preventive Focus: Health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease management.

6.  Community-Centric: Models like CHCs strengthen communities, fostering self-help and education.

7.   Interprofessional Collaboration: Collaboration between healthcare providers for integrated care.

8.  Digital Transformation: Urgency for digitizing health records for better coordination and efficiency

In this week’s email:

Ontario:

1. Ontario’s Freeze on Ozempic Access

2. $110 Million: Let’s Get You Care

3. Arming Long Term Care

4. Losing Medical Licenses: Ontario Anti-Vaxx Doctors

Canada 🇨🇦

1. Invasive Strep Infection Across Canada

2. Backlash Brews in Alberta | Gender Affirming Restrictions

3. Canada Healthcare Relying on Fax Machines?!

Ontario News

Ontario’s Freeze on Ozempic Access

The Ontario government is limiting access to the drug Ozempic, used for weight loss, under the province-funded program. As of Wednesday, only people with Type 2 diabetes will have coverage for Ozempic under the Ontario Drug Benefit program, aiming to conserve the drug supply for those who need it the most. The move follows shortages due to high demand for the drug for weight loss. Ozempic, a weekly injection known as semaglutide, helps lower blood sugar levels and belongs to the class of drugs called GLP1s. The change means patients seeking the drug must meet clinical criteria, impacting those using it for weight loss.

$110 Million: Let’s Get You Care

The Ontario government is allocating $110 million to connect approximately 328,000 people to primary care teams, taking a step closer to ensuring everyone in the province has access to primary care. This move follows the province's current standing as a leader in Canada, with 90% of people connected to a regular health care provider. The investment includes $90 million to add over 400 new primary care providers and expand interprofessional primary care teams. The goal is to connect up to 98% of Ontarians to primary care in the coming years. Interprofessional teams include various health professionals, providing comprehensive and timely care.

Arming Long Term Care

The Ontario government is investing over $100 million in two programs to train 32,000 new personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses for long-term care over three years. The Preceptor Resource and Education Program for Long-Term Care (PREP LTC) will receive $94.5 million to extend the program, training new preceptors and supporting 31,000 clinical placements by 2027. An additional $11 million will expand the Living Classrooms program, doubling the number of classrooms and training up to 1,300 new PSWs by 2026. These initiatives are part of the government's strategy to recruit and retain long-term care staff, ensuring high-quality care for residents.

Losing Medical Licenses: Ontario Anti-Vaxx Doctors

Two anti-vaxx doctors in Ontario face significant sanctions from their governing body. Dr. Mark Trozzi has lost his license, found guilty of professional misconduct for promoting baseless conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccines. Dr. Crystal Luchkiw, another anti-restriction advocate, faces a six-month suspension and a potential license revocation for not cooperating with investigations and prescribing ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. Trozzi, deemed "ungovernable," must pay $95,000 in hearing costs and plans to appeal. Luchkiw, suspended since March 2022, may face license revocation if she continues to resist cooperation. She has reportedly started a private wellness center.

Canada as a Whole 🇨🇦

Invasive Strep Infection Across Canada

Canada is experiencing a surge in dangerous invasive group A strep (iGAS) infections, with a potential rate of 12 cases per 100,000 people. iGAS, a fast-moving bacterial infection, has resulted in numerous deaths, including children. Symptoms include redness, pain, fever, and severe illness. Prompt medical attention is crucial for symptoms like mental confusion, difficulty breathing, chest pains, nausea, light-headedness, and low blood pressure. Testing and treating strep throat are advised, though there's no public test for iGAS. Treatment involves high-dose intravenous antibiotics, and severe cases may require surgery. Those with weakened immune systems, especially with heart or lung issues, are at higher risk. No vaccine for strep A exists, but getting flu, COVID-19, and chickenpox vaccines is recommended to reduce iGAS risk.

Backlash Brews in Alberta | Gender Affirming Restrictions

The Alberta government's recent restrictive changes to gender-affirming care, including banning certain treatments for transgender youth, have sparked widespread backlash. Critics argue that these policies violate human rights, are politically motivated, and pose serious risks to the mental health of transgender individuals. Medical experts and organizations are urging a reconsideration, emphasizing the right to appropriate medical care for children and youth. The controversy raises concerns about medical autonomy and the potential for lasting negative health impacts on transgender individuals in Alberta.

Canada Healthcare Relying on Fax Machines?!

Canada's Public Policy Forum recommends digitizing health records by 2028, criticizing the outdated use of fax machines. Critics stress the inefficiency of fax communication, with doctors expressing frustration over its unreliability, especially in specialist consultations. Despite federal funding, only a few provinces have embraced digital records. The initiative is seen as crucial for modernizing the healthcare system, improving care, reducing wait times, and enhancing patient-physician relationships. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew emphasizes the need for technological advancements for staff retention and recruitment.

Read Full Articles Here:

1. What In The North America is A Primary Health Team?: https://www.afhto.ca/what-are-primary-health-care-teams#:~:text=Primary%20health%20care%20teams%20are,that%20provide%20comprehensive%20primary%20care.

2. Ontario’s Freeze on Ozempic Access: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ozempic-ontario-drug-access-changes-1.7100352

3. $110 Million: Let’s Get You Care: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004143/ontario-connecting-over-300000-people-to-primary-care-teams

4. Arming Long Term Care: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004135/ontario-training-thousands-of-new-long-term-care-staff

5. Losing Medical Licenses: Ontario Anti-Vaxx Doctors: https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/mandel-ontario-doc-loses-licence-for-anti-vaxx-disinformation

6. Invasive Strep Infection Across Canada: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/invasive-group-a-strep-what-you-need-to-know-1.7101638#:~:text=Group%20A%20strep%20bacteria%20in,husband%20died%20of%20strep%20A

7. Backlash Brews in Alberta | Gender Affirming Restrictions: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/medical-groups-alberta-government-gender-affirming-care-policies-1.7103099

8. Canada Healthcare Relying on Fax Machines?!: https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2024/01/30/report-highlights-desperate-need-for-canada-to-modernize-current-health-records-system/