Alliance Conference: Co-designing the Future of Primary Health Care - June 5 &amp; 6, 2024

Update: all the rooms on our block have been booked in both Sheraton and Best Western. We will keep you posted if any more rooms are available in these hotels or other hotels in proximity.

Book your accommodations directly with the hotel, choosing from the two options below. Please note both properties are connected to one another:

- Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites for $229 CAD per night
- Best Western Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites for $195 CAD per night

The preferred group room rate is $229 CAD per night, plus applicable taxes. The cut-off date for the group rate is Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The rate is not guaranteed after this date. The hotels' cancellation policies are on their website.

If you have any questions, please contact conference@allianceon.org.

Cancellation policy:

Cancellations must be received in writing before May 1, 2024, at 5 PM, and are subject to a 25% cancellation fee
No refund of payment will be given for cancellations received after May 1, 2024, at 5 PM
Registrants have the option to transfer their registration to another individual, provided that written notification of the transfer is sent to conference@allianceon.org in a reasonable amount of time before the start of the conference. Please note that on-site badge changes and printing are subject to a $100 fee.

Conference Structure and Program Outline

The Conference is a declaration of our commitment to building the foundation of our healthcare system together. It’s a call to look with clear eyes at the challenges and opportunities of the present, learn from the lessons of the past, and work bravely together as we prepare for what lies ahead.

Co-designing the Future of Primary Health Care will take place across two days. On Day 1, we will gather over breakfast, and an inspiring keynote address will establish our shared context and intentions. Over lunch on Day 2, another keynote address will send us off with hope and purpose. Two additional plenaries will feature expert panels, each examining one of our key themes from multiple perspectives. Dozens of peer-reviewed and curated learning sessions and posters will provide insight into practice-based learning and research that's ready for implementation, scale, and spread. An exhibit hall and networking breaks will provide ample opportunity for conference participants to build, strengthen, and renew connections across Ontario and beyond.

At our annual Transformational Change Awards Gala, on the evening of Day 1, we will recognize and celebrate some of our sector's brightest lights, people and organizations whose work is helping us achieve the best possible health and wellbeing for everyone in Ontario

Leaders from our sector will gather one day early for a pre-conference day, which will culminate in our Annual General Meeting and welcome reception.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024:

7:30 AM	8:30 AM	Exhibit Hall/Breakfast Buffet
8:30 AM	09:05 AM	Welcome and introductions
9:05 AM	10:25 AM	Plenary Session 1:Exploring Indigenous Health in relation to Environment
10:25 AM	11:00 AM	Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break
11:00 AM	12:00 PM	Morning Learning Sessions
12:00 PM	1:00 PM	Lunch and Exhibition Hall
1:00 PM	2:15 PM	Plenary Session 2: Futurist Perspectives on Health, Mental Health and AI
2:15 PM	2:30 PM	Awards Presentation
2:30 PM	3:00 PM	Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break
3:00 PM	4:00 PM	Afternoon Learning Sessions
4:00 PM	4:45 PM	Networking & Free time
4:45 PM	9:30 PM	Transformative Change Awards Gala

Thursday, June 6, 2024:

7:30 AM	8:30 AM	Exhibition Hall / Breakfast
8:30 AM	9:45 AM	Plenary Session 3:Impact of Climate Change on Equity-Deserving Communities
9:45 AM	10:00 AM	Awards Presentation
10:00 AM	10:30 AM	Poster Board Reception & Exhibitor Break
10:30 AM	11:30 AM	Morning Learning Sessions
11:30 AM	12:30 PM	Lunch & Exhibit Hall
12:30 PM	1:30 PM	Afternoon Learning Sessions
1:30 PM	2:55 PM	Plenary Session 4:Role of Community in Integrated Care
2:55 PM	3:10 PM	Closing and Door Prizes

Pricing Table:

	Early Bird (before April 26)			Regular Price (after April 26)			On-site
	2-day registration	2-day registration + Gala Ticket	1-day registration	2-day registration	2-day registration + Gala Ticket	1-day registration	2-day registration	2-day registration + Gala Ticket	1-day registration
Alliance Members	$515	$600	$420	$635	$720	$420	$755	$840	$540
CHEB Members	$572	$648	$486	$680	$756	$486	$875	$960	$660
Students	$300	$420	$150	$300	$420	$150	$875	$960	$660
Non members	$635	$720	$540	$755	$840	$540	$875	$960	$660

Individual Award Gala tickets cost $120 regardless of registrant type or period.

All prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.

Important:

If you are an Alliance Staff, Volunteer, Award winner, Award selection committee, Plenary Speaker, Presenter, Proposal Reviewer, Board member, Sponsor, or Exhibitor, a coupon code is going to be sent to you. Please use it during the payment step of the registration.

If you haven’t received your coupon code yet, please contact conference@allianceon.org.

The preferential rates for Alliance members, CHEB members, and students are applied automatically.

Theme and Priority Topics

Conference 2024 reflects a shared vision and action-orientation towards strengthening the foundation of our healthcare system. We are taking all the learnings from the past with us into the future. How are we designing and innovating healthcare programs, initiatives, systems, and structures for the future? How can we future-proof our comprehensive primary health care system for communities? At Co-designing the Future of Primary Health Care, we'll explore the health impacts of emerging issues such as AI, climate change, and our changing socio-economic environment. We'll focus on how these issues affect equity-deserving groups and others who experience marginalization and barriers to accessing the social and structural determinants of health. This future-facing conference is designed to offer rich learning experiences equally suited to people who work in primary health care, community and system partners, and policy- and decision-makers.

The priority topics for the Conference are:

Whole-of-community approaches to health and wellbeing.
Tailoring primary health care for the needs of rural, remote, and northern communities.
Advancing meaningful, interprofessional collaboration within primary health care teams
Advancing integration of clinical and social care
Partnering across sectors to build resilient health systems
Going upstream: Supporting the social and structural determinants of health
Digital equity & equitable approaches to virtual care
Data collection, governance, sovereignty and stewardship
Privacy & security / cyber security
Building capacity for community governance
Partnering with clients and communities
Indigenous health in Indigenous hands

Learning Sessions:

The program for Learning Sessions is as follows:

June 5 (Wednesday Morning):

Panel 1: Refugee Health Integrated Care Teams (by Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo)

Description:

The Refugee Health Integrated Care Team (RH ICT) helps refugee patients transition from temporary to permanent primary care, supported by an interdisciplinary team funded by our local Ontario Health Team (KW4 OHT). Goals include transitioning 300 patients in year 1, improving access to community resources, and aiding primary care practices in accepting refugees. Launched in January 2022 during the Omicron wave, the program concluded funding in January 2023, with some components continuing into Spring 2023 through external and in-kind support.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Transition 300 complex-stable refugee patients to permanent non-team-based primary care
Utilize a multi-disciplinary/inter-professional team approach in supporting patients and non-team-based primary care providers

Presenters:

Tara Groves-Taylor	CEO	Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo
Wajma Attayi	Director, Primary Care	Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo
Mayada Abou Warda	Manager, Primary Care	Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo

Workshop 1: Ask Me Anything with Autumn Peltier: Autumn Peltier is an Anishinaabe Indigenous rights advocate from the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. She was named Chief Water Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation in 2019. In 2018, at the age of thirteen, Peltier addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on the issue of water protection.

Workshop 2: Party n Play/ Chemsex: Pleasure, intimacy, mental health, resilience navigating the Zones of chemsex use by gbMSM (by Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance)

Description:

Party n Play (PnP) is a phenomenon of the sexualized use of recreational substances, depressants and stimulants, injecting drug use by gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men. We explore four Zones of Engagement in PnP to assist clinicians and clients in understanding the client’s relationship with PnP.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Demonstrate knowledge of the biopsychosocial context of PnP/Chemsex in the gbMSM community
Practice a harm reduction approach before, during and after to substance use in the context of sex
Develop competencies in the four Zones for cultural humility, cultural safety, and clinical care

Presenters:

Devan Nambiar	Manager of Capacity Building & Talent Development	Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance
Jordan Bond -Gorr	Coordinator PnP & Chemsex Initiatives	Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance

Workshop 3: Advocating for mental wellness through creating culturally safe spaces and building entrepreneurship skills to empower Black Youth (by Rexdale CHC and TAIBU CHC)

Description:

The From School to Success Pipeline Project (FSSP), led by TAIBU Community Health Centre, supports Black youth by providing cultural services, improving their navigation abilities, and confronting anti-black racism. Partnering with organizations like Hamilton Urban Core and Rexdale Community Health Centres, they collaborate with institutions, families, and youth to develop strategies, guided by an external evaluator.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Increased understanding of the importance of culturally safe spaces
Enhanced knowledge of the intersectionality of Black identity, entrepreneurship, and mental wellness
Proficiency in implementing co-designed initiatives for community empowerment

Presenters:

Patience Simbanegavi	Case Manager of SAPACCY Program (Black Health)	Hamilton Urban Core CHC
Cori Blake	Manager, Youth and Family Services	Rexdale CHC
Ronaye Chester	Program Facilitator of L.E.A.R.N/FSSP	TAIBU CHC
Chanelle Perrier-Telemaque	From School to Success Pipeline Project Coordinator	TAIBU CHC

Workshop 4: Primary healthcare and mental health and addiction services for the Francophone population (in French/en Français)

Description:

This learning session will provide an overview of two specific online modules of the active offer training for the primary care and mental health and addiction sectors. It will offer strategies to ensure services that are equitable and culturally adapted for Francophones.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Provide tools for offering services and programs tailored to the Francophone clientele in the fields of primary care and mental health and addiction services.
Explore strategies to ensure an active offer of health services in French.
Implement solutions based on best practices.
Recognition of the importance of French-language health services in both priority areas
Better understanding of the specific needs of the Francophone clientele
Development of specialized services and programs that meet the linguistic and cultural needs of the Francophone clientele
Improvement of communication strategies to effectively engage and serve the Francophone clientele

Presenter:

Sylvie Sylvestre

Community Planning and Engagement Officer

Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l’Ontario

Workshop 5: The PLUG Project: Addressing Disproportionate Suspensions and Expulsions for Black Students (by TAIBU CHC)

Description:

The PLUG Project prioritizes violence prevention and conflict mediation, with a focus on advocating for families. Workshops equip Black and marginalized students with skills like conflict resolution. Specialized parent workshops guide families in navigating children's rights within the school board and addressing anti-Black racism. The project aims to enhance student success through robust family engagement.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Gain insights into the challenges faced by Black students within the education system, including anti-Black racism, and explore strategies to address these issues.
Gain insights into the role of family engagement in the success of the PLUG Project, drawing lessons from case studies that highlight effective collaboration between parents, students, and educators.
Analyze successful case studies of the PLUG Project, exploring how violence prevention and conflict mediation strategies positively impacted student outcomes, especially for Black and marginalized students.

Presenters:

Amna Iqbal	Research and Policy Analyst	TAIBU CHC
Liben Gebremikael	CEO	TAIBU CHC

Spotlight 1: Equity in Health Care and Support for Equity-Deserving Groups (four 10-minute presentations):

Presentation 1-1: Housing is Healthcare: A story of Collective Impact

Description:

Guelph CHC partnered with Kindle Communities and Stonehenge Therapeutic Community on the 10 Shelldale Permanent Supportive Housing Program.  We worked from a collective impact model, where each partner brought their unique skills and contributions to the table to create the biggest impact. We are creating a new model of care for people that integrates health and housing support.

Presenters:

Melissa Kwiatkowski	CEO	Guelph CHC
Kristin Kerr	CEO	Stonehenge Therapeutic Community

Presentation 1-2: Co-design for integrated healthcare for people experiencing homelessness

Description:

A Program Co-Design Table led by regional housing made up of health, housing, and social service providers collaborated to develop an integrated, primary care service for people experiencing homelessness. The co-design process will highlight strategies and tools for effective processes and collaboration, incorporating insights from people with lived experiences and subject matter experts.

Presenters:

Lina Sherazy	Specialist, Housing Innovation and Program Design	Region of Peel
Erin Mifflin		Region of Peel

Presentation 1-3: A Brighter Future for Primary Health Care Access for Seasonal Agricultural Workers

Description:

Quest Community Health Centre’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Health Program (SAWHP) serves seasonal agricultural workers (SAW) in rural Niagara. This presentation will outline the unique experiences of SAWs in accessing health care, the SAWHP model of care and services, how evidence and research support the program, and the lived experiences of the clients SAWHP serves.

Presenters:

Jesslyn Froese	Outreach RN	Quest CHC
Moises Vasquez	Community Health Worker	Quest CHC

Presentation 1-4: Nurse Practitioner and Community Paramedic Collaboration: Serving 70+ unattached seniors in the community

Description:

This presentation will aim to inform the audience about how the nurse practitioner working in a Community Health Centre and Community Paramedic collaborative partnership has been effective in providing primary care to seniors 70+ years old and unattached. Through virtual means, the NP, the CP and the patient communicate and address primary care issues where there is a barrier due to mobility issues, lack of transportation and lack of physical space.

Presenters:

Jocelyn Agravante	Nurse Practitioner	Kingston Community Health Centres
Jeremie Hurtubise	Superintendent of Community Paramedicine and Performance Standards	Frontenac Paramedics

Centre de santé communautaire de l’Estrie

Governance 1: Co-designing Your Government Relations and Advocacy Strategy (by Alliance for Healthier Communities)

Boards of community-governed primary health care organizations have an important role to play in influencing decision-makers and advancing change at the local and provincial levels. Join us for this interactive session that will focus on developing, enhancing and implementing an effective advocacy strategy and building strong relations with elected government officials as well as explore the different ways Boards can get involved. The collaborative session will offer practical tips and resources as well as opportunities for sharing experiences and learnings.

Presenter:

Zakaria Abdulle

Government Relations Lead

Alliance for Healthier Communities

June 5 (Wednesday Afternoon):

Thematic Session 1: Friends of Francophone CHC (en Français / in French)

A learning session on the support and advocacy for sustainability of Francophone (or bilingual) CHCs in Ontario.

Facilitator:

Jean-Louis Tanguay

Board Member

Panel 2: Crystal Clear: The Power of Catalyst - An Innovative, Contingency Management Community for Methamphetamine Recovery (by Street Health Centre-Kingston Community Health Centres, Addictions and Mental Health - Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, and Providence Care)

Description:

People who use crystal methamphetamine are often met with persistent barriers to housing, health care and social services. Join us as we discuss Catalyst, a client-informed, community-building twist on traditional contingency management programs. Catalyst integrates several sectors including nursing, counselling, community support workers, occupational therapy, and stabilization housing.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Learn about traditional contingency management and how expanding on this model with the help of collaborators from various sectors can improve overall health and well-being.
Learn about the roles that each of our collaborators play in delivering client-informed, life-changing programming.
Learn about the successes and challenges in developing and delivering this program.

Presenters:

Meredith Mackenzie	Medical Director	Street Health Centre - Kingston Community Health Centres
Laurie Barkun	Registered Nurse	Street Health Centre - Kingston Community Health Centres
Clark Heath	Community Support Workers	Street Health Centre - Kingston Community Health Centres
Sarah Den Ouden	Community Support Workers	Street Health Centre - Kingston Community Health Centres
Christina Moeys	Addictions Counselor	Addictions and Mental Health - Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington
Meaghan O'Connor	Occupational Therapist	Providence Care

Workshop 6: Co-Design of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Decision Support Tools

This workshop focuses on deriving value from electronic medical record data with artificial intelligence-enabled decision support tools. Participants will learn about an example tool in-development with and for Community Health Centres before moving into interactive activities to work together to identify new tool ideas and key considerations for positive impact.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

To understand the basics of artificial intelligence and decision support tools.
To identify meaningful challenges in primary health care that can be supported through artificial intelligence and electronic medical record-based decision support tools.
To identify challenges and opportunities for integrating decision support tools into everyday practice to support effective, efficient, and equitable care delivery.

Presenters:

Jaky Kueper	Sr. Research Epidemiologist	Scripps Research Translational Institute
Sandra Fitzpatrick	Regional Facilitator, Toronto Diabetes Care Connect	South Riverdale CHC
Dan Lizotte	Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics	Western University

Workshop 7: Artificial Intelligence (AI), primary health care, and privacy - finding the balance (by Kingston CHC, RFLA Allied Health Team, and Alliance for Healthier Communities)

Description:

Behind the doors of a primary health care clinic - a medical scribe solution creates EMR-ready notes, ChatGPT writes sick notes, and an intake questionnaire is generated instantly. These examples of artificial intelligence are forcing us to examine potential privacy issues and to carefully consider AI needs for the future.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Examine the extent to which AI has been already applied in primary health care.
Understand the privacy implications of using AI in primary care service delivery.
Provide guidelines on privacy considerations for the use of AI-based technologies in primary health care.

Presenters:

Jennifer Snyder	Privacy Officer and Digital Health Connector	Kingston CHC, RFLA Allied Health Team
Simeon Kanev	Privacy Officer and Business Lead	Alliance for Healthier Communities

Workshop 8: Building Resilient Healthcare Systems: The Role of Essential Care Partners (by The Ontario Caregiver Organization)

Description:

The Essential Care Partner (ECP) Support Hub supports healthcare organizations to implement and adopt programs and practices that formally identify, support, and include caregivers as part of the care team. This presentation shares insights and strategies in implementing ECP programs and leading practices, offering a blueprint for caregiver-inclusive healthcare culture, and addressing barriers through facilitated discussion.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Understand the evidence that demonstrates the importance of including caregivers as essential care partners in primary care settings, including better care quality, patient outcomes, cultural safety, and improved working conditions for teams.
Learn practical tips and strategies from the Essential Care Partner (ECP) Support Hub that can be applied to promote caregiver inclusion in primary care settings throughout Ontario.
Learn about the barriers caregivers face when accessing services and ways primary care providers can support caregiver well-being through referral pathways alongside the Ontario Caregiver Organization.

Presenters:

Alison Kilbourn	Manager, Essential Care Partner Support Hub	The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Shrid Dhungel	Project Lead, Strategic Partnerships & Innovation	The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Caregiver (TBD)

Indigenous Primary Health Care Council

Workshop 9: Digital Transformation through robotics in Primary Health Care

TBD

Presenter:

Marlon Cole

Director of Information Management & Communication

Spotlight 2: Innovations in Health Care Delivery and Technology (four 10-minute presentations):

Presentation 2-1: PINK DIFFERENT: A Fun and Fresh Idea to Improve Breast Cancer Screening in Vulnerable Women

Description:

Trauma, homelessness, poverty, mental illness, and substance use are barriers for women accessing traditional breast cancer screening. A Community Health Centre (CHC) engaged a hospital to co-host a “Mammogram Party” for vulnerable women. This unique trauma-informed approach successfully engaged five women in breast cancer screening with overwhelmingly positive client evaluations.

Presenters:

Rebekah M. Barrett	Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	Regent Park CHC
Giordana Humphries	Sex Worker Education and Empowerment Program Coordinator	Regent Park CHC

University of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health

Presentation 2-2: Advancing an equitable HIV testing response through updated HIV testing guidelines: the role of community health centres

Description:

In 2020 an estimated 2561 people living with HIV were not aware of their HIV status. Updated HIV testing guidelines can support health care providers in community health centres in reaching those affected by HIV. This session will support uptake of the guidelines and efforts to address HIV in Ontario.

Presenters:

Patrick O'Byrne

Professor & Nurse Practitioner

Presentation 2-3: Partnering with clients and communities to co-design equitable access to smoking cessation and lung cancer screening

Description:

To improve equity in lung cancer care, primary care providers need to provide safe and timely referrals to lung cancer screening for people experiencing stigma and discrimination. The purpose of our study was to promote equitable access to lung cancer screening by co-designing an educational intervention (an e-learning module) that will build knowledge and skills in primary care providers to deliver equity-oriented lung cancer screening.

Presenters:

Dr. Ambreen Sayani	Scientist	Women's College Hospital (WCH)
Howard Freedman	Patient-Partner

Loyalist family health team, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team

Presentation 2-4: Journey mapping of an unattached patient’s primary care visit

Description:

This qualitative study aims to understand the current primary care experience from the unattached community members’ perspective using journey mapping, a co-design and engagement tool. The results are being incorporated into an evidence-based Health Home and Neighborhood model in the FLA OHT region, prioritizing rapid improvement opportunities.

Presenters:

Anna Chavlovski

Family physician, Primary Care Lead

Alliance for Healthier Communities

Governance 2: Navigating the Future: AI Governance Strategies for Organizational Success

Description:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare, and primary care is no exception. With countless AI tools emerging, how can your organization stay ahead of the curve? In this session, we delve into the vital landscape of AI governance and illuminate key considerations for policy development. We will explore the critical governance and safeguards needed to harness the power of AI and thrive in this exciting new era.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Understanding Ethical Challenges with AI
AI Policy Development
Risks and Opportunities to implementing AI solutions

Presenters:

Marc Gordon

Director of Information Management

June 6 (Thursday Morning):

Panel 3: Loose Lips Sink Ships: Collaborating to Steer Interpreters Toward Better PHIPA Compliance (by Somerset West CHC, Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services, and Alliance for Healthier Communities)

Description:

Trust impacts health outcomes. Where we face language barriers, the interpreter is key in fostering that trust relationship. How do we hold interpreters to the same privacy and confidentiality standards expected of providers? This is our co-design journey toward a standardized privacy and confidentiality training module for Community Interpreters.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Implement co-design best practices
Encourage and support better privacy and security adherence of independent contractors;
Influence procurement practices when it comes to privacy and security compliance

Presenters:

Christine Klerian	Program Administrator, Ottawa Language Access	Somerset West CHC
Grace Eagan	Director, Language Services & Digital Strategy	Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services
Simeon Kanev	Privacy Officer and Business Lead	Alliance for Healthier Communities

Workshop 10: Climate Change Workshop (by Mustafa Santiago Ali): TBD

Workshop 11: Maximizing Lived and Living Expertise in Healthcare (by Quest CHC)

Description:

Niagara HELPS is a community partnership between Quest Community Health Centre, Niagara Health and McMaster University. This peer support program employs individuals with lived/living experience who provide support and system navigation for individuals experiencing homelessness who attend the Emergency Departments (ED) at Niagara Health (St. Catharines and Niagara Falls sites).

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

The importance of leveraging lived/living expertise in healthcare
Identifying partnerships that reduce reliance on Emergency Department services
Shifting the focus from “What’s the matter with you?” to “What matters to you?”

Presenters:

Jenny Stranges	Program Director	Quest CHC
Niagara HELPS		Quest CHC

Alliance for Healthier Communities

Workshop 12: Make the Media Work for You: A Best Practices Workshop for Landing Your Messages During Interviews with Journalists (by Alliance for Healthier Communities)

Description:

Following up on the success and interest in the 2022 session "Talking to Journalists about Health Equity", which introduced tips and concepts in health equity-focused media relations to better engage with media, both journalists and assignment editors, this session will expand on the training to truly deliver an excellent interview that puts your quotes at the top of any story. We will be joined by 2-3 leaders from the Alliance sector who will speak to their successes (and near misses) when engaging with the media, and there will be a chance to practice your skills with insight from our team during the session.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Increase knowledge of how to hone and deliver messages to media
Learn do's and don'ts during any interview
Learn advanced strategies for tailoring your message needs to the storyteller

Presenters:

Jason Rehel

Public and media relations specialist

Ontario Medical Association, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto

Workshop 13: Rural, Remote, and Northern Workshop (TBD): TBD

Spotlight 3: Wholistic Well-being and Social Prescribing (four 10-minute presentations):

Presentation 3-1: What Every Clinician Needs to Know About Social Prescribing

Description:

This session tackles challenges Primary Care staff face, like food and housing insecurity, loneliness, and mental health decline. It introduces social prescribing, a concept voted top at the Family Medicine Forum, which shifts focus to patient needs. It explores applying social prescribing in diverse Ontario practice settings, offering practical strategies for addressing social needs in clinical settings.

Presenters:

Dr. Dominik Nowak

President (OMA), Assistant Professor (U of T)

Presentation 3-2:Best Practices and Lessons from the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario

Description:

Quest Community Health Centres experience in maximizing the interdisciplinary teams efforts in measuring health equity by becoming and maintaining a Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) through the implementation of various best practice guidelines including 2SLGBTQI+ Health Equity and Crisis Intervention for Adults Using a Trauma-Informed Approach.

Presenters:

Ailish Westaway	Health Promoter	Quest CHC
Lauren Fischer	Registered Nurse	Quest CHC

McMaster University / University of Toronto

Presentation 3-3: Co-production in social prescribing: A multiple case study in England and three Canadian provinces

Description:

Although social prescribing looks different around the world, there are structural components that are shared, one of them being the concept of co-production. The aim of this research was to understand the role of co-production in social prescribing. A multiple case study was conducted in England and Canada.

Presenters:

Le-Tien Bhaskar

Health Policy PhD Candidate / Research Assistant

Health Science, Simon Fraser University

Presentation 3-4: Understanding the Social Prescribing Needs and Perspectives of Seniors: Results from a Mixed-Methods Study

Description:

This presentation focuses on the role of social prescribing in promoting the wellness of older adults in Canada, leveraging the perspectives of marginalized seniors to ensure that innovative primary and community care initiatives meet their needs.

Presenters:

Kiffer Card

Professor

Governance 3: Board’s Role in Improving Data Collection and Use

Collecting socio-demographic and race-based data is essential to our mission of advancing health equity. It provides evidence we need to advocate for clients and community members serve and tailor service delivery to improve care. Boards have an important role to play in stewarding data collection and use. The session will examine Boards’ role in improving collection and use of sociodemographic and race-based data in their organizations, as well as resources available to support them in this work. The session will offer an opportunity to share practices and procedures members have implemented to improve data collection and use in their organizations.

Presenter:

Jennifer Rayner

Director of Policy and Research

Alliance for Healthier Communities

June 6 (Thursday Afternoon):

Thematic Session 2: Black Health Committee Workshop for Black staff and leaders

This workshop is intended for Black staff and is centered around the Black Health Strategy implementation and execution phase.

Facilitator:

Dr. Akeem Stewart

M. D., Provincial Lead Black Health & Wellness

Durham CHC

Panel 4: Implementation Research for testing the CANRISK Tool Screening for Diabetes among African, Caribbean, and Black Adolescents (by Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, Rexdale CHC, TAIBU CHC, and Black Creek CHC)

Description:

This collaborative study aimed to update the CANRISK questionnaire to more accurately identify African, Caribbean, and Black Canadians aged 18-39 at risk of diabetes, led by PHAC and conducted at four community health centers in Toronto. Challenges in recruiting healthy adolescents and post-diagnosis communication while maintaining PHI principles will be discussed.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

How to advance a meaningful interprofessional collaborative CBR initiative that can integrate clinical and social care to fulfill the gap of a system-level assessment tool (CANRISK)
How EGAP principles and a peer-researcher model are used effectively to strengthen implementation research and innovation activities conducive to Black Health as a part of the focal point
Identify strategies that enable the implementation of community diabetes screening programs, overcome recruitment challenges, and streamline secure communication with clients

Presenters:

Akm Alamgir	Director, Organizational Knowledge & Learning	Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services
Devi Raghunauth	Director, Primary Health Care Services	Rexdale CHC
Amna Iqbal	Research and Policy Analyst	TAIBU CHC
Victor Adarquah	Research Coordinator	Black Creek CHC

Workshop 14: Community Animation & Asset-Based Community Development (by Cormac Russell): TBD

Workshop 15: Nothing About Us Without Us: Patients with Diverse Lived Experience Need to be Part of your Policy Shaping Team

Description:

When people with lived experience (PWLEs) are not included in the decision-making process, in research, and in all other endeavours, it creates an unbalanced approach issues including the failed war on drugs, increased overdose deaths and housing instability, among other issues related to social inequality and marginalization. PWLEs are fundamental partners in co-designing primary health care, and the full participation and equalization of opportunities for PWLEs is necessary for the effective formulation and implementation of strategies to address social issues in Canada.

Panelists with lived experience as patient research partners at the Alliance for Healthier Communities will talk about the value they and other PWLEs bring to the decision-making process and what needs to be in place in order to ensure that your lived-experience partners are properly supported.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

A deeper appreciation of the value of PWLE as decision-making partners An understanding of how to support the full participation of PWLEs in decision-making.

Presenters:

Terrie Meehan	Vice Chair	EPIC Client & Community Research Partners Committee
Kimberly Mitchell		EPIC Client & Community Research Partners Committee
Claire Snelgrove		EPIC Client & Community Research Partners Committee
Madelyn Gold		EPIC Client & Community Research Partners Committee

Workshop 16: Addressing Health Inequities in Action-Population Health Cervical Screening (by WellFort Community Health Services, and Rexdale CHC)

Description:

Leaders within one OHT in Peel, these two CHC's demonstrated a robust collaborative Quality Improvement project focusing on cervical screening. With one of the lowest rates of cervical screening in the province and a highly diverse community with a lack of access to comprehensive primary care, these partners operated improvements focusing both on internal primary care improvements as well as a whole community population health model.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Share successes and challenges of population health focus
Review the importance of being data-driven organizations
Review community-centric practices that support organizational and population health

Presenters:

Kimberley Floyd	CEO	WellFort Community Health Services
Charline Dominguez		WellFort Community Health Services
Flormalyn Suppiah		WellFort Community Health Services

Workshop 17: Legal Problems Harm Health: Learn Legal Help Skills to Improve Health Outcomes (by CLEO - Community Legal Education Ontario, and CALC - Community Advocacy & Legal Centre)

Description:

This workshop introduces two initiatives that build skills to address health-harming legal needs. It explores access to justice as a social determinant of health, including how to identify legal aspects of health problems and how to connect community members to low-barrier legal information and support.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Describe how legal issues can negatively affect health and how legal solutions can improve health outcomes
Understand how collaboration between the health and justice sectors improves health equity and patients’ health outcomes
Identify sources of reliable legal information, accessible legal services, and training to help address health-harming legal needs

Presenters:

Helen Anderson	Director, CLEO Connect	CLEO - Community Legal Education Ontario
Lisa Turik	Lawyer/Executive Director	CALC - Community Advocacy & Legal Centre

Excellence Through Quality Improvement Project (E-QIP)

Spotlight 4: Community-Centered Health Initiatives and Advocacy (four 10-minute presentations):

Presentation 4-1: Building Quality Improvement and Data Capacity within the Community Mental Health and Addiction Sector

Description:

The Roadmap to Wellness, launched in March 2020, is Ontario's plan for mental health and addiction services. It focuses on four pillars: improving quality, expanding services, implementing innovation, and enhancing access. Through E-QIP, MHA providers receive training and support to boost quality improvement efforts and data capacity. This presentation highlights QI activities and lessons learned over eight years, identifying opportunities for future advancements in the MHA sector.

Presenters:

Abel Gebreyesus

QI and Data Coach

Presentation 4-2: The Systems Navigation Access & Partnership (SNAP) Project: Improving the Healthcare Landscape Across Canada

Description:

The Systems Navigation Access & Partnership (SNAP) project initiated by the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC) is supporting CHCs to 1) increase efforts to improve health and social systems navigation access, 2) strengthen Canada’s healthcare landscape, and 3) eliminate health disparities while improving population health outcomes across Canada.

Presenters:

Ayesha Khan	Knowledge Translation Specialist	Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC)
Iwo Effiong	Executive Director	Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC)

Presentation 4-3: Bringing primary care to the doorsteps of those in need

Description:

Durham Community Health Centre’s (DCHC) vision for the Integrated Mobile Primary and Allied Care Team (IMPACT) is to operate seven mobile clinics to serve seven priority neighbourhoods in the Durham region, through both in-person and virtual care. The primary goal of this population-based health service model is to enroll a minimum of 17% of Durham's unattached population (44,000 individuals) with a primary care provider within the next two years.

Presenters:

Ivory Lo	Senior Manager, Integrated Care and Experience	Durham CHC
Alfred Ng	Associate Vice President, Integrated Care and Experience	Durham CHC

Presentation 4-4: Lessons from an AI Tali Transcription journey

Description:

At Centretown CHC in downtown Ottawa, one nurse practitioner and one family doctor, both with diverse comprehensive practices trialled an AI scribe tool. We will discuss our journey with the languages and complexities to help examine where AI can be used in our work

Presenters:

Alison Eyre

MDCM, Family Physician

Centretown CHC

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Governance 4: Boards Legal Responsibilities

Board’s primary role is to steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission. This session will delve into Board’s primary legal responsibilities and typical Board functions as well as explore other considerations, including personal liability of directors and mitigation strategies, to ensure proper oversight and enable the organization to advance its mission.

Presenters:

Ben Fuhrmann

Corporate Lawyer

Poster Board Presentations

This year, we have 12 Poster Board presentations ready in a vast and interesting selection of themes and topics:

Engaging with Everyone Toolkit: Advancing Equity-Focused Patient Partnerships Through Co-Designed Tools (by Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital)

Description:

Equity Mobilizing Partnerships in Community (EMPaCT) is a co-designed innovation that creates opportunities for inclusive patient partnerships and promotes health equity in tangible ways. EMPaCT has co-created the "Engaging with Everyone Toolkit", a collection of virtual tools for project implementers to adapt to their settings to promote inclusive equity-focused patient engagement.

Poster Board objectives and learning outcomes:

The attendees will recall the theory-based process of co-creating the EMPaCT "Engaging with Everyone Toolkit"
The attendees will identify and describe the outputs of the co-designed toolkit within its three sections
The attendees will summarize EMPaCT’s approach to co-evaluating the outcomes and impact of the toolkit in promoting Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Allyship (IDEAA) in patient partnerships

Presenters:

Salva Niwe	Research Student	Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital
Mohaddesa Khawari	Research Assistant	Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital

The Chippewas of Kettle & Stoney Point REACH Quality Improvement Journey (Kettle & Stony Point Health Services)

Description:

In 2021, the Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation initiated the REACH Quality Improvement (QI) Program, a 24-month virtual series of activities led by a community QI Team. Areas for improvement are identified and prioritized, ideas for change are generated, and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles test the ideas.

Poster Board objectives and learning outcomes:

The objective of the session is to share the process and impact of the REACH QI Program in Kettle & Stony Point First Nation. Attendees will learn about Kettle & Stony Point and the REACH quality improvement processes, and hear how the program was received by the community and about its impact.

Presenters:

Carlene Mennen	Community Health Nurse	Kettle & Stony Point Health Services
Lori Monague		Kettle & Stony Point Health Services

Improving Digital and Health Inequalities Faced by Ethnocultural Minorities Through Hybrid Delivery of a Health and Wellness Program for Seniors (by South Riverdale CHC)

Description:

Since January 2023, The South Riverdale Community Health Center, the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, the Eastview Neighborhood Community Center, and other community partners have been working collaboratively to deliver health and wellness workshops for seniors from ethnocultural minorities, predominately Chinese-speaking seniors. This hybrid programming combines in-person and virtual programming, with co-facilitators working simultaneously to ensure participants receive the best support. The program aims to promote physical, mental, social, and emotional health while reducing digital and health inequalities.

Poster Board objectives and learning outcomes:

To gain a better understanding of the digital health program barriers faced by ethnocultural minorities based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To learn about the strategies and methods for promoting equity and inclusivity in digital health initiatives.
To understand the challenges and opportunities of adopting hybrid programming in preparation for future health promotion programs.

Presenters:

Annie Chung-Hui	Community Dietitian	South Riverdale CHC
Sarpreet Khera	Program Manager	South Riverdale CHC

Urban HOPE-improving access to low-barrier care (by Centretown CHC)

Description:

Urban HOPE- comprehensive and multi-disciplinary wraparound health and social services that address the intensifying epidemic of overdose deaths within Ottawa, as well as the disconnect from health services experienced by marginalized populations within the Centretown neighbourhood of Ottawa. Urban HOPE is a cost-effective means of easing the burden of overdose on the healthcare system by involving people with lived and living experience in service delivery.

Poster Board objectives and learning outcomes:

Participants will observe creative ways to integrate those with lived experience into an overdose prevention program
Participants will learn about the client benefits of receiving medical care from a multi-disciplinary team
Participants will learn about creative strategies for client engagement with those who are unhoused or vulnerably housed

Presenters:

Elizabeth Cain	Nurse Practitioner	Centretown CHC
Wendy McKinley		Centretown CHC

Ethnic and race-based data collection and use in Primary Health Care: Exploring experiences and perceptions of Black African Immigrants in Ontario (by Queen's University)

Description:

Over a third of Black Canadians were born in Africa. While disaggregated race-based data as a critical tool informs and guides future population needs while highlighting how systemic racism impacts Black African immigrants, limited ethnic race-based data impedes the measurement of health inequities and healthcare quality assurance for the population.

Poster Board objectives and learning outcomes:

An introduction or expanded understanding of Afrocentric approaches to health.
An enhanced understanding of why using Afrocentric approaches to data collection and use processes matters to this target population.
Reinforcing the critical roles Primary Health Providers play in advancing health equity for this fast-growing population.

Presenters:

Vivian Kilanko

PhD Candidate

Queen's University

Fostering Psychological Safety: Langs' Journey to a Healthier Workplace (by Langs CHC)

Description:

Explore Langs' approach to creating a psychologically safe workplace by fostering employee well-being, trust, and leadership development. Learn about our measurable outcomes and gain insights into building resilient and adaptable organizational cultures, with a particular emphasis on engaging leadership for support.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Langs' Social and Wellness Program: Explore Langs' initiatives, events, and impact on employee well-being.
Top-Down Social Wellness: Understand Langs' leadership-driven approach to creating a healthy workplace culture.
Psychological Health Evaluation: Discover Langs' methods for assessing and improving employee well-being, with practical strategies for your organization.

Presenters:

William Homerston	Manager of Quality, Performance and Innovation	Langs CHC
Anne Gulliver	HR Generalist	Langs CHC
Kelly Conrad	RN, Clinical Coordinator	Langs CHC
Debbie Hollahan	CEO	Langs CHC

Maternal-Child Health Program (by Flemingdon Health Centre)

Description:

A poster sharing the unique maternal-child health program at Flemingdon Health Centre (FHC). This program includes prenatal and lactation management supports, which help reduce risk and improve health outcomes for pregnant people and their babies. The program takes place in-person and virtually at FHC’s three sites, and operates creatively on a small budget. Offering trauma-sensitive care through a patient-involved lens supports birthing close to home, and provides access to peer-to-peer as well as peer-to-professional lactation counselling, as well as referrals to wraparound services in the community. This poster will show how the program can be duplicated in other communities.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Resources that are most supportive & impactful for maternal-chid health in the community
Increase inter-professional collaboration with PHC
How to offer a similar program in your community

Presenters:

Catherine McEvilly Pestl

Lactation Consultant

Flemingdon Health Centre

Understanding Colorectal Cancer Patients Experiences with Family Practitioners in Canada (by Colorectal Cancer Canada)

Description:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) persists as a leading cause of death in Canada, prompting an investigation into the diagnosis experiences of patients through an online questionnaire. This study explored the pre-diagnosis, eventual and post-diagnosis experiences of CRC patients to identify gaps in care and pinpoint overlooked factors that could optimize CRC care.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Describe key aspects related to colorectal cancer awareness among patients.
Recognize barriers and enablers that exist throughout a patient’s diagnosis pathway.
Recognize the significance of patient-centred care for delivering optimal colorectal care.

Presenters:

Patil Mksyartinian

Program Manager

Colorectal Cancer Canada

Piloting the EQ-5D PROMs tool in CHCs (by Alliance For Healthier Communities)

Description:

The Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance) piloted the EQ-5D patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) tool in a subset of Community Health Centres (CHCs). The goal of this project was to investigate if the integration of the tool helps support collaborative care planning and program evaluation.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Learn how CHCs implemented the EQ-5D tool to support collaborative care planning and program evaluation.

Presenters:

Jennifer Rayner	Director of Research and Policy	Alliance For Healthier Communities
Sara Bhatti	Research and Evaluation Lead	Alliance For Healthier Communities

Designing Professional Guidance that Supports Access to Oral Health Care for All: The Dental Regulator's Journey (by Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario)

Description:

How can dentistry help the people who face the most barriers? As the regulator for Ontario’s dentists, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) is taking steps to help reduce the barriers patients face when accessing dental care. We want to hear your point of view on what would make the most difference in your community as we design future professional expectation documents for Ontario’s dentists. Improving access to dental care is a complex issue and our future guidance will help inform dentists about the ways they can offer safe, inclusive, equitable, and accessible oral health care for all Ontarians.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Examine the barriers Ontario patients experience in accessing oral health care and the areas where the RCDSO is taking steps to reduce those barriers
Review the RCDSO’s process for developing new professional expectation documents for dentists and explore the ways communities can get involved in public engagement opportunities and consultations that help inform this work
Discuss what you expect of dentists when it comes to accepting new patients and professionalism - directly contribute to the design of two future RCDSO documents

Presenters:

Michelle Cabrero Gauley	Senior Policy Analyst	Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
Michelle Tremblay	Organizational Transformation and College Equity Officer	Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
Cameron Thompson	Manager, Standards and Strategy	Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario

Upstream Population Health for Clinical Pathways-Lower Limb Preservation (by WellFort Community Health Services)

Description:

WellFort CHS is a member of the Central West OHT and an active primary care partner developing integrated population health interventions. With a comprehensive whole community focused Diabetes Education Program, WellFort is leveraging its interprofessional care excellence while also now building an upstream, integrated, whole community health promotion and outreach model of care. This session will describe the planning, partnership and clinical elements that have been actioned while also reviewing key learnings that impact community primary care integrated pathways.

Session objectives and learning outcomes:

Sharing Partnership Lessons to Advance and Integrate Population Focused Clinical Pathway
Foot Screening Best Practices
Sharing Primary Care Outreach Successes and Challenges

Presenters:

Kimberley Floyd	CEO	WellFort Community Health Services
Devi Raghunauth		Rexdale CHC