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In This Issue - January 2024
Updates and Review:
- Join the Emergent Literacy Program
- Prepare For Your Upcoming Fridge Inspection
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
- Palliative Care Virtual Care Monitoring Program
- Respiratory Surveillance Review
Educational Opportunities:
- UPCOMING CME: Niagara Region Public Health Rounds: Focus on Maternal Mental Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences
- 27th Annual Cardiology Day: Niagara Health Hospital and Regional Rounds
Memos and Medical Advisories:
- January 18, 2024: MEMO - Upcoming Suspension Orders for Students Not Compliant with ISPA
Join the Emergent Literacy Program
Health care professionals who implement the enhanced 18-month well-baby visit (EWBV) are now invited to participate in the emergent literacy book club.
The EWBV is an opportunity to promote healthy child development, provide key early literacy messages and identify developmental concerns prior to school entry. Delivering early literacy support to families and babies during visits is one of the most effective ways to ensure the child can achieve their full potential in school and throughout life.
Public Health outreach nurses will provide participating health care professionals with clinical tools, a red flag document with referrals, academic detailing (optional), free age-appropriate children’s books, information on community resources and more.
With Family Literacy Day on January 27th, help bring early literacy support to Niagara families. For more information on how to join the emergent literacy program, please visit here.
Prepare For Your Upcoming Fridge Inspection
Health care professionals storing publicly funded vaccine must have an annual vaccine fridge inspection with Public Health. To prepare,
- Refer to our Cold Chain Requirements or the Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines for information on how to manage cold chain
- Review your previous year’s inspection report
Issues, suggestions and questions will be addressed at the time of your inspection.
- Your completed Ministry of Health’s Vaccine Cold Chain Maintenance Inspection Report will be faxed to your office following your site visit
- Ensure you review the entire report for cold chain management standards, recommendations, and strategies to put in place, if any
As a reminder, all new vaccine fridges must be inspected before storage of any publicly funded vaccine. Notify Public Health if your office plans to replace your existing vaccine fridge.
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
On November 30th, 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline was launched for everyone in Canada. Available nationwide in English and French, through phone and text, the helpline will provide people with the help they need when they need it most, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Led and coordinated by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and funded by the Government of Canada, 9-8-8 is for anyone who is thinking about suicide or who is worried about someone they know. While the focus of 9-8-8 is on suicide prevention, no one who reaches out to the service will be turned away.
Patients anywhere in Canada can call or text 9-8-8 to connect with a trained responder ready to listen without judgement.
For immediate risk, please call 9-1-1.
For more information about 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, visit https://988.ca.
Palliative Care Virtual Monitoring Program
Hospice Niagara and the Niagara-Ontario Health Team - Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara have partnered to provide patients diagnosed with a progressive life-limiting illness with virtual care monitoring. A specially trained registered nurse will work with the patient to manage symptoms and uncertainties of living with a life-limiting illness.
Program Outcomes
- To improve the patient’s quality of life and prepare for possible future decline
- Prevent the patient’s health issues from escalating to crisis and decrease need for ER visit
- Fewer calls to primary care because issues are identified in a timely manner and can be resolved through virtual monitoring and dedicated RN
- Patient and family will benefit from specially trained RN knowledge of goals for care and advance care planning conversations
Eligibility
- Diagnosed with a progressive life-limiting illness such as CHF, COPD, cancer, or other
- Have identified indicators of decline and increasing needs (e.g., would you be surprised if the patient were to die in the next year, months, weeks, days?)
Referral
Download the referral form and fax to Hospice Niagara at 905-984-8242 (patient signature required)
More Information
For more information, visit the website or email Sue Shipley, Hospice Niagara, at sshipley@hospiceniagara.ca.
Respiratory Surveillance
Surveillance Update: Influenza Activity is Lower
- Public Health Ontario’s most recent respiratory laboratory surveillance data indicates activity for both influenza A and influenza B is lower compared to previous weeks, although overall influenza activity remains high
- Provincially, COVID-19 is the most commonly circulating virus
- In Niagara, there are 489 cases of influenza so far this season; 12,327 across Ontario
2023 - 2024 Respiratory Season
Data source: Public Health Ontario's Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool, data as of January 13, 2024. Please note: Coronavirus refers to non-pandemic human coronaviruses. Provincially, SARS-CoV-2 is the most commonly circulating virus amongst samples analyzed.
Niagara reports flu activity surveillance information weekly on Fridays.
For more detail on the 2023 to 2024 respiratory season, please visit Public Health Ontario’s page for the Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool.
UPCOMING CME: Reserve your spot SOON!
Niagara Region Public Health Rounds: Focus on Maternal Mental Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences
Family physicians, Family Medicine residents, medical students, and all interested health care professionals are invited! This free webinar will feature presentations, discussion, and a Q&A panel.
Niagara Region Public Health Rounds has been certified for up to 1.5 MainPro+® credits by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
Niagara Region Public Health Rounds is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Cost: Free
When: Tuesday, February 6, 2024, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Online through Microsoft Teams
Keynote speakers:
- Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout - Perinatal Psychiatrist, Clinician-Scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, the Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience, and the Canada Research Chair in Perinatal Mental Health at McMaster University
- Dr. John Krzeczkowski - Received his PhD in Neuroscience from McMaster University, conducted postdoctoral training at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and York University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in Health Sciences at Brock University
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the epidemiology of maternal mental health in Niagara and Ontario
- Discuss how maternal mental health relates to adverse childhood experiences, resilience, and health outcomes for the child
- Describe how treatment can be used effectively to improve maternal mental health
- Understand how to screen for maternal mental health concerns and refer to Niagara Region Public Health’s programs and services
Register
Visit the registration page on our website for more information and to register.
Deadline to register is Friday, February 2, 2024. Each participant must register individually.
27th Annual Cardiology Day: Niagara Health Hospital and Regional Rounds
On Wednesday February 21, 2024, join Niagara Health for their annual Cardiology Day in person or on Zoom.
Physician Specialists: The Niagara Health Regional Medicine Rounds is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. (3 credits)
Family Physicians: This 1-credit-per-hour Group Learning activity has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to 3 Mainpro+ certified credits.
When: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Registration and Lunch is at 11:45 a.m.
Where: In person at White Oaks, Niagara-on-the-Lake, or online via Zoom
Keynote speakers:
- Dr. Adnan Hameed
- Dr. Anhar Alhussaini
- Dr. Winnie Chan
- Dr. Bennett Haynen
- Dr. Matthew Sibbald
- Dr. Nigel Tan
Learning Objectives
- Learn practical approaches to cardiology conditions
- Update knowledge of new therapies for cardiovascular diseases
- Apply practical approaches to common cardiovascular presentations
- Focus on out-patient primary care
Register
Pre-registration required:
Unrestricted Educational Grants provided by pooled funds from Pharmaceutical Companies.
