HOT TOPICS IN FAMILY MEDICINE

Beyond the Pandemic: Critical Topics in Primary Care:

The Citywide Department of Family Medicine is pleased to offer a series of four virtual CME sessions in place of our usual Annual Clinical Day for 2021. We have recruited four exciting speakers for the series, leading off with Dr. Jason Fung, keynote for the first session, talking about Evolving Paradigms of Cancer on April 14 at 7:00 p.m. Each session will be followed by a short Faculty Development session designed to update and enhance your teaching skills. Please check out the list of sessions here and put the dates into your calendar. There will be no charge for these sessions and you will be eligible for Mainpro credits.

• April 14: Dr. Jason Fung – Evolving Paradigms of Cancer
• May 12:  Dr. Rodrick Lim – Building confidence in the Family Physician’s virtual assessments of pediatric conditions
• June 9:  Dr. Inderdeep Dhaliwal – Approach to Long Hauler Syndrome assessment associated with COVID-19
• July 7:  Dr. Maryna Mammoliti – Mental Health topic

Advancing Population Health through the London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance:

The London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance is actively pursuing a goal of bringing together all primary care in our region under one organization and health care vision. In this way we can contribute significantly to system integration through the Ontario health Team West. The WOHT are developing clinical pathways for patients with COPD and CHF as part of the population health mandate. An Advisory Committee is being formed to oversee this initiative and they are seeking a primary care representative for this committee. Monthly meetings are anticipated. Please contact us if you are interested in this initiative. Sheena.Blasing@sjhc.london.on.ca

Southwest Response and Stabilization Team (CRST):

This is another very important initiative of the Ontario Health Team West. Known as the COVID-19 Response and Stabilization Team (CRST). This is a local team of support personnel, from a variety of disciplines and roles, that would be available to help in congregate settings in crisis because of COVID-19. At this time, we are looking for volunteer family physicians who would be available for deployment with the Team to a setting in crisis, should the need arise. Some experience with long term care and assessment and treatment of COVID-19 positive patients would be desirable. Physicians will be able to bill the COVID-19 treatment codes for the time served and all supplies and training would be provided. Please contact us to provide your name and availability to participate in this initiative. Sheena.Blasing@sjhc.london.on.ca

Primary Care Masterclass in Sport and Exercise Medicine and Musculoskeletal Health:

This monthly seminar series is sponsored by the Citywide Department of Family Medicine and Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Centre and is being put together by Jane Thornton, recipient of the CWDFM Special Project Fund. The series is tentatively scheduled for mid-to-late 2021 and will equip primary care physicians with new knowledge on current and emerging hot topics in Musculoskeletal Health and Sport and Exercise Medicine from a multidisciplinary group of internationally renowned experts. We are applying for Mainpro+ certification. Potential topics include: Physical and Mental health during Covid-19 and beyond, Hot Topics in 2020 in MSK health and SEM: a primer for family physicians, disability and sport, physical activity prescription in primary care, joint examination for Primary Care Docs – what not to miss and when to request MRI? etc. We would love to hear what's important to you as a family physician. Please reach Dr. Thornton at jsthornt@uwo.ca or the CWDFM office at sheena.blasing@sjhc.london.on.ca.

COVID-19 Update:

As I write this, things continue to look relatively good for London Middlesex. COVID-19 case numbers are going down and ICU capacity is in good shape. Concern about variants of the virus however remains high, particularly the UK variant is thought to be more easily transmitted and more virulent. Physical distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing remain of utmost importance as well as continuing to avoid large groups of people especially indoors.

Vaccination is ramping up as more vaccine becomes available, all nursing homes and retirement homes in this area are very nearly completed with at least one dose of vaccine for residents and staff. Outbreaks at nursing homes have declined significantly and the vaccine appears to be very effective. Vaccination of higher risk health care workers in hospital settings is starting up once again, and more vaccination centres are opening in the next few weeks. Other selected congregate care settings and indigenous adults, over 55 years, will be included. Starting March 2 community dwelling 80+ year old seniors will be able to book their vaccine appointments.