Events

The Greater Toronto Area has a mature syphilis epidemic and emerging gonorrhea and Lymphogranuloma venereum epidemics among men who have sex with men (MSM). Interventions targeting these epidemics have largely ignored the role of MSM from suburban geographies. Presenters explored how MSM who lived, worked or socialized in the suburbs navigated their sexual lives and sexual health. Interviews were held with 44 MSM from in and around Peel Region between July and October 2021 about their connectedness and belonging, sex life, sexual health and activity space. Preliminary analysis found the following themes: suburban MSM are highly connected to urban, suburban and rural geographies; there is no "one size fits all" approach to sexual healthcare; suburbs can be health care deserts; outness is an important factor in health care selection; and the pandemic added an additional layer of stigma to sexual health care seeking. In addition to the above, presenters will also describe negative and positive sexual health care experiences from the study.

Intended audience: Public Health professionals, physicians and nurses working in communicable diseases, STBBI, sexual health and front-line physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Explain how suburban MSM are connecting with urban, suburban, rural and sexual health care settings in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Discuss concepts such as convection mixing and activity space and describe how these concepts might inform interventions.
• Identify factors that affect positive and negative sexual health care experiences.
• Discuss ”outness” and how it might influence health care seeking decisions for MSM.

Legionella is a bacteria that resides in the environment, usually contracted by inhalation of contaminated aerosolized water from human-made water systems. Exposure can result in Pontiac fever, a self-limited flu-like illness or Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia. This three-part series provides a practical overview of public health investigations of legionellosis, including assessment of the epidemiology, potential environmental sources, appropriate clinical and environmental testing, and environmental control and remediation.

Part 1 (May 9) described key components and strategies in a legionellosis investigation including the epidemiology of cases, clinical testing and environmental risk factors and assessment.

Part 2 (May 16) reviewed environmental sampling, interpretation of results and remediation measures to mitigate Legionella growth in water systems.

Part 3 (June 8) will describe a cooling tower-associated outbreak investigated by Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, lessons learned and approaches used to communicate with the public.

Intended audience: Public Health Unit (PHU) staff in case and outbreak management, environmental health, Associate Medical Officers of Health (AMOHs), Medical Officers of Health (MOHs)

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe how to do an environmental risk assessment of a cooling tower including the evaluation of bacteria control maintenance programs.
• Discuss the value and interpretation of various environmental testing protocols when investigating Legionella outbreaks.
• Describe potential interventions and communication strategies during a community Legionella outbreak.

The Health Information Custodian (HIC) is the individual primarily responsible for the privacy and security of a patient’s personal health information. This is a key concept in Ontario healthcare. As practice modalities become more complex, OMD appreciates that it may be difficult to track who is responsible for what patient information – and the privacy obligations that come with this – in different settings.

This session will help users to understand the role of the HIC and the associated legal/privacy obligations. Among other things, the session will explore: transferring records from one HIC to another; proper use of technology; and how to identify the HIC in complex practice dynamics. This session is designed to be interactive and plenty of time will be allocated for questions.

This series focuses on building connections and competencies for meaningful patient engagement. This is the last session of this engagement learning series. In this session, you will learn how to design and implement a strategy to evaluate engagement activities. Learn how to participate in a process of continuous learning and improvement of engagement practices.

Our event theme – THE FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE – aims to inspire us to lead the conversation and implement actions where we collectively are building a health sector that is accessible, where data is not locked in silos and where both clinicians and consumers can work together in true partnership towards healthier lives, digitally enabled. This prestigious international event brings together hundreds of digital health leaders and practitioners at the forefront of healthcare and is considered a landmark event on the global calendar. Bringing together an international and national audience, this is your opportunity to network, share, and highlight the latest achievements, advancements, research and innovation in digital health and health informatics.

OntarioMD is excited to announce that our annual digital health conference will be back in person this fall. Join us at the Beanfield Centre in Toronto for a full day of interactive discussions, networking, and learning focused on optimizing the use of EMRs and digital health tools to be benefits, not burdens, to your practice.

The conference will take place on September 28, 2023 and early bird registration is open!

Who should attend?

Using digital health tools involves the entire practice. The Digital Health Conference is ideal for physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals and administrative staff.

Why should I attend?

The OntarioMD Digital Health Conference is an award-winning digital health event. This is a great opportunity to learn more about innovative digital health tools and how to use them to enhance patient care and realize value for your practice.

You can expect:

• A variety of educational sessions to suit your interests and skill level
• Thought-provoking Keynote Address
• Expert speakers on health care technology
• EMR Training Workshops led by clinician Peer Leaders who use the same EMR as you
• Quality Improvement Workshops
• A Vendor Showcase with innovative products to benefit your practice
• Continuing Medical Education Credits*