Shalloway Sounds
Summer 2020 Vol 2, No1
Chair’s Message
“There is an (ancient) curse which says, 'May (you) live in interesting times.' Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of (people) than any other time in history.”
~Robert F. Kennedy~
Dear Colleagues
Robert Kennedy’s quote from 1966 rings as true today as it did in his time. I am reminded of a word coined by a dear friend of mine — crisi-tuity — meaning that in every crisis, there is an opportunity. We simply need to seek it out, explore its meaning, and embrace that which makes us/our world better. Many of you have done this with respect to virtual care — video and phone appointments are fast becoming a crucial tool in our kits for managing patients and community needs. I would like to applaud all of you who have sought out new ways to practice and serve during these times of uncertainty.
I firmly believe in the words of my friend and have sought out the new, exciting, and innovative undertakings that have come out of the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to Family Medicine — something I encourage all of you to do as well. And for me, the greatest crisi-tuity has been the ability of us all to connect and network. Improving our communications, support, and ability to simply talk and get to know each other a little more via virtual means has been, and will continue to be, a ground-breaking and vital outcome. As has been said, “Networking is not about collecting contacts, it is about planting relations.” Building our networks, getting to know one another, supporting, learning, and growing together, have the ability to fundamentally change how each of us practices and, ultimately, how every patient/community is served.
I have seen an increasing plethora of slogan-laden articles, all chiming in with the famous British mantra of ‘keep calm and carry on’. This rings true for many people, especially in times as challenging as these. However, for me they do not quite hit the point towards which we should be aiming. Rather, I would suggest we ‘keep calm and go change our world.’ I encourage you all to keep pushing and challenging. Continue to care for our patients, their families, and communities. Finally, thank you for all that you do, and be sure to take care of yourself and each other.
Dr. Jared Butler, CCFP-SEM [email protected] Shalloway Sounds Summer 2020 Page 2 of 5
Executive Director’s Message
This time last year I was down to the wire coordinating the final stages of planning for our first-ever (and what was to be ‘annual’) Shalloway Fall Conference and Retreat in September, before embarking on our first-ever family trip to Europe. I could never have imagined for one moment that neither of those ‘firsts’ would be possible today and am so grateful that both were amazing. What a difference a year can make! It has been an unimaginable one for everyone on multiple levels — personally, professionally, and globally. So much has been out of our control, yet I believe that in the face of this adversity we have shown our resilience and a stronger sense of humanity has been instilled, humbling us in so many ways. With the pause button pressed on many things, we have been forced to slow down, embrace the simpler things in life and reflect on what is important. At the same time, in your profession other things have ramped up, demands have increased, and you have — ready or not, like it or not — been catapulted into new ways of practice using virtual care. You have risen to the challenge of continuing to provide quality care to your patients using new and innovative ways. A silver lining of the pandemic for Family Medicine is that it has set us‘ years ahead’ in terms of virtual care and improving access.
While as a network we have been much less visible during the pandemic, behind the scenes the Shalloway Board of Directors has met monthly and we have been focused on such things as strategic planning, strengthening our operational processes, engaging and recruiting new members and continuing to build and enhance our collaboration with Central Health. We are pleased to report that Shalloway now represents approximately 90% of eligible physicians in Central region. This fall we plan to reach back out to you to engage you in the strategic planning process. We also anticipate holding a virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year with date TBD (likely late October, early November). Until then, I hope each and every one of you find some time to rejuvenate and enjoy these final days of a beautiful Newfoundland and Labrador summer.
Monica Bull, MSW, RSW [email protected]
Your Shalloway FPN team Departure of Board Member
Board Dr. Jared Butler, Grand Falls-Windsor, Chair Shalloway Board of Directors extends a huge, Dr. Wayne Collins, Lewisporte, Vice-Chair Dr. Jody Woolfrey, Botwood, Treasurer sincere thank you to Dr. Raie Lene Kirby for her Dr. Robert Butler, Grand Falls-Windsor service as a Director and Treasurer for the Dr. Carmel Casey, Gander Inaugural Board up until February of this year. Dr. Andrew Hunt, Twillingate Raie Lene brought an energy and perspective Dr. Helen Bruce, Bishop’s Falls that is surely missed, however, it is not a Dr. Desmond Whalen, Grand Falls-Windsor Dr. Hany Henein, Gander good-bye as she remains an FPN member and plays a curriculum lead role with MUN Family Staff Ms. Monica Bull, Executive Director Medicine Central Stream. We plan to continue to collaborate with Raie Lene and tap that If you have ideas or news for future newsletters, Shalloway events or any questions or concerns, please reach out by energy and enthusiasm in other creative ways! email to: [email protected] Shalloway Sounds Summer 2020 Page 3 of 5
News in Shalloway Priority Areas
We are pleased to provide the following updates in our key priority areas:
1. Recruitment and Retention: MUN Family Medicine Central Stream Partnership Shalloway is thrilled to announce that nine FPN members, who completed residency programs with MUN Family Medicine Central Stream in 2019 and 2020, have decided to stay and practice within the region! Included are:
• Desmond Whalen (FM 2019, Enhanced Skills in Emergency Medicine 2020) – Grand Falls-Windsor • David Bradbury Squires (FM 2019, Enhanced Skills in Emergency Medicine 2020) - Grand Falls-Windsor • Christy Noftall (FM 2019, Enhanced Skills in Care of Elderly 2020) - Grand Falls-Windsor • Carson Marcoux (FM 2020) - Grand Falls-Windsor • Jennifer Smith (FM 2020) - Grand Falls-Windsor • Alecia Rideout (FM 2020) - Grand Falls-Windsor • Marcus Byrne (FM 2019) - Gander • Jennifer Stuckless (FM 2019) - Twillingate • Reagan Anstey (FM 2019) - Twillingate
Shalloway extends a huge thank you to the many FPN members who have provided preceptorship and mentoring to all learners, including these new family physicians, and have as a result, directly influenced their decisions to set up practice in the Central region.
2. Care of Older Adult: Building Clinical Capacity and Expertise Shalloway extends congratulations to Dr. Christy Noftall on her recent completion of the Family Medicine - Enhanced Skills Training Program in Care of The Elderly at MUN. As part of her training Dr. Noftall completed rotations at the L.A. Miller Centre, the Waterford Hospital and St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in Eastern Health; at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Saint John, New Brunswick; and alongside our own Shalloway Board Member Dr. Jody Woolfrey at the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Centre in Botwood. Dr. Noftall completed her family practice residency program with MUN Central Stream in 2019 and we are very pleased that she has decided to stay in Central region. Currently, she is working as a locum in Botwood and at the Carmelite Long Term Care facility in Grand Falls-Windsor.
With completion of the Enhanced Skill program, Dr. Noftall has acquired a Certificate of Added Competence, (CAC) in Care of the Elderly granted by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Shalloway is pleased to have the expertise of both Drs. Woolfrey and Noftall in Care of the Elderly. Through our Collaborative Services Committee (CSC) with Central Health we will work to further the development and implementation of a regional Care of Older Adult program for Central Newfoundland utilizing our local expertise. Partnering with Central Health directors and managers, it is our aim to define how this expertise can help improve care and enhance programs— such as Home First —by embodying a solid family physician perspective/component, from early stages of program planning through to implementation and evaluation.
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Shalloway Sounds Summer 2020 Page 4 of 5
News in Shalloway Priority Areas (cont’d)
3. Mental Health and Addictions:Integrating and Strengthening Primary Care Response in Service Delivery.
Through ongoing collaboration with Central Health and the Department of Health and Community Services, Shalloway continues to work to promote, support and define family physician involvement in existing and developing mental health and addictions services. For example, in late 2019, 22 family physicians participated in the Advanced Training in Addiction (buprenorphine prescribing) program offered in Gander and four family physicians, with support of Shalloway bursaries, participated in a more intensive program in Opioid Dependence Treatment (ODT) provided by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in St. John’s. Additional resources are being made available through the Provincial Centre of Excellence for ODT including a new information sheet on an injectable form of buprenorphine (Sublocade®) and an upcoming virtual ODT conference on October 30, 2020. [See page 5.]
Most recently, discussions have centered with our partners around communication and continuing medical education (CME) for family physicians about the stepped-care mental health and addictions service delivery model. The model en- compasses the full spectrum of services ranging from self-management programs and resources to more intensive programs such as Psychiatry, Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Teams, and residential and inpatient care. We expect to be able to communicate more information from our partners at Central Health about this education, and any changes to referral processes, within the next couple of months. Until then, information on the toll-free triage line and current referral form can be found at this link: https://www.centralhealth.nl.ca/mental-health-addictions
E-Health services are already an important component of the existing mental health service delivery model in NL. We have previously shared information about these programs, however, in this newsletterwe are reminding FPN members about the valuable resources for child and youth mental health available free of charge to NL families through arrangement between Government of NL and the Strongest Families Institute (SFI). Referrals to Strongest Families programs may be an appropriate alternative, or adjunct, to referrals to other mental health and pediatric services. As well, we will continue to work with our partners at Central Health and SFI to disseminate additional resource information for family physicians and their patients, as it becomes available, about a new and exciting universal, early intervention project funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The following link includes an updated description of these programs as well as referral and contact information:Strongest Families Institute Information Sheet
4. Physician Wellness: Supporting International Medical Graduates & Welcome to our Newest Shalloway Board Member
Shalloway welcomes our newest Board member, Dr. Hany Henein! Hany has been practicing in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) since 2018 and is currently based at St. Mary's Clinic in Gander. Dr. Henein practiced in Egypt and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, in 1996. He completed his medical training in Cairo as a family doctor and the CSAT program of NL. He also has a bachelor's degree in Naturopathic Medicine, CCNM, Toronto 2015, where he served as the IMG Class Representative. Hany is now completing the Physician Leadership program at Memorial University. As a member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Henein will provide leadership and liaison in the coming months as we work to establish a Special Interest Group for International Medical Graduates (IMG). The goal will be to ensure that as a Network we fully understand the needs and support the wellness of our highly valued IMG physician colleagues, particularly newcomers, in the best possible ways. Dr. Henein lives in Gander with his wife, Caroline, and four children. His oldest daughter Maria, who graduated from Gander Collegiate with Honours this year, will be starting university studies at Memorial University in September. He likes singing, playing several musical instruments, soccer, and fishing. Shalloway Sounds Summer 2020 Page 5 of 5
Upcoming Virtual FPRP Practice Improvement Program Offerings
Watch your email for registration details for the following: 1. Frailty 1 Series Topics: Frailty, Office Assessment of Dementia, Delirium, Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia When: September 16, 23 & 30, 2020 To register, go to https://nlmaforms.formstack.com/forms/frailty1 2. Frailty 2 Series Topics: Frailty, Deprescribing, Advance Care Planning, Capacity Assessment, Falls, Elimination When: October 14, 21 & 28, 2020 3. MyQ Program The MyQ Quality in Family Practice program, which offers practical evidence-based tools that are relevant to multiple practice environments: -in person and virtual care, solo or group practices, fee-for-service or salaried models has re-opened! Now available for registration are: • MyQ Group Expedition Series • MyQ Self-Directed Online Module: Quality Is My Practice • MyQ Physician Network as an optional support for participating physicians. We invite you to review these program elements and register today! Coming in August: registration will open for Mini-Program 1: So Many Patients, Not Enough Me For further information on these PIP offerings, or others to come, please contact: Paula Hanrahan, Senior Program Consultant, FPRP Telephone (709) 726-7424, Ext. 323 E-mail [email protected]
Save the Date! New FPN Membership Application Link We have developed a new and much easier Opioid Dependence Treatment membership application process! If you have not Centre of Excellence NL/Eastern Health applied, or know of someone else who has not, please use/share the link below. Provincial Conference FPRP FPN Membership Application Form
Friday, October 30, 2020 Coming Soon This conference will be of interest to health care providers, community agencies, persons with Watch out for the following announcements antici- lived and living experience, and family members. pated in September/October: Questions? • Annual General Meeting • Strategic Planning Engagement and Expres- Please contact [email protected] sions of Interest in Committee Work • FPN Evaluation Survey
Shalloway FPN thanks all FPN members for your continuous commitment to patient care since the beginning of COVID-19 and for your cooperation with staff, administration and public health directives.