Primary Care Update on COVID-19
April 10, 2020
If you received this from a colleague and wish to receive updates directly
Announcement
The London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance website is now live!

Bookmark www.lmprimarycare.ca (all lowercase) and check back often for COVID-19 resources, and much more!
Announcement: swpca.ca website

The SWPCA website will be moving to reflect local health care provider governance tables throughout the SW. Resources will continue to be accessible but will be eventually found at www.swomed.ca.
If you are a physician and are interested in lending a helping hand to other institutions or care sectors during the crisis (while continuing to meet your local community needs of course), consider signing up to BookJane. The app is underwritten by the OMA (thus no cost to you) and allows you to mark availability and match to shifts in the area that you are interested in picking up.
Clinical Information



  • Prescription Renewals: All pharmacists are currently directed to fill 30 day supply only. Here's a message you could use with your patients to help explain this: "I renewed your usual 3 months of medication but your pharmacist is only allowed to give you 30 days right now to ensure there is enough for everyone. The refills will be there when you need them and they will give you more when they are able to." 



  • Sanitizing/Cleaning Your Office Space: The American Chemistry Council's Center for Biocide Chemistries has compiled a list of suitable cleaning products that can be used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Personal Protective Equipment

DETAILS REGARDING HOW TO ORDER PPE SUPPLY ARE BEING SENT OUT IN A SEPARATE EMAIL

PLEASE WATCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT EMAIL!

  • PPE Training - Virtual Town Hall: A virtual PPE Town Hall was held on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 to discuss when PPE is needed, how to use it (proper masking, gloving, gowning), and proper disposal. Q&A with Dr. Mario Elia. Cick here for the link to watch the session and view the Power Point Presentation.



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Practice Management, Billing and HR

  • Virtual Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Town Hall: A Town Hall on Virtual Care was held on Thursday April 9, 2020 to help providers understand what tools can be used for virtual care, how to assess the potential COVID-19 patient and how to bill OHIP for virtual assessments. A recording will be posted on our website shortly and you can view the Power Point Presentation.

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Self-Care for Family Physicians

OMA resources
  • OMA PHP has some initiatives -- check details in a recent OMA email
  • You can call PHP and be connected with your own individual health care provider
  • Call OMA PHP for confidential support at 1-800-851-6606 (Monday to Friday 8:45am-5:00pm) 
  • Email: php@oma.org

Other
Several Toronto psychiatrists are offering mindfulness sessions for physicians every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:00 pm.

"Drop in and learn short mindfulness practices to help find calm in the midst of challenge. Relax, recharge and learn how to incorporate moments of mindfulness into your day.  Optional discussion to follow. From us and for us: No OHIP numbers are required. This is not treatment or therapy."
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Signage


If there are non-hospital COVID-19 related issues/solutions in your region, please escalate them to your
Regional Pandemic Clinical Lead
(tasked by Ontario Health West to facilitate, coordinate, and engage with stakeholders for the pandemic response within the SW LHIN area RE: primary care/vulnerable populations)...structure HERE .
Dr. Gordon Schacter
London-Middlesex
Co-Chair, SW Prim Care/Vulnerable Pop'n Response
London Middlesex Region Pandemic Clinical Lead