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University of Toronto

Patient Partners Connections

January 2023

Hello!

Welcome to the first issue of our newsletter. We couldn’t be more excited to share this with you.

The University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine is the largest academic department of family medicine in the world. This is where doctors prepare for their profession in family medicine. The department is connected to 15 teaching clinics.

In this issue, you can:

Learn about our work with patient partners
Get updates on the Department of Family and Community Medicine
Catch up on our work with the patient experience survey
Share your voice with us

We hope you enjoy this resource and we can’t wait to share more with you.

About the DFCM

Our department’s new five-year plan

It’s an exciting time for our department. We created a new plan, new energy, and new school thinking. We launched our new five-year strategic plan which focuses on Community, Relationships, and Leadership. Over 500 people participated, including patients who joined our lived experience leadership circle who shared their voice and influenced the plan.

Town Hall for Launch of DFCM Strategic Plan

View the recording

Meet our new patient partners

On Sept. 15, 2022, the Department of Family & Community Medicine (DFCM) welcomed 16 patient partners selected for the newly created University of Toronto Family Medicine Patient Advisory Committee. This committee is the first of its kind, and DFCM is the first group to take steps forward to engaging patients within family medicine postgraduate education.

Meet our patient partners

Helping patients access care

What Happens at the DFCM

Confused about COVID?

While COVID continues to be common in Ontario, Canada and beyond, patients are experiencing a large amount of confusing information. To cut through the confusion, family doctors have come together to help patients and the public make sense of the current COVID rules and realities. The “Confused about COVID? Family doctors answer your questions” series offers patients and the public trustworthy advice about protecting their health and how family doctors can help.

Learn More

Using data to drive improvement: DFCM researchers launch dashboard to make better care easier

"Despite what the public might think, it’s not easy from the electronic medical records (EMR) to give you a snapshot of quality of care in your practice,” says Dr. Tara Kiran, who, along with Drs. Adam Cadotte, Noah Ivers, Payal Agarwal and Susie Kim, led the development of a digital tool called CareCanvas to support practice improvement. CareCanvas is an interactive web-based dashboard that summarizes clinical information to make it easier to care for patients.

Learn More

Don’t take “no” for an answer: Advocating for anti-racism in academic publishing

Despite growing calls for anti-racism in health care, studies have shown that the world's top medical journals rarely publish articles on the topic of racism and health. So when the Canadian Medical Association Journal published two full special issues focused on Black health and anti-Black racism in health care in Canada, it was extraordinarily significant not only for the Black medical community, but for the medical profession at large.

Learn More

In the media

How poverty, not pain, is driving Canadians with disabilities to consider medically-assisted death

Dr. Naheed Dosaniin Global News.

Changes to virtual care billing in Ontario raise concerns over health care access

Dr. Tara Kiran in The Globe and Mail.

Designing virtual and physical clinical spaces to build trust

Dr. Milena Fortein Healthy Debate.

Events

Primary Health Care: The heart of every health system

Your Voice Matters

Have questions about residents at your clinic?

We are looking to improve communication to patients around the role of a resident. What questions do you have about residents?

Email us

About DFCM

DFCM is the largest academic department of family medicine in the world and home to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Family Medicine and Primary Care. With over 1,900 faculty, 15 hospital sites, 40+ teaching practices and 1,000+ learners at all levels, DFCM is recognized internationally for excellence in teaching, research and clinical care.

University of Toronto

Patient Partners Connections

Hello!

Top Stories

Our department’s new five-year plan

Meet our new patient partners

Helping patients access care

What Happens at the DFCM

Confused about COVID?

Using data to drive improvement: DFCM researchers launch dashboard to make better care easier

Don’t take “no” for an answer: Advocating for anti-racism in academic publishing

In the media

Events

Your Voice Matters

Have questions about residents at your clinic?

Learn more about DFCM

2021 U of T Family Medicine Report

WHO Collaborating Centre

UTOPIAN

Education Scholarship
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University of Toronto

Patient Partners Connections

Hello!

Top Stories

Our department’s new five-year plan

Meet our new patient partners

Helping patients access care

What Happens at the DFCM

Confused about COVID?

Using data to drive improvement: DFCM researchers launch dashboard to make better care easier

Don’t take “no” for an answer: Advocating for anti-racism in academic publishing

In the media

Events

Your Voice Matters

Have questions about residents at your clinic?

Learn more about DFCM

2021 U of T Family Medicine Report

WHO Collaborating Centre

UTOPIAN

Education ScholarshipWant to change how you receive these emails?You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

Education Scholarship
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe