February 2025 eTips Newsletter
Tips and advice on EMRs and digital health tools you can use NOW
From the CMO's Desk
Human Papilloma Virus Testing to Start March 3, 2025: New Requisitions for Your EMR!
Human papilloma virus (HPV) testing will be implemented in the Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP) beginning March 3, 2025.
Resources to help you navigate this change are available on the Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) website. If you have any questions, please email Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) at
cancerinfo@ontariohealth.ca. This will require new requisitions and new workflows. OMD has been working with vendors to have the requisitions in your EMRs in time for the change. We're also working to develop new EMR workflows to support your panel management and screening. More information to come.
On Now!
Save $100 with super early bird registration for the OMD Educates: Digital Health Virtual Symposium!
Ends February 28
Advice from the General Counsel and CPO
Learn More about AI Scribes at OMD's AI Knowledge Zone
Implementing AI in clinical practice raises many questions about both benefits as well as risks, but
OMD's AI Knowledge Zone can help you navigate them with confidence. From
tips on implementation and workflow to an
evaluation matrix to a
patient consent toolkit, our site provides support to understand what you should consider when using an AI scribe.
As AI tools in health care evolves, so too, will OMD's AI Knowledge Zone. Check back for updates.
Read more privacy and security tips from past issues of our newsletter.
HRM Improvements
We Heard You – and a Better HRM Experience is On the Way!
Health Report Manager (HRM®) has become an essential digital health tool for primary care clinicians. When first introduced in 2013, users embraced it – but as the number of report types (eNotifications, COVaxON reports, etc.) grew, so did report volumes, clogging up EMR inboxes across the province. It's why we established the HRM Task Force and are following through on its recommendations, starting with the
ability to opt out of eNotifications (the quick alert electronic messages sent to primary care clinicians when patients are discharged from the emergency department or admitted or discharged from in-patient units).
We're taking further steps to improve your HRM experience by addressing the most pressing issues based on the
HRM Task Force recommendations. The following pilot initiatives are underway, with a group of limited users on:
- Identification of duplicate and near duplicate reports
- Improvements to managing PDF reports
Visit the
OMD HRM Preference Management page for more information.
Want to know more about how HRM Task Force recommendations are being implemented? Check out the
latest HRM User Bulletin or visit the
HIRAC (HRM Improvement Recommendations Advisory Committee) page.
Your HRM experience is important to us. We support you and your practice,
at no cost, so don't hesitate to contact us at
support@ontariomd.com with any questions about HRM or anything else digital.
Tip from an OMD Advisor
Our OMD Advisors can help you with your EMR and digital workflows - at no cost to you!
Discover what the OMD Advisory Service Team can do for you today!
Manage Patient Populations with the PSS Clinic Toolkit
Developed by OMD for TELUS PSS EMR users, the PSS Clinic Toolkit enables practices to manage patient populations with real-time EMR data by targeting key areas like patient panel, preventive care, chronic disease management, and more.
Visit the OMD Educates webpage for more information on this self-service package.
OMD Digital Health Services
NEW! Access Ontario Digital Health Services From Your EMR
Clinicians need quick and easy access to patient information, which sometimes means going outside your EMR. This can take time and disrupt workflows. This is why OMD, together with our digital health partners, has consolidated access to these outside sources of patient data – all from your OMD-certified EMR.
Read more about how to access Ontario digital health services from your EMR.
Transitioning Patients on Prolia® and Xgeva® to Biosimilars (Customized Queries for Your EMR)
Ontario Drug Benefit patients currently receiving Prolia® and/or Xgeva® are required to transition to a Health Canada-approved biosimilar equivalent by Aug. 29 to maintain ODB coverage. Patients with an approved medical exemption will be excluded from this transition,
as outlined in the Ministry of Health INFOBulletin.
To support this transition, OntarioMD has developed customized queries for
Accuro® EMR, OSCAR Pro, and TELUS PSS. These queries will help identify impacted patients.
Reminder: eConsult Changes Through Your Accuro® EMR
As of February 28, 2025, Accuro® EMR users will no longer be able to access eConsult as an integrated workflow, but will access it through OTNhub, a private and secure web portal. Like other EMR users, Accuro® users can select eConsult from one of the available Ontario Health tools in their EMR, or through the Ocean platform.
Watch the Access eConsult Demonstration Video to learn how to access this service from your EMR.
Read more information on eConsult and how it works.
OMD Advisory Service
FREE Support Above and Beyond EMRs
If you use an OMD-certified EMR, you're entitled to
free support from the OMD Advisory Service for more than just EMRs. This includes help with:
-
Resolving EMR issues quickly
-
Optimizing your EMR use to improve data quality and identify patient populations for preventive care
-
Streamlining office workflows for smoother scheduling, referrals, consultations etc.
-
Training your clinic and staff to integrate digital health tools (OAB, secure messaging, AI scribe etc.)
-
Customizing EMR features like toolbars or forms, etc. to enhance efficiency
Take advantage of this free service before you call anyone else! Contact
support@ontariomd.com for assistance.
OMD Education
Recent news:
-
Practice Efficiency for Mississauga Health Primary Care Network (PCN) (Jan. 13) – Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Chandi Chandrasena, Executive Director, Client Services and Engagement Cynthia MacWilliam and Area Manager David Fearn, addressed how OMD can help Ontario Health Teams and Primary Care Networks optimize their EMRs and workflow efficiencies.
-
Digital Health Canada Webinar Wednesday (Jan. 15) – CMO Dr. Chandi Chandrasena, Dr. Tania Tajirian, Chief of Hospital Medicine, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Dr. Jessica Cuppage, Chief Medial Innovation Officer, Baycrest Hospital, discussed empowering people to drive sustainable digital transformation.
-
Alliance for Health Communities Webinar (Jan. 22) – CMO Dr. Chandi Chandrasena, General Counsel and CPO Ariane Siegel, Chief of Strategy, Growth and Stakeholder Relations Chris Sulway, and Executive Director, Partnerships and Stakeholders Simon Ling, joined a panel on sustainable AI scribe implementation in Ontario.
-
The Digital Health Canada Podcast (Jan. 27) - CMO Dr. Chandi Chandrasena spoke about past lessons to inform future health systems.
-
Hamilton Academy of Medicine 108th Clinical Day (Jan. 29) – CMO Dr. Chandi Chandrasena delivered a session on AI technology and the future of medicine.
What's coming up:
Need Help with Your EMR?
Your EMR should be a
benefit, not a burden. In addition to our
OMD Advisory Service and
Peer Leaders, OMD has additional resources to help you use your certified EMR better to save you time and frustration.
OMD develops tools and suggests helpful workflow improvements in our
EMR Lab.
Join an
EMR Community of Practice (CoP)! CoP is a virtual place for EMR and digital health tool users, including clinicians and office staff, to share their knowledge, discover upcoming changes, ask questions and learn from the vendors and other users.
Find out more about OMD EMR Communities of Practice.
Important Reminders
Changing Your EMR or Practice? OMD Needs to Know!
Planning to make any of these changes?
- Moving, joining or taking over a practice
- Changing your internet plan or provider
- Changing EMRs
Contact us at
support@ontariomd.com at least two (2) weeks in advance to ensure you continue to receive HRM reports.
OMD Vendor Spotlights
Sponsored Session:
How to Optimize AFA and Fee-for-Service Billing: ER and Internal Medicine with Dr. Haroon Yousuf and Christina Dobsi
Join our professional (and free) networking dinner to engage with leading Ontario healthcare revenue experts and peer physicians. Receive personalized guidance focused on your specialty, and the opportunity to ask billing and revenue questions.
Date: February 25, 2025
Time: 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Courtyard by Marriott, Courtyard A & B (complimentary parking!)
1110 Burloak Drive, Burlington, Ontario
ER and IM physicians will gain:
- Strategies to secure more funding
- Best practices for documentation
- Tips to avoid common pitfalls
RSVP Now!
This session is being organized by a third party and is intended for general educational and/or informational purposes only. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or funded by OntarioMD, OMD Educates, the Ontario Medical Association or any of their affiliates. Any references to OntarioMD, OMD Educates, the Ontario Medical Association or any of their affiliates are for promotional or marketing purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or recommendation of any products or solutions offered by third parties.
Partner News
Shape the Future of Continuing Education at the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP)
Family Physicians: Have your say in shaping the OCFP's continuing professional development offerings. Take their 2025 Member Survey by February 24, 2025, and tell them what CPD opportunities are most valuable to you. Complete the survey➡️
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2GXBZCW.
Cancer and Renal Systems Plans Released
Ontario Health has released the sixth
Ontario Cancer Plan and fourth
Ontario Renal Plan, both spanning 2024 to 2028. These plans build on the solid foundations of previous plans, which have led to advancements in the way cancer and kidney services are managed and delivered. They ensure there are systems in place to reduce the burden of cancer and chronic kidney disease and to provide high-quality care when and where people in Ontario need it.
Cancer System Quality Index (CSQI) 2024 Released
Ontario Health has released the results of the
Cancer System Quality Index (CSQI) 2024, an insightful report from the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario. This year, the CSQI focuses on melanoma, reporting on indicators spanning the care continuum from diagnosis to survivorship and end-of-life. This marks the first reporting on quality and outcome indicators for melanoma care in Ontario, establishing a baseline for future comparisons.