June 2024 eTips Newsletter

Tips and advice on EMRs and digital health tools you can use NOW

From the CMO's Desk

The Learning Never Stops: Early Bird Savings for OMD's In-Person Conference

Last week's OMD Educates: Digital Health Virtual Symposium was a smash hit, with inspiring speakers and over 500 attendees, but the learning doesn't stop there. We're already looking ahead to the in-person OMD Educates: Digital Health Conference. At the request of previous attendees, the in-person event has been expanded to two days. That's more time that clinicians can spend learning from top digital health experts on getting the most out of their EMRs and other technologies, and for peer networking.

Featuring a lineup of all-new topics and guest speakers, including the Hon. Jane Philpott, MD, former federal Minister of Health, current Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the School of Medicine for Queen's University, who will give one of two keynote addresses, the event will be held in Toronto from September 12-13. Don't miss your chance to learn about digital health updates, earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits and mingle with colleagues, vendors and OMD staff. Register for early bird savings today!

Missed the Virtual Symposium? Register online to access the session recordings for up to four months.

Attended the symposium but want to revisit some of the learnings of the day? Look for an email with your password to access session recordings when they become available Friday, June 21.

OMD In the News

At the 2024 e-Health Conference in Vancouver, organized by Digital Health Canada, OMD showed its thought leadership with system stakeholders, advocating for burden-reducing digital health solutions for community practices:

Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), discussed the challenges of implementing transitional care protocols, and how to leverage technologies to drive efficiency, promote collaboration, and mitigate risk as part of a panel sponsored by LGI Healthcare Solutions.
Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, outlined emerging cybersecurity trends that can disrupt primary and community care practices and affect patients, and how physicians can protect their data and practices.
Andrew King, Chief Technology Officer, co-presented on how a hospital information system can be a strategic alternative to support collaborative and integrated care, and shared insights and best practices on innovative primary care engagement approaches for spread and scale in other jurisdictions.
Chris Sulway, Chief of Strategy, Growth and Stakeholder Relations, joined a panel that scrutinized AI scribe and automation technologies in primary care. Panelists analyzed adoption rates, clinician and patient experiences, and the impact on health-care efficiency, offering insights for future AI-driven solutions in Canadian health care.
Simon Ling, Executive Director, Partnerships and Stakeholders, discussed OMD's work to address physician burnout with a distinctive framework, classifying 100 AI-enabled solutions into pre-visit, in-visit, and post-visit phases at patient and physician levels.
Julie Latreille, Area Manager and Cynthia MacWilliam, Executive Director, Client Services and Engagement, co-presented on a clinician-focused approach that led to successful and timely adoption of the Digital Health Drug Repository, enabling access to dispensed drug information.

Innovation on Full Display at eHealth2024

While at the e-Health Conference, CEO Robert Fox was interviewed by Health IT Today about AI scribes. Watch the interview and read about the conference highlights.

Tip from a Peer Leader

OMD Peer Leaders comprise a network of over 60 physicians (family doctors and other specialists), nurse practitioners, nurses, and clinic managers. As expert users of OMD-certified EMRs and other digital health and virtual care tools, they work with our Advisory Service Team to help you with your EMR and digital workflows. Discover what our complimentary Peer Leader Program and Advisory Service can do for you.

Using Avaros EMR to Analyze Patient Data and Simplify Workflow

Watch the video from Dr. Keith Thompson, OMD Family Physician Peer Leader, to hear how to use Avaros EMR to analyze patient data and simplify workflow. Learn about essential features, including searching for specific measurements, accessing patient charts, tracking population data, and using screening activity reports for quality improvement efforts.

Advice from the General Counsel and CPO

Think You Aren't Vulnerable to a Cyberattack? Think Again.

Digitization and cybersecurity go hand in hand. As health care becomes more digitized, vigilance against cyberattacks is that much more important. The unfortunate truth is that all clinics, regardless of their size or patient roster, are at risk. The good news is there are simple, preventive measures you can take to help protect your data and patients:

It's incumbent on all of us to use best cybersecurity practices. Access our two Privacy & Security Training Modules to learn more and earn CME credits and certificates upon completion.

Hold recurring cybersecurity training sessions for physicians and staff
Do not use generic or shared passwords
Use a secure Wi-Fi network
Enable multi-factor authentication
Ensure anti-virus software, computer systems, and devices (including internet browsers) are up to date
Use caution when visiting websites (look for https:// or a lock symbol in every URL) and never open email attachments or links from unknown or suspicious sources

It’s incumbent on all of us to use best cybersecurity practices. Access our two Privacy & Security Training Modules to learn more and earn CME credits and certificates upon completion.

HRM Task Force Updates

Following HRM Task Force recommendations to address clinician concerns about the volume of HRM reports, OMD initiated a pilot with Queensway Carleton Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Lakeridge Health to implement Sending Facility (SF) standards, in part or in full, that were published last fall. This includes:

Eliminating duplicate fax reports to HRM recipients
Identifying vital information (impression, plan) at the top of reports
Reducing duplicate report copies with no significant clinical changes
Minimizing some of the inpatient reports sent

OMD is partnering with several community-based practices to measure the impact of these changes to help inform lessons learned and recommendations for wider adoption of SF standards across Ontario.

OMD Change Management & Adoption Services

Still Using Paper MTO Forms? There’s a Better Way!

With eForms, OMD is making form completion easier for you. eForms are digital forms that you can complete from the convenience of your EMR and submit electronically. Other forms that are available in your EMR are delivered through FAX to the recipient. With eForms, you no longer need to fax paper or digital forms, only to have them sent back because they are outdated or have incomplete information. There are 16 forms available from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), with more on the way!

Make form submission easier for yourself and request eForms today!

Leverage Our Expertise to Meet Your OHT’s Digital Health Needs

OMD is involved with Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) in every area of Ontario. We deliver digital tools to clinicians in all OHTs. We can support clinicians in your OHT with:

Training and education
Change management and adoption of existing or new digital health tools
Preventive care and integrated care pathway projects

Digital Health Drug Repository (DHDR): A Valuable Item in Your Patient Care Toolkit

It’s crucial for clinicians to know about the medications that patients are taking to avoid adverse drug events. DHDR provides up-to-date information on drugs dispensed to patients, which you can access seamlessly through your EMR. Join the many clinicians who have access to DHDR. (Please note: DHDR is still not available to TELUS Health EMR users. Please speak to TELUS Health if you are their client and want access to DHDR.)

Contact support@ontariomd.com or your local OMD Advisor to connect DHDR to your EMR.

OMD Education

We present at many events and conferences to engage with you, your staff, and other health system stakeholders. View our events calendar for a complete list of conferences and webinars. Hope to see you at one of them!

OMDEducates.com: Your Digital Health Knowledge Repository Site

Bookmark our site if you’re looking for:

Advice on EMRs and Digital Health Tools: Learn how the OMD Advisory Service can help you use these tools effectively.
More Patient Data: Ask a question or sign up to receive drug information, hospital reports, and lab results through your EMR.
Tools and Resources: e.g., EMR tools, ‘how to’ videos, EMR Communities of Practice, and more.
Training and Education: e.g., Get Peer Leader advice, find out about upcoming educational events, watch recordings of past webinars, etc.

If you have a suggestion for a tool, training or resource you and your peers could use, email us and you could see it on OMDEducates.com.

Call for 2024 Luminary Award Nominations

Are you a digital health champion or know someone who is? Consider nominating your staff, colleagues, or even yourself when nominations for this year's Luminary Awards open on June 24!

Need Help with Your EMR?

Your EMR should be a benefit, not a burden. If you need help, our OMD Advisory Service can assist you! We can help you use your EMR better to save you time and frustration.

We are experts in all OMD-certified EMRs! Through our EMR Lab, we can develop tools and suggest helpful workflow improvements.

Have you joined our EMR Communities of Practice (CoP)? CoP is a virtual place for EMR and digital health tool users, including clinicians and office staff, to come together and improve upon their knowledge, discover upcoming changes, ask questions and learn from colleagues. Find out more about OMD EMR Communities of Practice and join the CoP for your EMR!

We can connect your EMR to drug information, eConsult, eForms, hospital reports, and lab results.

If you prefer to talk to a peer, our Peer Leaders can also help you. Contact support@ontariomd.com, and help will soon be on the way!

We can help you protect your patient data through our FREE CME-accredited online Privacy & Security training.

Important Reminders

Changing EMRs or Practices, Moving Your Practice? OMD Needs to Know! 

All EMR Users 

To help us provide the best support to optimize your EMR use, please notify OMD at support@ontariomd.com when switching to another EMR, moving offices or joining a different clinic. We also need to know if you have changed your email address or phone number.

HRM Users

If you’re moving, switching Internet providers, changing your Internet plan, or switching EMRs, your IP address may be changing and OMD needs to know! We need to update our records to make sure your EMR continues to receive patient reports through HRM. Please notify OMD at support@ontariomd.com a minimum of 7 business days in advance of the change with a complete change request and a valid IP address to ensure you don’t experience any service interruptions.

Partner News

A Matter of Fax: Inform the Future of Connected Digital Health Tools

As part of its Patients Before Paperwork (Pb4P) initiative, Ontario Health is seeking membership from family physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, pharmacists, and midwives to join its Pb4P Clinical Advisory Table.

Members will help to inform the Pb4P initiative, share insights about digital health tools and provide feedback. Applications are due Saturday, July 6. For questions, full details or to learn how to apply, read the expression of interest posting.

Reminder: Ontario Health's Secure Messaging Pilot

There's still time for Ontario physicians to participate in a two-year patient-to-physician Secure Messaging Proof-of-Concept pilot led by the province. The pilot runs to March 31, 2026. The last date for physicians to register for participation is July 31, 2024. More information is available on the Ministry of Health website.