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These comments by @DrMohammadOsler on @TheAgenda need to be unpacked.
In short,
1. Family doctors are open
2. Late presentations to ED likely relate more to pts delaying seeking needed care
3. Some prev care should be deferred when case counts are high
More details in this
https://twitter.com/theagenda/status/1349110234917335043
In short,
1. Family doctors are open
2. Late presentations to ED likely relate more to pts delaying seeking needed care
3. Some prev care should be deferred when case counts are high
More details in this
https://twitter.com/theagenda/status/1349110234917335043
1. The vast majority of family docs are open for business. This is not just rhetoric but based on data we @UofTFamilyMed @MAP_Health collected in Toronto from May to Oct in partnership with @OntarioCollege @ON_FamilyHealth and regional leads like @PhamTia @davidkaplanmd
We found 99% were open in some form with 90% open for in-person care
Closure was more common early in the pandemic and among those in practice >40 yrs. health concerns and lack of PPE were common barriers
Full report here: https://www.dfcm.utoronto.ca/improving-quality-during-covid-19
Closure was more common early in the pandemic and among those in practice >40 yrs. health concerns and lack of PPE were common barriers
Full report here: https://www.dfcm.utoronto.ca/improving-quality-during-covid-19
We are planning a second survey of docs this wave to see if things are different.
We know many docs have worked together to ensure care for patients taking a team approach and hope to better understand this. We welcome suggestions for other q’ns and collaborators
We know many docs have worked together to ensure care for patients taking a team approach and hope to better understand this. We welcome suggestions for other q’ns and collaborators
. @RickGlazier1 and I have also been looking at data on closures using @ICESOntario data and our early findings are consistent with survey data — it is very uncommon for a doc to be closed entirely.
2. My colleagues and I have noticed that many patients are delaying seeking care bc they are worried about getting #Covid from going to the doctor and also bc they sometimes think healthcare is overwhelmed or unavailable. We often need to correct these misperceptions
Again we have not just anecdote but also data. Our @UofTFamilyMed patient experience survey done at 14 sites in the GTA found that ~1/4 of patients delayed seeking care in the first wave. This likely explains some of the late presentations in ED
3. There are definitely fewer people getting routine preventive care services. But we need to remember that for a time, this was encouraged. And when case counts are high (as they are now), deferral is often the most appropriate course
In July I wrote this blog @CMAJ summarizing a framework for balancing the risks and benefits of in person vs virtual visits https://cmajblogs.com/ramping-up-in-person-office-visits-in-primary-care-in-the-aftermath-of-covid-19/
Specifically we always need to balance effectiveness of a visit/procedure with safety risk and consider patient values/preference
Specifically we always need to balance effectiveness of a visit/procedure with safety risk and consider patient values/preference
Bottom line: the vast majority of family docs are open & serving their patients. In rare cases where this is not true, there are options for getting needed care.
https://www.ontariofamilyphysicians.ca/tools-resources/covid-19-resources/family-docs-here-for-care.pdf
@afhto @OntarioCollege @UofTFamilyMed @ON_FamilyHealth @allan_k_grillMD @OCFP_President
https://www.ontariofamilyphysicians.ca/tools-resources/covid-19-resources/family-docs-here-for-care.pdf
@afhto @OntarioCollege @UofTFamilyMed @ON_FamilyHealth @allan_k_grillMD @OCFP_President
