Ontario Health Communications

Physicians in Ontario can register to participate in a time-limited Secure Messaging Proof-of-Concept (PoC) pilot until July 31, 2024.

The Ministry of Health (ministry) is undertaking a two-year patient-to-physician Secure Messaging PoC pilot, which will run from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026, that aims to meaningfully complement care within existing patient-physician relationships, increase access to care, and gather a wider scale of evidence related to the use of secure messaging within physician practices in Ontario than has been possible to date.

The Secure Messaging PoC pilot contributes to the province’s ‘Digital First for Health Strategy’, enabling more virtual care options for patients to interact with the health care system and is implemented in alignment with the ministry and Ontario Medical Association 2021 Physician Services Agreement (PSA).

For more information about the Secure Messaging PoC pilot, see the ministry’s INFOBulletin #240103.

How to register to participate:

The Secure Messaging PoC pilot is intended for physicians who have a significant interest in providing services by secure messaging in their practice, or are currently doing so, and are willing to be part of a time-limited, evaluated PoC pilot that will inform the overall strategic approach for secure messaging in Ontario, including elements such as technology and implementation approaches.

Physicians interested in participating in the two-year Secure Messaging PoC pilot can register on Ontario Health’s website up until July 31, 2024. As a reminder, physicians must register individually and must be registered to submit claims for eligible secure messaging services according to the terms and conditions of the Secure Messaging PoC pilot.

Technology requirements:

The use of a 'verified solution' for secure messaging is required. For more information, see Ontario Health’s Verified Solution List. It is not necessary for physicians to have procured a verified solution prior to registration.

Treatment for people with depression and anxiety-related concerns

Adults experiencing depression or anxiety-related concerns can access free cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and related services through the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program (OSP). Depending on needs and preferences, clients will be matched with an OSP service, which include self-led resources guided by a coach or clinician, and one-on-one or group therapy sessions.

All services in the program are informed by CBT approaches. Most people begin with the self-led resources and move to individual or group therapy if they need more support.

Coordinated by ten network lead organizations across the province, services are delivered by select, trained community-based organizations. Individuals can self-refer to the networks or get a referral from a provider.

To learn more about the program, including registration and referral information, please visit ontariohealth.ca/osp and refer this handout (also available in French).

If you have any questions, please contact mhacoe@ontarioheath.ca.

Evaluation of Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care: Hypertension

On behalf of the Ontario Health Clinically Appropriate use of Virtual Care Team, we would like to thank partners who have shared the messaging below to their networks We kindly ask those who have not distributed already, to consider doing so. As part of Ontario Health’s funding commitments related to the Guidance (Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Hypertension), we are required to evaluate the uptake and use of the Guidance and to make iterations to the Guidance based on the feedback we receive.

The deadline to complete the survey is June 1.

Please find suggested language below for your use as well as a link that is specific to your organization/area of focus of the Guidance. We would appreciate you including this in communications to your members at your earliest convenience.

Please note that the evaluation is being conducted by a third-party vendor – The Evidence Network (TEN). TEN is contractually obligated to ensure that all responses remain confidential and that only aggregate data will be shared with the Ontario Health Team responsible for the Guidance.

We very much appreciate your assistance with this request – without communication partners like you, we wouldn’t be able to fulfill our commitment to our funder or gather data to enable us to make improvements to the Guidance!

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Suggested language to be included in communication material:

Ontario Health has developed Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care – Hypertension and, as part of the funding commitment for the development of the Guidance, they are required to evaluate the uptake and use of the Guidance in order to improve the Guidance. They are asking that you take the time to review the Guidance Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care for Hypertension and to complete a survey.

Please find a link to the evaluation survey here: https://online2.snapsurveys.com/HTN_RPCCLs

The survey should take approximately 5 minutes of your time to complete.

The evaluation is being conducted by The Evidence Network – a third party vendor contractually obligated to ensure that your responses remain confidential and that evaluation findings are aggregated prior to sharing with Ontario Health. Further, the survey also includes an invitation for interested parties to participate in an interview – this is completely voluntary and if interested, your name and e-mail address will be requested. This information will not be shared with Ontario Health and again, any findings as a result of your participation will be aggregated before sharing with Ontario Health. Your name and contact information will be kept for only as long as required for the purpose of arranging the interview.

If you have any questions regarding the survey and/or interview, please contact Mimosa Zhao (zhao@theevidencenetwork.com).