Please see below for the following updates:

• Hand Hygiene education updates
• Call for Proposals:  2023-24 SMHA AFP Innovation Funds - Aug 21/23 submission internal review deadline
• Available Chair Opportunity - Endowed Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health
• Changes in CPOE ordering of plasma on Soarian
• IM PD Posting

As many of you know, hand hygiene education is required to be completed by all those who work in clinical areas or with patients. Last year, IPAC recognized that a system change in LMS excluded hand hygiene education from the course list of many staff and physicians who require it. Unity Health has also been experiencing outbreaks and transmission events related to VRE and C. difficile. Investigations have identified hand hygiene practice gaps, including incorrect use of gloves. 

To address these issues, IPAC has:

• harmonized the hand hygiene e-Learning module across the acute sites;
• updated the module to include key information relevant to current practice gaps; and
• updated the list of roles requiring this training to ensure all applicable staff are captured

The new e-Learning module is now live on LMS (as of August 8, 2023). It will replace existing SMH and SJHC hand hygiene training modules. After go-live, all existing applicable staff and physicians will need to complete the module as a refresher, particularly given the new content. All new staff and physicians will be required to complete this new module as part of their orientation. The module takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

We hope this captures our clinical teams in this essential education and enhances of our efforts to reduce transmission at our sites.  We are asking for your assistance in ensuring Medical Staff complete this module. 

Please contact Shara Junaid, Manager IPAC directly (Tel: (647)539-8043; [email protected]) if you have any questions about this information.

A reminder that AFP IF proposals are due by August 21, 2023. Complete applications are to be forwarded to Jessica Comilang.  Full details are below and forms are attached.

 Dear Researchers,

Unity Health Toronto is inviting applications (from internal applicants only) for the Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health. This is a joint University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital Endowed Chair. The successful candidate must already hold a Scientist or Investigator research appointment with Unity Health. As per Unity Health guidelines, the Chairholder should not hold another major salary award (eg. CRC, Chair, Professorship).

The posting can also be found on the Dalla Lana website https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/faculty/professional-opportunities/

The deadline for applications is September 27, 2023. Please see the attachment for further details.

Sincerely,

Erica Conte

Dear colleagues

As per Transfusion Medicine memo from March 10 2023, solvent detergent treated plasma (SDP) is being implemented across Unity Health with aim to replace frozen plasma. At St. Michael’s Hospital, SDP will be gradually implemented in all areas where CPOE is currently used. Frozen plasma will be available for use in non-CPOE areas and in Trauma Bay, and orderable by a paper requisition.

To reflect the difference in volumes of units of frozen plasma (200-300mL) and SDP (200mL), the CPOE orders for plasma have changed. Effective immediately, plasma transfusion should be ordered as a dose calculated based on patient’s weight in kilograms (15mL/kg). Upon receiving the order, Transfusion Medicine will convert the dose into a number of units by rounding down the volume to be transfused to the nearest whole unit. Please note that depending on what type of plasma is issued (FP vs. SDP), the number of units per dose may differ. In exceptional circumstances, where a partial dose (less than 15mL/kg) may be clinically indicated, please call Transfusion Medicine (ext 5084) and order by filling out a paper requisition. 

If you have any questions or concerns re: the above, please contact me at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Dear all,  please note that the IM PD posting has been extended to September 15th, 2023.

https://jobs.utoronto.ca/job/Toronto-Associate-or-Full-Professor-Program-Director%2C-Internal-Medicine-ON/571136317/