Please see below for the following updates:

• Interim Coverage for Emergency Departments at Unity Health Toronto
• Important resources and next steps for Epic Systems training
• Reminders and instructions for Epic Systems Training registration
• AFP Innovation Fund (IF) Call for Proposals – Submission deadline August 21/24
• REMINDER: Submit your 2023/2024 Annual Activity Reports – Active Staff Members ONLY
• REMINDER: 2023/2024 Annual Activity Reports – Courtesy Staff ONLY - Please fill out the online survey
• Bike registration starting Aug. 8 at St. Michael’s

 With the departure of Orla Smith, Senior Clinical Program Director - Emergency Care, effective September 9, 2024 through December 31, 2024, Jackie Chen, Senior Clinical Program Director - Primary & Community Care, will be the director responsible for the St. Michael’s Emergency Department. Dana Whitham, Senior Clinical Program Director - Kidney & Metabolism, will be the director responsible for the St. Joseph’s Emergency Department. Both Jackie and Dana are longstanding leaders at Unity Health. Thank you Jackie and Dana for taking on these additional interim responsibilities. 

Thank you to everyone who’s registered for Epic Systems training. As of August 7, 52% of all Unity Health physicians have been registered for training. This is a tremendous achievement, thanks in large part to your efforts and support.

As we inch closer to the training period, please take careful note of the instructions and resources below, including information on the exemption criteria and accommodations. 

Exemption criteria

Physicians who have related Epic experience in the last 12 months at an approved health care organization will be able to request an exemption from Epic Systems training. To qualify, physicians must also successfully complete the end user proficiency assessment (EUPA), a login lab and a user settings lab to gain access to the Epic system. The exemption process will open in early September – please stay tuned for more information.

If granted an exemption, please unenrol yourself from your training session in a timely manner to make the spot available for another user.

Note: There is a learning module called “research coordinator” that may have been added to your profile if you do research through the LKSKI.  If you are a Research PI, it is advised that you sign up for this course.  If not, please complete a serviceNow ticket to have it removed from your profile.

Accommodations

Accommodations are available for physicians who require support with their training session(s). To request accommodations, please submit this accessibility services request form to the EPR Education team at least three weeks ahead of your training session(s). More information can be found in the form. 

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits

The Allan Waters Family Simulation Centre at Unity Health will be providing Royal College MOC credits for completing Epic Systems training. Credits also apply to the hours spent completing user settings labs, which means that physicians who are granted an exemption from Epic Systems training will still be eligible for credit hours. More information will be shared in September. 

Training instructions

By early September, all Epic Systems training materials will be released in Elevate, Unity Health’s Learning Management System (LMS). Please note that the EUPA, login lab and user settings lab should be completed during instructor-led training sessions. Do not complete these in advance.

Select physicians who will use Epic more peripherally (e.g. many of our family physicians) will complete virtual independent learning. Physicians who are completing virtual independent learning do not need to complete any pre-class learning and can complete the EUPA, login lab and user settings lab at any time after they complete their required virtual course(s). 

Thank you for your continued assistance and cooperation. If you have any questions about any of the items specified above, please visit the EPR System Training page on UnityNet or email [email protected]

Please note: All DOM physicians including courtesy and clinical associates:  Even if you are using/have recently used Epic at another hospital, you are still required to register for training at SMH.  A training exemption will be made available for physicians who have recent and related Epic experience but until the exemption process opens in August, all physicians should secure a spot for training. Don’t delay – training spots are quickly filling up.

Please be reminded that all Unity Health staff and physicians who will use the new Epic EPR system once it launches on Nov. 30 are required to complete Epic Systems training ahead of go-live. Physicians are responsible for registering themselves. Training registration is now open. Please see below for important reminders and step-by-step instructions on how to register. 

Registration instructions 

Training has been preassigned in Elevate, Unity Health’s Learning Management System (LMS). To enrol in a classroom training session, please see this tip sheet, this how-to video or follow the steps below. You can also find an introduction to Elevate in this short overview video.

1. Sign into Elevate (https://elevate.unityhealth.to) using your Unity Health credentials. This is the same network username and password that you use to log into other Unity Health systems. 
   • Note: You can access Elevate through any browser and on any device. You do not need to be logged into Citrix or FortiPortal, or on a Unity Health device. 
2. Once logged in, you’ll see a My Learning Progress widget on the right-hand side of the home page, below the Elevate banner. In that widget, find the course you want to enrol in. 
   • Note: You won’t be able to see your Epic Systems training courses until 7 a.m. on June 24. If you still don’t see your courses after that time, click on “View All” at the bottom right-hand side of the widget. 
3. Click on the course title you want to enrol in. 
4. In the Enrolment Options box, click on the “Choose Session” button. 
5. From the available list of sessions, select the one you want to enrol in. 
6. Click the “Confirm” button to enrol in the chosen session. 

If you encounter any issues trying to register once the training registration window opens, please log a ticket with the HelpDesk using the ServiceNow portal (NOT via phone or email). A member of the EPR Education team will review your ticket and get back to you as soon as possible. 

Applications are now being accepted for Round 17 of the AFP Innovation Funds.  As in previous years, the DOM will have an internal review of the Innovation Fund applications in order to optimize the chance for successful applications.  For 2024/2025, the Department of Medicine has been allocated $480,154.40 in total for new projects, after year 2 funding from last year’s approved projects is removed.  We are suggesting a maximum budget per project of $100,000.  There is also a competition for a large budget cross-discipline proposal of up to $200,000 for 2 years.

We ask that applicants send their complete applications to Jessica Comilang by August 21, 2024.  This deadline is for both large budget and all new initial proposals for the DOM internal review process.

Please check your inbox for emails from Jessica on this topic for full details, guidelines and required forms. You must be a full member of the DOM practice plan to apply as PI. Dr. Andrew Advani is overseeing this process on behalf of the Department of Medicine this year.

Due date:  September 1, 2024

The Department of Medicine is committed to ensuring your career satisfaction and success. With this goal in mind, and due to our size, all full time DoM members are requested to participate in a biennial Faculty Review, at a minimum. This meeting provides you the opportunity for formal discussion about what is and may not be working to achieve your goals, to ensure you are meeting the expectations of your job description from the point of view of your division, department and university, and to facilitate your continued career success.  Faculty members who are in their first 5 years of a faculty appointment will be met with annually. If you have a pressing need to meet or would like to meet annually, please reach out to the PIC office so that we can accommodate this. The priority is to ensure your needs are met and we will do whatever we can in the PIC office to help you achieve your career goals.  You are also encouraged to meet annually with your Division Head to review your career goals and activities, including a discussion of your annual activity report.

Thank you to those who have already submitted.

Due date:  September 1^st, 2024

This year, we are circulating a revised online form for your 2023/24 activity report as we would like to ensure we have a full understanding of your clinical and scholarly contributions to St. Michael’s Hospital.  All medical staff holding a courtesy appointment in the St. Michael’s Department of Medicine are requested to complete this online report by September 1, 2024, which will be reviewed by myself and your Division Head.  This information will be used to inform re-appointment to St. Michael’s Hospital next year.   For those of you who hold a faculty appointment, please note that this report is separate and distinct from the reporting you provide to the University of Toronto. Your time to complete this report is appreciated.

https://knowledgetranslation.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1TCV3Bpxbgn1sGi

Thank you to those who have already submitted.

Bike registration is starting Thursday, Aug. 8. Staff can head to the security office located in the PGT lobby and fill in the registration sheet with contact info and description of bicycle collect a green owned tag to place on their bicycle.

This will help us identify staff owned bicycles that will be remaining in the bike storage area and help contact owners if bicycles need to be moved. By Aug. 19, if there are any untagged cycles they will be removed from the bike storage space.