News and announcements

Ontario Photo Cards help patients with dementia

In support of Alzheimer’s awareness month, ServiceOntario is highlighting the Ontario Photo Card as a valuable resource for patients diagnosed with dementia or other medical conditions that prevent them from driving or having a driver’s licence. The OPC is a government-issued identification card that supports banking, financial transactions, access to community programs and domestic travel.

Patients can register for an OPC through an in-person appointment at ServiceOntario, with a caregiver or support person, if needed. Patients with an OPC can also sign up to receive card renewal reminders. Print out an OPC fact sheet in English or French for more information.

New tool supports care for older patients

The Centre for Effective Practice is offering a new Preventive Care for Older People tool to support primary care clinicians in delivering evidence-based preventive care for patients 65 years and older. The tool, developed with clinicians and the Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore, provides practical reminders that help you enhance patient care and simplify your practice workflows.

Inspired by the Rourke Baby Record (a health supervision guide for preventive health care of infants and young children up to five years of age), the tool is available as a Telus PS Suite EMR form or vendor-neutral PDF.

Your top resources of 2024

Save time, optimize finances and leverage AI with some of the most popular tools your colleagues used last year and reclaim valuable time to focus on what matters most in 2025. 

1. Manage paperwork effectively: Watch the OMA Learns webinar Managing Paperwork – Taming Documentation to learn how to delegate, automate and streamline workflows
2. Enhance your practice’s financial efficiency: Maximize revenue and minimize errors with the OHIP billing resources hub. Access billing guides, fee schedules and expert tips to stay compliant, avoid mistakes and streamline your practice’s billing process 
3. Expert guidance on AI and privacy: Get valuable insights on using AI, staying compliant and protecting privacy in your clinic, as well as the latest privacy and security tips from OMD Educates

Update on billing for medical students

In last week’s OMA News, we committed to update you on the issues surrounding billing for medical students’ work. This week, OMA staff met with the Ministry of Health to seek further clarification and to express our concerns regarding the impact of the recent HSARB ruling. The MOH understands the confusion around how physicians bill for their medical students and is open to working with us towards both a short- and long-term solution to this issue. Clarity on these rules are a priority for us, and we will update the membership as soon as we can.
 
The additional issue of delegation as it relates to valid employment emerged in parallel and we will pursue this issue as well.

As we said before, our goal is to ensure medical students get the best education possible and learn from the skill and expertise of our physicians; also, to ensure you are compensated properly for these efforts.

We will continue to keep you updated on this issue as we learn more.

Biosimilar transitions for Prolia and Xgeva

Ontario Drug Benefit program patients using Prolia and Xgeva must switch to equivalent biosimilars by Aug. 29, 2025, to maintain coverage, as outlined in a recent Ministry of Health INFOBulletin. Medically necessary exceptions can be requested on a case-by-case basis through the ministry's Exceptional Access Program.

Physicians transitioning patients to biosimilars must issue new prescriptions and can use fee code K900A to claim a one-time payment of $61.20 per patient, per drug.

Mask during respiratory season: Public Health Ontario

Public Health Ontario is recommending continuous masking measures for health-care workers who provide direct care during the fall and winter months. It also outlines considerations for patients, visitors and health-care staff in clinical areas for masking and maintaining physical distancing in waiting rooms based on a risk assessment.

For a summary of PHO’s recommendations, refer to our resource on safely providing in-person care in community-based practices. Masking posters in English and French for office doors and exam rooms are available to download, too.

Access resources for respiratory illness

As we head into the thick of respiratory illness season, Ontario Health has released a memo with support for primary care. It includes information and resources related to virtual care programs, influenza, RSV and COVID-19. Additionally, you can watch a recording of the Ontario Health information session that was held on Nov. 1, which covers updates on RSV, COVID-19 and influenza. 

Making progress on sick notes

It’s official: Employers can no longer request workers get a sick note from a physician for up to three unpaid sick days.

This is a significant first step, and we’ll continue to advocate on solutions to cut red tape faced by physicians. Read more on the Ontario government’s website.

How AI can impact your work and build your confidence

The new AI Learning Centre from the Centre for Effective Practice offers health-care professionals like you practical, evidence-based guidance on how to assess the use of artificial intelligence ethically and effectively in clinical settings. Features include:

• A guide to AI tools in primary care
• A resource on AI fundamentals for practitioners
• Continuous monitoring of the ethical and regulatory landscape

New billing brief for visits related to a surgical procedure

You had questions and we’ve got answers. We have developed a new billing brief covering visits related to a surgical procedure in collaboration with the Ministry of Health via the bilateral Education and Prevention Committee to shed light on a matter you’ve been asking about. The brief has been posted to the ministry’s site. If you have any feedback, please let us know.

Completing the CPSO’s Quality Improvement Program with ease

The CPSO is entering the last year of the first five-year cycle of its QI Program. If you have not completed a CPSO Quality Program within the past five years, you should have received an invitation last week to complete it this year. We have resources to help make completing the program as easy as possible, including an overview of the program and concrete quality improvement ideas.

This year, the CPSO expanded its program to include options for members 70 to 79 years of age with the QI Enhanced Program.