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Rapid Virtualization of Care Delivery in the Pandemic: Is it all it’s cracked up to be?

GTA Chapter of Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL), Centre for Sustainable Health Systems at IHPME, and Emerging Health Leaders (EHL) Joint Event 

Date: Friday March 26, 2021

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Eastern Time

  • 11:55 am – 12:00 pm Sign into Zoom link

  • 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Debate & Discussion

REGISTER HERE

Proponents of virtual care have long stressed the many potential benefits it could eventually convey, including improved access/equity, integration of care, and environmental sustainability. The relatively slow adoption of virtual care meant that the full realization of these promises was years away - until recently, when COVID-19 prompted an unprecedented uptick in the use of virtual healthcare technologies across Canada. Yet the associated benefits and long-term viability (and indeed, desirability) of this dramatic transformation are unclear. Have we fast-tracked our way to the type and level of virtual care provision that will allow us to achieve our objectives around patient care, health outcomes, and environmental sustainability, or locked ourselves into an iteration of virtual care that will limit their realization?  Our panelists consider the financial, social, and environmental implications of continuing on, abandoning, or altering the trajectory COVID-19 has put us on with respect to virtual care.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Ewan Affleck, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta

Ewan Affleck has worked and lived in northern Canada since 1992, were he maintains a part time clinical practice. The past CMIO of the NWT, he is currently serving as the Senior Medical Advisor - Health Informatics, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta, Chair of the Alberta Virtual Care Working Group, chair of the Health Canada Task Team on Equity in Virtual Care and was co-chair of the national Virtual Care Task Force. In 2013, he was appointed to the Order of Canada for his contribution to northern health care.

Bobby Gheorghiu, Senior Manager, Performance Analytics, Canada Health Infoway

Bobby Gheorghiu Bobby has 20 years of experience across the acute care, government and policy sectors of the healthcare system. In his current role with Canada Health Infoway he uses data analytics and the development and monitoring of performance indicators to stimulate adoption and demonstrate tangible benefits of investments in digital health. Bobby holds an MHSc in Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation from the University of Toronto and a BBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University.

Julia Zarb, Academic and Managing Director of CanCOVID and REAL  

Julia Zarb is an Assistant Professor at University of Toronto, and former Program Director of the Master's of Health Informatics (MHI) at the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at University of Toronto. ​For more than two decades, her work has been focused on safe and rapid digital and AI knowledge communication and mobilization in academic, public and private sectors. ​​After the pandemic declaration, Julia led the Rapid Evidence Access Link (REAL) as a digital COVID-19 response initiative to get evidence into health care decision makers’ hands. This platform serves multiple uses within Ontario’s Ministry of Health. Of 23 years in health information technology strategy and marketing leadership, she has spent 14 in the US arena and 10 years on corporate executive teams in Canada and USA. ​​Her own firm, Zarb Consulting, served dozens of clients in national-scale initiatives, including National health IT Week (HIMSS); National eProvider Patient Safety Initiative (Allscripts); ​Centre for Information Technology Leadership (Harvard & Partners Healthcare); and others. ​​Julia was a co-founder and representative of the Electronic Health Record Vendor Association (HIMSS EHRA). She has served on HIMSS HL7 & IHE Interoperability Collaborative, and HIMSS Katrina Phoenix. ​​Julia holds a PhD in Communications Theory from the University of Toronto and serves on the Board of Regents for Victoria University, University of Toronto.

Moderator: Fiona Miller, Professor at IHPME and Director, Centre for Sustainable Health Systems