What's New

• Public Health Matters is a quarterly e-newsletter from York Region Public Health that covers topics relevant to today’s health care professionals. It offers resources you can use in your practice and highlights programs offered by Public Health that are useful to you and your patients.
  
  Public Health Matters is now available as an email subscription. Complete the subscription form by providing your email address to receive future editions directly to your inbox.
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  Public Health Matters - Current Edition and Archives
  The current edition provides links to several opioid resources that may be helpful in your practice.
• Subscribe to receive health status and surveillance reports from York Region Public Health’s Infectious Diseases Control Division
• Supporting Patients and Health Care Providers amid the Opioid Crisis: Register now for a CME-accredited event featuring Dr. Andrew Smith, Neurologist and Addiction Medicine Specialist, on November 25, 2019 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Markham Stouffville Hospital or participate via online webcast. Light dinner and community agency fair included. Register by November 12, 2019.
• September 27, 2019 - Influenza vaccines are not currently available for distribution in York Region but are expected to be available to order within the next few weeks. For further information, please see the following message: Preparations Underway for the 2019-20 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)
• August 30, 2019 - Ontario Rifampin Shortage Ends
• August 29, 2019 - Rabies Immune Globulin Update
  
• August 19, 2019 - Rabies Immune Globulin Provincial Shortage and Formulation Change
•  July 22, 2019 - Resources Available for Ebola Readiness
• July 15, 2019 - Change in vaccine pick-up hours at Georgina office
• July 4, 2019 - York Region Public Health Update to Pharmacists
• Measles - recent measles cases in York Region and elsewhere are a reminder to stay informed on how to best protect the public and your health care practice. See the links below for more information:
  • Protecting Your Practice Against Measles
  • PHO – Important Measles Information
  • PHO – Measles
  • PHO – Measles Information for Clinicians
  • PHO - Infection Prevention and Control for Clinical Office Practice
• Duty to Report Animal to Human Bite/Exposure Incidents
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus found in Southern Ontario Horses
• Transporting vaccines appropriately
  Vaccines are sensitive and costly biological agents and must be treated with care. All vaccines must be stored and transported at a temperature between 2°C to 8°C from the moment they are produced, through distribution, right up until the vaccine is administered to the patient. Learn more about protecting vaccines in the "cold chain".
• York Region Student Drug Use and Health Use Survey Report

Frequently Used Forms and Resources

• Vaccine order and return forms
• Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) form
• Diseases of Public Health Significance and Notification Form
• Support and Resources for Mental Health and Pregnancy and Postpartum 
• UPDATED: 2018 Red Flags guide - A quick reference guide for early years and health care professionals in York Region that assists in identifying when children could be at risk of not meeting their expected health outcomes or developmental milestones.
• Child and Family Health Referral Form

For use with patients

• Echat: York Region Public Health now offers expectant and new parents the ability to ask a registered nurse health questions confidentially and anonymously through online chat - york.ca/nursechat
• York Region Public Health’s Perinatal Mental Health Pathway is a tool that enables health care providers to better connect their patients with community supports and resources. The pathway utilizes the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) which is a validated tool recommended for the routine screening of individuals for perinatal depression and/or anxiety
• Healthy Aging e-learning module registration
• Nurse-Family Partnership ® (NFP) - a home visiting program for new mothers
• Spa Safety guide for infection prevention

Resource Libraries

• Health Professionals Resources
• Infectious Disease Fact Sheets

External Resources and References

• Cannabis
  • Cannabasics - Canadian Public Health Association
  • Resources for Professionals - Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
  • Information for Health Care Professionals - Government of Canada
• Radon
  
  • Radon Continuing Professional Development Course Toolkit (Health Canada)
  • Opioids Clinical Primer Course (MacHealth)
  • Radon: Is it in your patients’ home? - a free, accredited program
• Alcohol
  
  • Guidelines for Healthcare Providers to Promote Low-Risk Drinking Among Patients
  • Communicating Alcohol-Related Health Risks
  • Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral
• Physical Activity Guidelines