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Conference Program

Program (September 12-13, 2024)
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Changing with the times: Trusted technology advice 

  • Using AI and innovative technologies in community-based clinics
  • Enhancing patient care using technology
  • Finding the joy in medicine
  • Billing Optimization



Day One – Morning Sessions

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.


Presented by Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer, OntarioMD and Dominik Nowak, President, OMA


8:45 - 9:30 a.m.


Jimmy Yang

This keynote address and discussion will focus on the transformation journey ahead for clinicians including technology adoption, the role of AI, training, and how this evolution could unfold for clinicians and Canadians.

Presented by Jimmy Yang, Managing Director, Canadian Health Industry Leader & Co-Chair, Global Health Strategy Council, Accenture 



9:30 - 10:25 a.m.


A comprehensive discussion on the legal aspects and future prospects of AI scribes in health care.

Panelists include:

  • Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD
  • Devin Singh, MD, Emergency Physician, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
  • Rosemarie Lall, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD
  • Onil Bhattacharyya, MD, PhD, Frigon Blau Chair, Family Medicine, Women’s College Hospital 
Moderated by Will Falk, Innovation Fellow, Women’s College Hospital


10:45 - 11:25 a.m.


At the end of this session, participants will explore the transformative potential of AI Large Language Models (LLMs), focusing on practical applications for clinical workflows and data management. The session will focus on how AI LLMs can be leveraged to generate custom clinical templates, data mining within the EMR, and understanding the power and limits of AL LLMs as a tool.

Presented by Ian Pun, MD, Family Physician, Rouge Valley FHO, Scarborough



In this session, participants will understand the true value in bringing together a community of local primary care providers with a passion for digital health innovations. Glean transferable insights to build your own digital health community of practice.

Presented by Jeremy Chad, MD, MSc, CCFP, Primary Care Digital Co-Lead, North York Toronto Health Partners



Patricia Kosseim, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and Ariane Siegel, OMD’s General Counsel and CPO will share insights on the current regulatory environment and best practices for safeguarding patient privacy in the digital age. This session will consider Canada’s new interoperability legislation and delve into the legal ramifications of AI in health care, including legal and privacy requirements.

Presented by Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD, and Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario


11:35 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.


In this session, attendees will be able to asses how technology impacts burnout based off the results of the OntarioMD Clinician Survey. The session will discuss what can be done at a health system level to decrease digital burnout and what can be done at the individual level to help with burnout.

Presented by Chandi Chandrasena, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD



In this session, attendees will learn how the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team partners have come together to address common challenges to support the administrative burden being faced by primary care physicians. The session will include examples of how dedicated change management resources have supported the development and implementation of innovative digital health projects. The presentation will include concrete examples of this work, including online booking, EMR toolbar use, advanced Ocean eReferral integration, and other tricks to reduce the number of ‘clicks’.

Presented by James Lane, MD, Digital Health Lead and Chief Medical Information Officer, South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team, and Tristan Cardwell, Health System and Navigation Program Coordinator, South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team 



At the end of this session, participants will gain valuable insights demonstrating how an innovative approach to using widely available digital tools and incorporating them into their workflow can streamline clinic operations while enhancing patient care and experiences. This session will discuss digital tools such as patient messaging, EMR data mining, document management.

Presented by Iris Gorfinkel, MD, PrimeHealth Clinical Research


Day One – Afternoon Sessions

1:35 - 2:15 p.m.


This presentation will explore innovative ways in which digital tools can be used, tested, and improved in a clinical environment.

The recent study to assess AI scribe solutions benefited greatly from work within a realistic clinical environment and diligent cooperation between organizations. The presentation will advocate for the expansion of this approach to ensure new products are effective from a clinical perspective and can be deployed rapidly.

Presented by Payal Agarwal, Chief Medical Information and Innovation Officer, Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospital, and Jim Brown, Director, Client Engagement, OntarioMD



In this session, participants will learn more about Pb4P’s key focus areas, as well as: 

  • How we’re working to reduce paper- and fax-based clinical workflows, as well as other sources of administrative burden
  • How digital health tools, like eReferral, ePrescription, eOrdering and eLabs, are being leveraged
  • How engagement with health care providers and health system partners is helping to steer and inform Pb4P’s priorities

Presented by Clare Liddy, MD, Family Physician and Digital Clinical Lead, Ontario Health



In this session, explore emerging tools that enhance daily clinical decision making related to mental health. The session will focus on the Evidence2Practice (E2P) tool for anxiety disorders and major depression in adults, its support for primary care clinicians and lessons learned from its initial implementation phase.

Presented by:

  • Dr. Trish Rawn, Clinical Service Director, Centre for Effective Practice (CEP)
  • Sharon Bal, MD, Family Physician, Lead of the Delta Coronation FHO
  • Pippy Scott-Meuser, Director, Digital, Centre for Effective Practice (CEP)


3:20 - 4:05 p.m.


A discussion around the pros and cons of community providers using the same system (Cerner, Meditech, Epic) as their local hospitals. Is this a step in the right direction or a whole other challenge to overcome.

Panelists include:

  • Andrew King, Chief Technology Officer, OntarioMD
  • Kim Morrison, MD, Family Physician and Executive Lead, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team (FLA-OHT)
  • Philip Vandewalle, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD
Moderated by Vineet Nair, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD


3:55 - 4:40 p.m.


Presented by Helen Angus, CEO, AMS Healthcare and Former Ontario Deputy Minister of Health


4:50 - 5:05 p.m.


Presented by Chandi Chandrasena, MD CCFP FCFP, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD




Day Two – Morning Sessions

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.


Presented by Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer, OntarioMD and Lily Chen, Chief Financial Officer on behalf of Kimberly Moran, OMA


8:45 - 9:30 a.m.


Presented by the Hon. Jane Philpott, MD, Former Federal Minister of Health, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University

Jane Philpott

Known as a changemaker with impeccable integrity, the Honourable Jane Philpott lives to serve the greater public good. Her desire to create a healthier, more just world has been the driving force throughout her career which has seen her work as a family doctor in West Africa and Ontario, as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, a health sciences academic, and a daring leader. As a driving force behind the national conversation on improving access to primary health care, she delivers compelling talks on building a healthier future for Canada.


9:30 - 10:15 a.m.


Participants of diverse perspectives join a panel for an honest conversation about the vision of, requirements for, and impediments to a digitally optimized clinic.

Presented by:

  • Dominik Nowak, MD, President, OMA
  • Beth Gerritsen, Senior Vice President, First Hx, and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Payal Agarwal, Chief Medical Information and Innovation Officer, Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospital
  • Keith Chung, Co-Founder, CHIME, and Director of Magenta Health
Moderated by Chandi Chandrasena, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD


10:45 - 11:15 a.m.


This session will see attendees learn how the implementation of a cervical screening toolbar can help reduce delays and close the care gap. It will also discuss how effective and timely cervical screening, follow-up, and treatment is critical to positively impacting women’s health.

Presented by:

  • Rebecca Wray, MD, Family Physician, Regional Primary Care and Cancer Screening Lead, Central East Regional Cancer Program
  • Shannon Bourke, Director, Regional Programs, Central East Regional Cancer Program
  • Jennifer Littlejohn, Practice Enhancement Consultant, OntarioMD


This session will demonstrate a workflow for Accuro FHO physicians to identify patients whose roster status in their EMR is incorrect. Accuro does not perform this important function automatically. Together with the North York Family Health Team data manager Suja Arackal, the speaker has developed an Excel macro that allows this process to be completed in minutes. For Accuro EMR users.

Presented by Eric Stutz, MD, Family Physician, North York Family Health Team


At the end of this session, participants can evaluate how AI scribes help alleviate the burden of documentation, empower them to work more efficiently, and enhance patient outcomes. Attendees will learn about integration and functionality of AI scribes within clinical settings to optimize workflow. This session will include a live encounter demonstration.

Presented by Rosemarie Lall, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD



In this session, attendees will be able to assess and learn about the effective integration of scheduling, communication and EMR systems to streamline pediatric healthcare delivery. They will be able to identify advanced scheduling and SMS alerts that can enhance patient access, reduce no show rates, and improve overall clinic efficiency. The session will also explore the future of integrating digital health tools including the impact on patient care, staff workflows, and inter-provider communication.

Presented by:

  • Kelley Zwicker, MD, OMD Specialist Physician Peer Leader
  • Sean Keerkland, Systems & Software, East Ottawa Kids Care Clinic & Kids Come First
  • Katie Peter, Practice Enhancement Consultant, OntarioMD


11:25 - 11:55 a.m.


At the end of this session, participants will gain valuable insights into leveraging various digital tools and incorporating them into their workflow for streamlined operations and enhanced patient experiences. This session will discuss digital tools such as online booking, questionnaires, patient portals, virtual visits, and the use of analytics and AI to optimize workflow and billing.

Presented by Chris LeBouthillier, Executive Director, Carleton West Family Health Team, and OntarioMD Clinic Manager Peer Leader



In this session, learn about the free, point-of-care for preventive care for older people (PCOP) tool from the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP). By easily integrating with TELUS PS Suite Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and facilitating the latest evidence into practice, it can help clinicians provide fulsome preventive care for aging patients. Health behaviours (physical/sedentary activity, social isolation, loneliness), fall prevention, cardiovascular health, cancer screening, fragility fractures, immunizations and more will be discussed.

Presented by Amy Freedman MD, CCFP (COE), FCFP, Family Physician, St. Michael’s Academic Family Health Team and Baycrest, and Makayla Gomes, MHIS, BHSc, Project Coordinator, Centre for Effective Practice (CEP)



Cyberthreats and cyberattacks are continually proliferating and becoming more sophisticated. Get the latest tips on protecting your practice.

Panelists include:

  • Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD
  • Sharon Domb, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD
  • Andrew Drummond, Director of Health Policy on the Personal Health information Protection Act, IPC
  • John Solomos, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, BlueBirdIT Solutions Inc.


Short Snappers

The short snappers will feature new innovations your colleagues are using to help reduce admin burden and enhance patient care. These four sessions will run for ten minutes each with five minutes for questions.

11:25 - 11:40 a.m.


In this session, learn about how online appointment booking (OAB) will replace standard methods like phone, fax, and traditional mail. Hear how aggregating OABs into a Jurisdictional Scheduler, with a single patient access point, could simplify appointment tracking for patients and allow physicians to continue maintaining their own systems.

Presented by Jonathan Marcus, MD, Primary Care Physician, Empower Health


11:40 - 11:55 a.m.


In this session, participants will learn how the latest advances in cloud-based technology, novel team-based care pathways and the latest AI tools can be used to increase efficiencies and reduce burnout, while enhancing and improving access to care for patients.

Presented by Jennifer Driscol, Lead, Family Medicine, University of Toronto, Rocket Doctor


12:05 - 12:20 p.m.


In this session, discover how AI tools can save you time by completing routine (yet essential) tasks in clinic workflows. Hear results from pilot studies and real-world applications on the value of streamlining tasks, including task/tickler and inbound fax processing, to fulfill more value-added work and reclaim time for you and clinic staff.

Presented by Shane Teper, MD, Chief Medical Officer, WaiveTheWait, and Shreyansh Anand, Chief Executive Officer, WaiveTheWait


12:20 - 12:35 p.m.


In this session, hear about our health-care system inefficiencies, the common causes, potential solutions, and suggestions for physicians on maximizing productivity.

Presented by Omar Gheriani, MD, President, Dr. Inbox


Day Two – Afternoon Sessions

12:05 - 12:35 p.m.


This session will outline the user benefits and challenges of Health Report Manager (HRM®). The talk will explore the pain points that have contributed to physicians' administrative burden and how new recommendations from the HRM Task Force can potentially lead to solutions that will address the pain points and significantly lessen the burden.

Presented by Neilashi Jolyn Gunanayagam, Product Manager, OntarioMD, and Sharon Domb, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD



In this session, attendees will learn about the Provider Asthma Assessment Form (PAAF), a digital tool that supports adherence with evidence-based asthma guidelines. The session will focus on how use of this e-form within your practice enables high-quality documentation, performance measurement, and quality improvement. We will demonstrate the functionality of the embedded severe asthma algorithm and decision support. Lastly, we will highlight results and lessons learned from implementation in a primary healthcare team.

Presented by Alison Morra, Research Associate/Registered Nurse, and Matheson McFarlane, MSc Candidate, Translational Medicine, Queen's University, Asthma Research Unit



In this session, participants will see a demonstration of a collaborative model designed to foster synergy in supporting community-based clinics. This model leverages the skills of medical students, guided by the expertise of OntarioMD digital health professionals. Discover how this approach not only addresses care gaps in clinics but also sparks interest in family medicine among medical students. Hear firsthand about the significant value realized by community-based clinics through this innovative partnership, enhancing their capacity to deliver quality care.

Presented by:

  • Ryan Banach, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Lead Physician, Norfinch FHO
  • Michal Leckie, 3rd Year Medical Student
  • Fatima Bah, 3rd Year Medical Student


1:30 - 2:05 p.m.


In this session, participants will hear insights from The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids Hospital) on designing, implementing, and optimizing a remote care management (RCM) program for paediatric patients. Using concrete examples of how to use app-based educational and monitoring parameters for patients at home, the session will illustrate the value of an RCM program in optimizing the patient and provider experience.

Presented by:

  • Daniel Rosenfield, MD and Co-Lead, Virtual Care, Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Sick Kids Hospital, Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
  • Ashley Graham, Senior Clinical Manager, Digital and Virtual Care, Sick Kids Hospital
  • Bren Cardiff, Registered Nurse, CNIO and Virtual Care Operations Co-Lead, Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)


2:05 - 2:35 p.m.


In this session, learn how physicians in all health-care settings can use data from Ontario Health practice reports to improve patient outcomes. The session will share details of the learning modalities that support data usage for quality improvement (QI) and expand on future opportunities as the evolution of primary care data reports continues. 

Presented by Phil Dalton, Senior Quality Improvement Specialist and Interim Quality Lead, Ontario Health, and Aiman Hameedi, Senior Quality Improvement Specialist, Ontario Health


3:00 - 3:10 p.m.


Presented by Chandi Chandrasena, MD CCFP FCFP, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD


3:10 - 5:10 p.m.


Join the OMA to learn about billing for family medicine, including Physician Services Agreement (PSA) related billing changes. This OMA billing session will discuss PSA-related changes to billing, virtual care codes, comprehensive care obligations, preventive care bonuses and more! 

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Understand their primary-care service obligations to patients and the contract that governs it
  • Identify billing resources available to support accurate billing
  • Enhance chronic disease and preventative care outcomes by linking to chronic disease and preventative care billing
  • Our physician billing expert will be on hand to answer your billing questions

Presented by Ryan Banach, MD on behalf of the OMA





Coaching Workshops


Available on Day One and Day Two (September 12-13, 2024)

Get individual Peer Leader coaching with a Peer Leader who uses your EMR.  Peer Leaders can provide support and advice on how to best utilize your EMR and other digital health tools to enhance your office workflow and ease administration burden. Peer Leader appointments can be booked and limited slots are available.



Available on Day Two (September 13, 2024)

These semi-private (up to 2 people at each table) coaching sessions are designed to provide you with a practical approach and guidance on leveraging your practice data and other available data sources to create and implement a Practice Improvement Plan. These sessions will be beneficial to any clinicians and their staff who are working on their quality improvement projects, including CPSO QI initiatives. The sessions are limited in availability.



Available on Day Two (September 13, 2024)

These 75-minute round table workshops will allow you to learn from OntarioMD Peer Leaders in a group environment. Ask Questions, network with other colleagues who are dealing with similar workflows. Get tips and tricks to improve practice efficiency and ease administrative burden. Peer Leaders using Accuro EMR, OSCAR PRO and PS Suite EMR will be accessible to you.





This event (program number 00803) is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the SOGC. You may claim a maximum of 11.5 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

This one-credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to 12 Mainpro+ credits.