3. Sustainable solutions to primary care problems
- Date: 2022-10-12
- Concurrent Session: Concurrent Session B
- Time: 1:45- 2:30 pm
- Room:
- Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
- Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
- Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.)
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the benefits of treating and the risks of not treating ADHD.
- Review the steps and processes that were used to develop and sustain our Adult ADHD Assessment & Management Program for our FHT.
- Review potential challenges to the development and maintenance of an Adult ADHD Assessment & Management Program within a FHT.
- Identify and discuss ways to mitigate risks associated with an Adult ADHD program that is run by a FHT.
Summary/Abstract:
Adult ADHD is present in approximately 4.4% of the population and is often undiagnosed and untreated (CADDRA Canadian ADHD Practice Guidelines, 2020). Untreated ADHD affects individuals across their lifespan and is associated with poor long-term outcomes, substance use disorder, and comorbid mental health conditions (Wilens et al, 2002). Our Nurse Practitioner (NP) started an NP-Led Adult ADHD program in May 2019. Over the past 3 years, the demand for this program has been evident by the increasing number of referrals from Primary Care providers and self-referrals by patients. In 2021, the program saw over 400 ADHD-related appointments. To maintain it’s sustainability, the program has been adapted several times. We’ve trained other staff to help facilitate its delivery, transitioned patients back to their family physician once therapy is optimized, supported family physicians in managing ADHD, adopted a multi-modal approach to care with the integration of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Group Program, and improved accessibility with virtual appointments. The program has improved access to ADHD-specific care to our semi-rural population by avoiding referrals to psychiatry which are out of town and typically result in long wait times. We are a multi-site FHT with 17 physicians and approximately 30,000 rostered patients. We are in the process of collaborating with another FHT to develop a pilot project in which we facilitate the development of an Adult ADHD program for their FHT. This presentation will outline the steps we took to initiate this program and the ways we adapted the program to maintain its sustainability.
Presenter:
- Kristina Zubrinic, NP-PHC, MScN, Haldimand Family Health Team
- Anne Loshuk, Clinical Lead, Haldimand Family Health Team
- Urslin Fevrier-Thomas, QI Support Specialist, Haldimand Family Health Team
- Vanessa Henry, RD, CDE, Program Development Coordinator, Haldimand Family Health Team
- Becky Lammel, BA, MSW, RSW, Haldimand Family Health Team