Event Details

PHO Rounds: Leveraging Momentum: Building Outreach Capacity and Point-of-Care Syphilis Rapid Testing and Treatment Practices

The increasing rate of syphilis presents a significant challenge for public health units (PHUs), particularly in underserved communities in non-urban and rural areas. Traditional approaches to addressing syphilis in these populations have proven insufficient. In early 2023, five PHUs launched a groundbreaking regional evaluation of an outreach nursing model that incorporated the INSTI® Multiplex HIV-1/HIV-2/Syphilis Antibody Test for point-of-care testing (POCT). The evaluation revealed that innovative outreach nursing models leveraging low-barrier POCT interventions outside clinical settings hold promise for improving syphilis detection and treatment in Ontario.

Intended audience: Public health nurses and nurse practitioners specializing in infectious disease prevention, particularly in areas such as sexual health and harm reduction.

Medical Officers of Health, Associate Medical Officers of Health, decision-makers within local and provincial public health systems, as well as health care providers and support staff working in organizations that serve marginalized populations.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the elements of flexible nursing outreach with POCT for syphilis/HIV, including identifying and overcoming barriers to implementation, and improving processes.
  • Explain the ways in which capacity can be built across the province to implement and evaluate POCT for syphilis/HIV, including leveraging current and future evaluation findings.
  • Describe how actors in local PHUs can foster inter-sectoral collaboration around syphilis diagnoses and treatment using POCT and outreach nursing models.

Presenter(s): Lucy Mackrell, Stephanie Vance and Kandace Belanger

Lucy Mackrell, MA, MSW, is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health with a specialization in Epidemiology at Queen’s University. Her research focuses on improving healthcare accessibility for equity-deserving populations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Master of Arts in Global Development Studies from Queen’s University, as well as a Master of Social Work from McGill University. Between 2018 and 2023, Lucy worked as a clinical social worker in various health and social service roles, including psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and, most recently, conducting mental health risk assessments and supporting successful discharges in the Emergency Department at Kingston General Hospital.

Stephanie Vance, RN, BScN,
earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Laurentian University. With over a decade of diverse public health nursing experience at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, she currently serves as a sexual health clinic nurse within the Sexual Health and Harm Reduction program. In this role, Stephanie leads program planning, coordinates outreach efforts, and oversees the implementation of point-of-care testing initiatives.

Kandace Belanger, RN, MHM
, brings extensive experience in addictions and mental health, with a strong commitment to supporting communities disproportionately affected by health and social inequities. Since 2008, she has held various frontline and leadership roles at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and currently oversees the Street Outreach and Harm Reduction programs. Kandace earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lakehead University and a Master’s in Health Management from McMaster University. She also contributes to her community as a Director on the Board of the United Way of Thunder Bay.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Accreditation

Public Health Ontario Rounds are a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). In order to receive written documentation for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, please check “Yes” beside the question “Do you require CME credits?” on the registration form.

College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Affiliate Members may count RCPSC credits toward their Mainpro+ credit requirements. All other CFPC members may claim up to 50 Certified credits per cycle for participation in RCPSC MOC Section 1 accredited activities.

PHO Rounds are also approved by the Council of Professional Experience for professional development hours (PDHs) for members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).

For more information or for a record of registration for other Continuing Education purposes, please contact capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.

Accessibility

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.

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Contact

Capacity Building

capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca

Published 15 Jan 2025