Category: News
At Winterberry we are here to help you live your best life and that includes preparing you for weather events.
At this time of year, our attention turns to preparing you for extreme heat.
Although anyone can experience heat stress, the associated health risks are greatest for those over the age of 65, infants and young children, people with chronic conditions such as breathing or heart problems, and for those who work or exercise in the heat. Fortunately, heat-related illnesses are preventable.
Below is reliable information you can trust to help you “weather” our next heat event!
Find out how to keep cool and stay safe when temperatures rise.
Pay attention to heat warnings which inform you that an extreme heat event is forecasted or occurring.
Prepare your emergency kits. Learn more about what items to put in your kit, including quick and easy steps you can take right away at no cost
Make a household emergency plan that considers ways to prepare for extreme heat. Consider the specific needs of all members of your household, including older adults, children, pets, and anyone with additional health needs
Arrange for regular wellness check-ins or visits in person (or by phone or virtually) several times daily by family, neighbours, or friends
Many local governments offer relief strategies such as cooling centres, extended pool hours, or transportation services during extreme heat events. Check with your city or municipality to learn more
Know the health risks of extreme heat
Be aware of your personal risk to extreme heat. Ask a health professional, such as a pharmacist, physician, or nurse practitioner how medications or health conditions may make you more susceptible to the heat
Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and which groups are more at-risk for heat-related illness
During extreme heat events, people may spend more time outdoors. Be aware of extreme heat combined with humidity, wildfire smoke, and sun exposure
Prepare your home
If you have an air conditioner, make sure it works properly
If you do not have an air conditioner, consider other ways to keep your home cool such as blocking the sun by closing awnings, curtains or blinds during the day. Opening windows may be advisable if the temperature outdoors is lower than indoors, while being mindful of any outdoor air quality warnings
When your home gets too hot, take advantage of public cooling centers or air-conditioned spaces that you can visit during heat events
If it is safe to do so, leave a couple of windows open at night to take advantage of falling temperatures
During an extreme heat event
It is important to slow down, drink water, and stay cool during an extreme heat event because your body can’t function as well in high temperatures. Whether you are indoors or outdoors during extreme heat, you can protect yourself from the health effects of extreme heat.
Stay in an air-conditioned space or in the shade as much as possible
Stay hydrated and dress for the weather by wearing lightweight, light-coloured, and loose-fitting clothing
Pay attention to how you, and those around you feel and watch for signs and symptoms of heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Never leave people (especially children) or pets inside a parked vehicle, even on a moderately hot day
Check on older adult family members, neighbours, and friends to make sure they are comfortable and safe
After an extreme heat event
Remember that indoor temperatures can remain warm, even after outdoor temperatures cool down. Continue monitoring the temperature of your home and watching for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness in yourself and others. If you experienced a heat-related illness during the heat event, consult with your health care provider to prepare for future heat events.
Source: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/xtrm-ht-prp-en.aspx
At Winterberry we encourage you to protect yourself from COVID-19 if you are in a high risk category. We are opening up evening vaccination appointments to make getting your shot easy and quick.
You are at high risk if you are any of the following:
• Adults 65 years of age and older.
• Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings
for seniors.
• Individuals 6 months of age and older who are moderately to severely
immunocompromised (due to an underlying condition or treatment).
• Individuals 55 years and older who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis
and their non-Indigenous household members who are 55 years and older.
We are proud to have won best in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards in three categories. We dedicate this award to our highly skilled, caring and professional team, without them we would not be one of the very best clinics in the country. Thank you to everyone who voted and congratulations to all of the other winners. To see the full list of award recipients visit https://www.hamiltonnews.com/readerschoice/
Dr. Steven V. Zizzo (Hamilton) is recognized for leading the team at Winterberry Family Medicine to inoculate 31,000 Hamiltonians—and counting—with COVID-19 vaccines. His innovative initiatives have helped to bridge the gap in delivery of vaccines, and he has disseminated his experience to the broader medical community through involvement with the Primary Care Digital Caucus for both his local and provincial Ontario Health Teams (OHT). To view the Award Program visit hwww.ontariofamilyphysicians.ca/ocfp-awards/2022-award-recipients/ocfp-2022-awards-booklet.pdf
The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) has recognized Dr. Steven Zizzo for outstanding contributions in community service. The award was presented at the 2022 Ontario College of Family Physicians awards ceremony on November 16, this award recognizes Dr. Zizzo “for outstanding community service for his COVID-19 vaccination efforts”.
Background on Dr. Zizzo’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts:
Dr. Zizzo seized every opportunity to improve community and public health because it benefits patients, all Hamiltonians, and our health system overall. As vaccine programs were announced, Dr. Zizzo quickly offered Winterberry Family Medicine’s resources, showcasing the significance of family medicine and the robust resources a holistic health team can offer.
Since May 2021, Dr. Zizzo has led the team at Winterberry Family medicine to inoculate more than 31,000 and counting with COVID-19 vaccinations.
The immunized included his own patients, patients of other practices, unattached patients, rural, disadvantaged, high risk, disabled, children; anyone who needed vaccination from Hamilton and the surrounding communities.
Consistent with the pillars of Family Medicine, Dr. Zizzo identified an urgent gap in healthcare delivery and, given his capacities to deliver substantial help, volunteered his clinic’s services to Hamilton Public Health (HPH). The goal he set and met was to educate and immunize as many as possible.
Dr. Zizzo’s culture of “giving back” is rooted in the values of his late uncle, Dr. Angelo Zizzo, a respected community leader who hosted a weekly educational talk show, Health Matters, on CHML in the 1990s. Following in his uncle’s footsteps, Dr. Zizzo recognized the urgent need to support every resident in and surrounding his community through the pandemic. He felt that this is what his uncle would have done. Of note, after the untimely death of Dr. Angelo during COVID-19, Dr. Zizzo resumed care for Dr. his patients, immunizing the vast majority of them.
Dr. Zizzo felt it was our duty to volunteer our capacities to deliver high volume and safe education and immunizations immediately and safely. He personally funded, created systems to implement and oversaw tens of thousands of COVID-19 inoculations when no other family practices offered them. All costs associated with the distribution, including all technology, medical equipment, PPE, training and salaries were paid for personally by Dr. Zizzo, and he did this because he had the capacity and ambition to help – it was the right thing to do.
For many Hamiltonians, this was their first in-person visit to a family physician in more than a year, and Dr. Zizzo ensured his team was prepared for a variety of concerns that could be raised by patients while receiving their vaccinations.
| Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath hosts first in-person New Year’s Levee at city hall after two yearsIn a departure by past mayors holding one New Year’s levee at city hall, Mayor Andrea Horwath believes there should be more of them for the community to enjoy. After two years without in-person levees, Horwath held the first of five citywide levees on Jan. 4 on the second floor of Hamilton City Hall, the first time it was held on a weekday evening. “I just thought it was a positive way to start off the new term of council by saying to the people of Hamilton, no matter what part of the city you reside in, we are all part of one big city,” said Horwath in an interview. The mayor said the idea came from someone during the recent election campaign, to hold multiple levees across the city. “We are a city of many communities,” said Horwath. “It just reflects for me the ties that bind us.” The Glanbrook Municipal Service Centre is slated to host the Jan. 5 New Year’s Levee, followed by Ancaster on Jan. 6, both starting at 7 p.m. and running until 9 p.m. The Stoney Creek Municipal Service Centre planned its levee for Jan. 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and Flamborough and Dundas are set to host levees on Jan. 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. respectively. The public is encouraged to bring a non-perishable donation for the local food bank. Adding to Horwath’s attempts to unite the community after 23 years of being an amalgamated city, the mayor bestowed the Order of Hamilton medals on four Hamiltonians during the event. Horwath will be presenting the honour to other residents at the upcoming levees as well.“This is not just a symbolic order, but also a representation of the way we are all part of something,” said Horwath. “We are all in this together and we all have to support each other. There are lots of people doing great things in all parts of our city.” The recipients of the Order of Hamilton were Bill Custers, senior manager at Cable 14, who provided valuable information during the COVID-19 pandemic; Mike Moore, president of Hamilton Challenger Baseball Association; Karen Nelson, a 30-year volunteer who co-founded the Hamilton Youth Steel Orchestra and has volunteered for the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Hamilton; and Dr. Steven Zizzo, medical director of Winterberry Family Medicine, who volunteered his clinic to deliver high volume vaccine capacity to Hamilton Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been the largest private immunization campaign in Canada, said Horwath. “There is no shortage or desire of people here (to volunteer),” said Horwath to the estimated 100 people who braved a cold, rainy evening.Holding the levee, said Horwath, who became the first women to sit in Hamilton’s mayor’s chair after winning a closely contested municipal election last October, is a chance to “renew some hope and optimism” for 2023 after two years without an in-person levee.The Order of Hamilton was created in 2019 by former mayor Fred Eisenberger when he awarded nine individuals with the medal and pin during his last in-person New Year’s Levee in Jan. 5, 2020. Eisenberger did conduct virtual New Year’s levees in 2021 and 2022, and announced the recipients during the events.The city created the order as a way to recognize “the unsung heroes of our communities (who) are the endless volunteers.” Also attending the Jan. 4 event was Hamilton Mountain NDP MPP Monique Taylor, and councillors Tammy Hwang of Ward 4 and Glanbrook Coun. Mark Tadeson.Tadeson said it was his first time attending a Hamilton levee event, which was competing with a Hamilton Bulldogs hockey game, and he was interested to meet and greet residents. Horwath’s interview with reporters was interrupted by Canadian entertainment icon Luba Goy, who embraced the mayor.”I have stars in my eyes,” said Horwath, who quickly held Goy and stood with her for cellphone photos.Horwath’s first levee, which lasted from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., was broadcast by Cable 14 and hosted by Mike Fortune. |
At Winterberry we could not be more proud of the prestigious medical awards our Medical Director, Dr. Steven Zizzo has been honoured with this fall.
One of the awards was given by OntarioMD (OMD) for Dr. Zizzo’s outstanding vision, leadership and commitment to the implementation of digital tools and processes that ultimately improve patient experience.
We are proud to share the letter and the accolades from OntarioMD:
Luminary Award Letter
Dear Dr. Zizzo,
On behalf of OntarioMD (OMD), I’m pleased to inform you that you are a winner of a 2022 OMD Luminary Award for your outstanding contribution to digital health in Ontario. You were nominated by Krysta Simoes, who submitted a description of why you deserve this award:
“Dr. Zizzo and Winterberry Family Medicine use PS Suite EMR and Pomelo to run an organized and efficient medical practice with a convenient and smooth experience that reduces the stress and anxiety patients often feel when visiting their doctor.
Dr. Zizzo personally undertook the important task of operating Winterberry Family Medicine throughout the pandemic, maintaining existing patient-doctor relationships, all the while expanding the clinic’s operations to administer over 35,000 (and counting) COVID-19 immunizations, including counselling sessions to educate and ease the concerns of vaccine-hesitant patients.
Without these digital tools, Dr. Zizzo and Winterberry could not have achieved these monumental feats in such a short time frame. Using Pomelo in tandem with PS Suite EMR, Dr. Zizzo created an online booking system whereby patients could also learn about COVID-19 vaccination, update their demographic data, and consent to immunization. This system was more functional than the approach taken by the Ministry of Health, which operated on a “first come, first serve” basis, creating considerable delays to Ontarians trying to get their vaccine and the clinics administering the vaccines. Neither of these difficulties occurred under Winterberry’s system.
Dr. Zizzo created visit templates “PS chart stamps” and “encounter assistants” as well as medical directives for staff to safely and efficiently assess, document, counsel, and administer COVID-19 vaccines. These templates allowed visit records to be searchable and ensured a high quality of service delivery and documentation. Pairing these EMR and virtual care technologies with iPads and LTE data plans allowed Winterberry to increase the clinic’s accessibility and accommodate Ontarians living with disabilities or other extenuating circumstances. Thanks to these technologies and Dr. Zizzo’s leadership, Winterberry was able to deliver and administer COVID vaccines at patients’ homes or while they remained in their vehicles in the parking lot.
The virtual care platform also allowed Dr. Zizzo to consult patients in the exam room without needing to come into physical contact with them, thus minimizing the risk of COVID transmission for patients and staff. Each of Winterberry’s 16 exam rooms were equipped with high-speed internet, PS Suite EMR, Pomelo, and virtual care capabilities with a microphone and camera. Dr. Zizzo has a heart for supporting his community.
That is why he spent tens of thousands of dollars resourcing Winterberry and its staff, and spent hundreds of hours on education, planning, and management of certainly one of the largest (if not the largest) private COVID-19 immunization clinics in Canada. His efforts began in May 2021—when virtually no other family practice offered these vaccines—and continue to this day. When Dr. Zizzo saw the need for increased health capacity, he went straight to work, offering Winterberry’s services to Hamilton Public Health (HPH). Dr. Zizzo took on patients from other practices, children, and disadvantaged, high-risk, rural, disability, or otherwise vulnerable communities—whoever needed a vaccine was welcome at his practice.
These accomplishments were made possible with Pomelo, PS Suite EMR, and of course, Dr. Zizzo’s vision, grit, and dedication to his community. Dr. Zizzo acted heroically, doing what he knew was best for his community, all while showcasing the value of family medicine and the power of technological innovation.”
Here at Winterberry our mission is to help patients live their best life and our Medical Director, Dr. Steven Zizzo, is our guide and visionary. Today we’re congratulating him on being honoured with prestigious awards from CFPC, OCFP and OntarioMD for his contributions toward COVID-19, obesity medicine and virtual care.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFCP) Award of Excellence which recognizes an exceptional accomplishment or innovation achieved in the past 24 months in a specific area pertaining to the specialty of family medicine.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) Award of Excellence celebrates the outstanding skill, knowledge and dedication of family doctors across Ontario through the 2022 Awards program. The recipients showcase the vital work family doctors do to help keep Ontarians healthy.
The OntarioMD Luminary Award which is awarded to Dr. Steven Zizzo for having shown innovative use of certified electronic medical records (EMRs) and other digital and virtual care tools to enhance patient care.
These awards are given in recognition of Dr. Steven Zizzo’s medical excellence and vision as well as for leading the Winterberry Family Medicine team in inoculating 31,000 (and counting) Hamiltonians with COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Steven Zizzo attended the award ceremonies virtually and was excited to accept the honours on behalf of himself and the entire team of caring and skilled professionals at Winterberry Family Medicine.
To find out more about Dr. Steven Zizzo and Winterberry visit www.WinterberryMedical.ca
According to Dr. Sue Pederson, a medical doctor, Specialist in Endocrinology & Metabolism, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine:
The American Diabetes Association (ADA), in conjunction with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), have just released their joint Consensus Report at the EASD meeting in Stockholm, published simultanously in Diabetes Care.
This rich and beautiful Consensus Statement covers the gamut of treatment of type 2 diabetes, which is far beyond the scope of a single blog post.
What I want to focus on today is a true turning point in how we approach treatment of type 2 diabetes. Until now, guidelines for which medications to recommend for type 2 diabetes focus on protection of the heart and kidneys, and blood sugar control. While these remain extremely important goals of treatment, they are now joined by another primary target in treatment: weight management.
As the authors note, weight loss had previously been viewed mostly as a strategy to improve blood sugars and reduce the risk of other health complications associated with elevated weight. With weight loss now identified as a primary treatment target in people with type 2 diabetes and elevated weight, they point out that:
- the greater the weight loss, the greater the benefit
- 5-10% weight loss confers metabolic improvement (eg sugars, cholesterol, blood pressure)
- weight loss of 10-15% or more can result in remission of type 2 diabetes
- weight loss can improve cardiometabolic risk factors and, importantly, can improve quality of life.
As far as how to lose weight, the consensus statement points out/advises:
- There is no single ratio of carb:protein:fat intake that is optimal for every person.
- Construct an overall healthy eating plan that results in less calories in than out.
- The use of glucose-lowering medications that provide significant weight loss, particularly the GLP1 receptor agonists with high weight loss efficacy, should be considered, as they can provide 10-15% weight loss or more.
- Weight loss medications, in addition to lifestyle change, can reduce weight and improve diabetes control.
- Bariatric (metabolic) surgery should be considered for people who are appropriate candidates. It is most effective early during diabetes.
In accordance with the triple priorities of heart/kidney protection, glucose control, and weight loss, the consensus statement no longer recommends metformin as the default first line treatment, as the benefits of GLP1 receptor agonists and SGLT2i inhibitors for all three treatment targets often make these medications more appropriate to use first (see figure 3, page 13).
Again, I emphasize that there are so many important aspects to this update, including particular focus on taking each person’s social circumstances into account, supporting patients in self management, physical behaviors through the 24-hour clock (including a brand new section on sleep!), a new section on fatty liver disease, and so much more!
Diabetes Canada was not part of this consensus statement, but I’m certain that it will be a hot topic of discussion at our upcoming Diabetes Canada professional conference.
Watch the video Dr.Sue shared on her site DrSue.ca