Feb 2019
Preconception
Introduction
The Preconception Health Care Tool helps you assess the preconception health and risk factors for pregnancy of all patients of reproductive age. Use it over a series of visits to identify potential physical, genetic, psychosocial and environmental risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. The Tool will guide you to help reduce those risks before conception through counselling, education and other interventions.
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Media
In The Know: The Preconception Health Care Tool
Check out our video on the Preconception Health Care Tool featuring Rebekah Barrett, NP and Dr. Deanna Telner for information about the tool, how it was developed and how primary care providers can use it in their practice. Visit: effectivepractice.org/preconception
EMR
Electronic Medical Record Resources
It is recommended that the tool be used on PS Suite EMR v5.2.702 or later to ensure full functionality of the form; use of the form on earlier versions of the EMR might result in a loss of some features and functionality.
Preconception EMR Toolkit Installation Guide
Download EMR GuidePreconception EMR Toolkit User Guide
Download EMR GuidePreconception EMR Toolkit: Telus PS Suite
Download EMR Form
Information
About the tool
The Preconception Health Care Tool is designed to be used over a series of visits. Use it to:
- Counsel patients about current behaviours that might affect conception and pregnancy.
- Consider the potential impact of conception and pregnancy when diagnosing and treating patients.
- Address issues before patients become pregnant.
- Identify potential physical, genetic, psychosocial and environmental risk factors for pregnancy.
- Assess your patient’s preconception health.
Code the time you spend implementing the tool with patients using the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) billing code for individual care counselling (K013).
The Preconception Health Care Tool is one of clinical tools developed as part of the 2014 to 2017 Knowledge Translation in Primary Care Initiative. This multi-year initiative was a collaboration between the Centre for Effective Practice (CEP), Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP), and Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO). Funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, this initiative supported primary care providers with the development of a series of clinical tools and health information resources. Learn more about the Knowledge Translation in Primary Care Initiative.
The Preconception Health Care Tool was developed in response to recommendations in the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s No Time to Wait: The Healthy Kids Strategy and is based on well-documented evidence that healthy individuals have a much better chance of having babies who enjoy good health throughout their lives.
The Preconception Health Care Tool was developed using the CEP’s integrated knowledge translation development methods. The CEP ensures that health care providers are engaged throughout the tool development process, using a User Centered Design methodology to test the usability of tools from a provider perspective.
Clinical leads
Deanna Telner
MD, MEd, CCFP, FCFP
Deanna Telner is a family physician at the community-based, academic teaching site, South East Toronto Family Health Team. She is involved in teaching medical students, residents and colleagues. She is an Assistant Professor and part-time researcher in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto. Her area of research interest is in postgraduate and continuing education. Dr. Telner has been extensively involved in the development of online clinical modules for primary care providers.
Dr. Telner provided clinical leadership for the development of the Urinary incontinence topic and was offered compensation for her role.
Rebekah Barrett
NP-PHC, MN
Rebekah is a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner, currently working with a diverse population at the Regent Park Community Health Centre in Toronto. She has a passion for Primary Care, where she has worked since 2009 in multiple roles. As an RN at the Taddle Creek Family Health Team, Rebekah worked within the Smoking Cessation Program, Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program, Hypertension Clinic, and brought her experience as a pediatric emergency nurse to develop the Group Well Child Care and Ouchless Immunization Programs. Rebekah has been involved in several Quality Improvement initiatives and has worked with the Centre for Effective Practice on CAN-ADAPTT projects. She has participated in research such as CAMH’s STOP study and the BETTER Project, and has been part-time faculty in the CAMH Nicotine Dependence Clinic’s TEACH Project. In 2013, she was awarded the Canadian Nurses Foundation Rx&D Nurse Practitioner Award and the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario Maternal Child Nurses’ Interest Group Nurse Practitioner Scholarship. Rebekah completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Dalhousie University and her Master of Nursing at Athabasca University.
Expert feedback
Thank you to the following individuals for their contribution to the development of the Preconception Health Care Tool:
- Patricia Mousmanis, MD, CCFP, FCFP.
- Michelle Lockyer, MD, CCFP; and
- Brandi Grozell, BScN, MSN, NP-PHC;
- Anita Greig, MD, CCFP, FCFP;
- Lisa Graves, MD, CCFP, FCFP;
- Christina Biancucci, MD, CCFP;
- Jackie Bellaire, MD, CCFP;
- Rita Barbieri, RD; EatRight Ontario
- Genetics Education Canada – Knowledge Organization (GEC-KO) co-director Dr. June Carroll, MD, CCFP, FCFP, and manager, Shawna Morrison, MS, CGC;
- Wendy McAllister, Manager, Best Start Resource Centre at Health Nexus;
- Ontario’s Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN), Enhanced Record Working Group members, Stanley Lofsky, MD, CCFP, FCFP LM, and Debra Boyce, BSc, MD, FCFP;
- Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) Reproductive Health Workgroup chair, Catriona Mill, RN, MHSc, CCHN(c), and member Joanne Enders, RN, BScN;
Conflict of interest
Clinical leads received compensation for their role.
Focus group and usability participants received a small token of appreciation (e.g. gift certificate).
Expert Reviewers
Usability participants received a token of appreciation (e.g., gift certificate).