Reach, uptake, and psychological outcomes of two publicly funded internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy programs in Ontario, Canada: an observational study.

Background: Access to traditional mental health services in Canada remains limited, prompting exploration into digital alternatives. The Government of Ontario initiated access to two internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) programs, LifeWorks AbilitiCBT and MindBeacon TAiCBT, for adults with mental health issues.

Methods: An uncontrolled observational study utilizing secondary retrospective program data was conducted to evaluate the reach, uptake, and psychological symptom changes among participants engaging with either iCBT program.

The Power of Partnership Beyond Social Prescribing.

This commentary focuses on the social determinants of health and how they may be more fully integrated into engagement-capable environments. In this commentary, the authors provide excerpts from their in-depth discussion that explored how the foundational principles of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine emphasize the importance of prioritizing care for populations that are marginalized and engaging communities to improve health outcomes. The article delves into some of the historic and current issues facing communities and individuals that are marginalized and describes how a large academic centre has leveraged its structures and resources to build partnerships with communities and community organizations to address these challenges.

Patient and Caregiver Engagement in an Era of COVID-19: What Did We Learn and How Do We Move Forward?

Patient and caregiver engagement is a core component of high-quality healthcare systems. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed to us the fragility of patient and family engagement that was not as firmly rooted in the health system as expected. In this paper, we reflect on case examples from healthcare organizations across Canada where pivots and adaptations were made to patient engagement activities.

Nurturing Engagement-Capable Environments.

We are honoured to bring this special edition to you and hope that it will resonate with and cause you to think and rethink what it means to engage people as they intersect with the healthcare system. Being co-editors of this special edition has provided us with a unique opportunity to learn from the lived and professional experiences of people actively working to develop and nurture engagement-capable environments (ECE). Individually, and in partnership as co-editors, we bring a profound belief in the importance of ECEs as they affect the lives, health and healthcare of individuals, families and communities.

Public experiences and perspectives of primary care in Canada: results from a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Through medicare, residents in Canada are entitled to medically necessary physician services without paying out of pocket, but still many people struggle to access primary care. We conducted a survey to explore people's experience with and priorities for primary care.

Methods: We conducted an online, bilingual survey of adults in Canada in fall 2022.

Patient and Therapist Perceptions of a Publicly Funded Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) Program for Ontario Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Study.

Background: To address the anticipated rise in mental health symptoms experienced at the population level during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario government provided 2 therapist-assisted internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) programs to adults free of charge at the point of service.

Objective: The study aims to explore the facilitators of and barriers to implementing iCBT at the population level in Ontario, Canada, from the perspective of patients and therapists to better understand how therapist-assisted iCBT programs can be effectively implemented at the population level and inform strategies for enhancing service delivery and integration into the health care system.

Methods: Using a convenience sampling methodology, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 therapists who delivered iCBT and 20 patients who received iCBT through either of the publicly funded programs to explore their perspectives of the program.

Caregivers at the Heart of Reimagined Long-Term Care Delivery in Canada: Beyond the Pandemic.

The dominant narrative through the pandemic focused on the perils associated with the transmission of COVID-19. This led to restrictive policies in long-term care that prevented family caregivers from being physically present to participate in their loved ones' care. There is growing evidence that such policies resulted in harm to residents, family members and staff.