Barriers to Implementing Patient-Centred Care: An Exploration of Guidance Provided by Ontario's Health Regulatory Colleges.

The philosophy of patient-centred care has become widely embraced but its implementation is dependent on interrelated factors. A factor that has received limited attention is the role of policy tools. In Ontario, one method government can use to promote healthcare priorities is through health regulatory colleges, which set the standard of practice for health professionals.

Lost in transition or translation? Care philosophies and transitions between child and youth and adult mental health services: a systematic review.

: Differences in care philosophies may influence transitions from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS). : To review literature about CAMHS and AMHS care philosophies and their influence on transitions. : MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase and CINAHL databases were searched electronically using keywords related to transitions, youth and mental disorders.

Competing for Referrals for Cardiac Diagnostic Tests: What Do Family Physicians Really Want?

In recent years, there has been a substantial shift in where many cardiac diagnostic tests are performed. Not-for-profit hospitals now have to compete with for-profit private clinics for referrals from family physicians. This study aims to evaluate the key factors that family physicians consider when deciding where to refer their patients for several cardiac diagnostic services.

Information seeking for making evidence-informed decisions: a social network analysis on the staff of a public health department in Canada.

Background: Social network analysis is an approach to study the interactions and exchange of resources among people. It can help understanding the underlying structural and behavioral complexities that influence the process of capacity building towards evidence-informed decision making. A social network analysis was conducted to understand if and how the staff of a public health department in Ontario turn to peers to get help incorporating research evidence into practice.

Identifying barriers to mental health system improvements: an examination of community participation in assertive community treatment programs.

Background: Integrating the best available evidence into program standards is essential if system-wide improvements in the delivery of community-based mental health services are to be achieved. Since the beginning of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program movement, program standards have included a role for the community. In particular, ACT program standards have sought to ensure that members of the local community are involved in governance and that former clients participate in service delivery as "Peer Support Specialists".

Achieving full compliance with standards for assertive community treatment programs in Ontario: does sponsoring agency type matter?

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs provide community-based services for individuals with severe mental illness. In Ontario, these programs are funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and administered through sponsoring agencies (hospitals, mental health facilities, and "other" community-based organizations). This article reports on the results of a survey of ACT programs and investigates the relationship between sponsoring agency type and ACT program operations.

NFBD1/MDC1 regulates Cav1 and Cav2 independently of DNA damage and p53.

NFBD1/MDC1 is involved in DNA damage checkpoint signaling and DNA repair. NFBD1 binds to the chromatin component γH2AX at sites of DNA damage, causing amplification of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated gene (ATM) pathway signaling and recruitment of DNA repair factors. Residues 508-995 of NFBD1 possess transactivation activity, suggesting a possible role of NFBD1 in transcription.

Fidelity to assertive community treatment program standards: a regional survey of adherence to standards.

In 2004, the Ontario government approved revised program standards for the operation of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs in the province. This paper reports on results from The 2005 Survey of ACT Programs in Ontario. We provide a profile of ACT programs in the province and identify respondents' perceptions of the extent to which the revised program standards have been complied with and are thought to be essential for the effective operation of an ACT program.