Unity Health Speaker Series: Medical Decision Making, Ethics, and Behavioural Economics
SPEAKER SERIES: Decisions by Design? Supporting Meaningful Patient Choice
Medical Decision Making, Ethics, and Behavioural Economics
Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby, PhD
Dr. Blumenthal-Barby is the Cullen Professor of Medical Ethics and Associate Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research sits at the intersection of philosophy, behavioral economics, and medicine, and focuses on the ethical dimensions of human judgment and decision-making. She study how cognitive biases, weakness of will, and ambivalence challenge traditional accounts of autonomy and rationality, and she examine the ethical implications of using behavioral insights to influence decisions. This includes foundational questions about manipulation—what it is, when it occurs, and whether it can ever be ethically justified or even desirable. She develops and tests these ideas in applied clinical contexts, particularly in high-stakes medical decision-making. Her book, Good Ethics and Bad Choices: The Relevance of Behavioral Economics for Medical Ethics (MIT Press), develops this framework.
Click here for information about this series!
Register to participate on Zoom!
Vaccine Clinic for Older Adults
Respiratory Vaccine Clinic for Adults 65+
• Adults 65+ can get flu and COVID-19 vaccines
• Adults 75+ can also get an RSV vaccine
North York Civic Centre
5100 Yonge Street,
Toronto, ON, M2N 5V7
Patients can book an appointment at TPHBookings.ca or call 416-338-7600 if they need help with booking an appointment.
71st Annual Clinical Day
Join us for a FREE educational event! Meet specialists, enjoy a keynote address from Bestselling Author and CBC Radio Host, Dr. Brian Goldman and more!
71st Annual Clinical Day
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 12:00pm-2:15pm
In-Person: St. Joseph’s Health Centre
30 The Queensway, Toronto
The Collaboratory (1B Rm 106)
(keynote will be available both live & virtually)
Michael Garron Hospital's 19th Annual Palliative Care Symposium
EVOLVING PALLIATIVE CARE: MEETING CHANGING NEEDS WITH COMPASSION
Join us for the upcoming 19th Annual MGH Palliative Care Symposium, Evolving Palliative Care: Meeting Changing Needs with Compassion, an inspiring professional learning event focused on the evolving role of palliative care in supporting patients, families, caregivers and healthcare teams. This symposium will bring together healthcare professionals and volunteers to explore compassionate, person-centred approaches to care, meaningful communication, ethical practice and innovation across settings.
Date: November 12th, 2026, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Location: Ismaili Centre of Toronto, 49 Wynford Drive
Cost: $100 Healthcare providers ($80 early bird price extended to November 1st), $65 Students/ MGH volunteers
(All registered attendees will receive free parking, continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee, as well as a chance to win raffle prizes!)
Unity Health Speaker Series: Supporting Patients as Partners in Decision-Making:
SPEAKER SERIES: Decisions by Design? Supporting Meaningful Patient Choice
Supporting Patients as Partners in Decision-Making: Toward Informed and Values-Based Choices
Krystina B. Lewis, PhD, RN, CCN(C) Professor Lewis is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa. She is also an affiliate researcher at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and in the Methodological and Implementation Research Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute as co-scientific director of the Patient Decision Aids Research Group and member of the Integrated Knowledge Translation Research Network. Professor Lewis leads collaborative, interdisciplinary research to improve how health services are delivered. Her research focuses on creating, evaluating and implementing tools that help people make informed health decisions, much of it focused on cardiovascular care and, more recently, on integrating key considerations for brain and mental health. To achieve this, Professor Lewis works with and alongside researchers and knowledge users, such as people with lived and living experience, clinicians, and policymakers to strengthen research quality, relevance and impact.
Click here for information about this series!
Register to participate on Zoom!
Unity Health Speaker Series: Beyond biases: Structural Explanations for Health Disparities
SPEAKER SERIES: Decisions by Design? Supporting Meaningful Patient Choice
Beyond biases: Structural Explanations for Health Disparities
Nav Persaud MD,MSc
Dr. Persaud is the Canada Research Chair in Health Justice and Professor at the University of Toronto. He chaired the National Pharmacare Committee of Experts in 2025. He is the Director of the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St Michael's Hospital where he is a family physician.
Click here for information about this series!
Register to participate on Zoom!
Vaccine Clinic for Older Adults
Respiratory Vaccine Clinic for Adults 65+
• Adults 65+ can get flu and COVID-19 vaccines
• Adults 75+ can also get an RSV vaccine
Etobicoke Civic Centre
399 The West Mall,
Toronto, ON, M9C 2Y2
Patients can book an appointment at TPHBookings.ca or call 416-338-7600 if they need help with booking an appointment.
Vaccine Clinic for Older Adults
Respiratory Vaccine Clinic for Adults 65+
• Adults 65+ can get flu and COVID-19 vaccines
• Adults 75+ can also get an RSV vaccine
Scarborough Civic Centre
150 Borough Drive, Toronto, ON M1P 4N
Patients can book an appointment at TPHBookings.ca or call 416-338-7600 if they need help with booking an appointment.
IPCT Information Session 2
The Ontario government has launched the 2027–2028 call for proposals. This initiative aims to connect 600,000 more Ontarians to team-based primary care. If you would like to learn how to get involved, join one of our information sessions! This is an opportunity to learn about the West Toronto OHT and PCN strategy to support primary care attachment. Find out how you can get involved and receive supports!
Information Session 2
Date: Monday, October 26
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm
Virtual: Zoom
IPCT Information Session 1
The Ontario government has launched the 2027–2028 call for proposals. This initiative aims to connect 600,000 more Ontarians to team-based primary care. If you would like to learn how to get involved, join one of our information sessions! This is an opportunity to learn about the West Toronto OHT and PCN strategy to support primary care attachment. Find out how you can get involved and receive supports!
Information Session 1
Date: Friday, October 23
Time: 8:00am-9:00am
Virtual: Zoom
Family Medicine Rounds
Perimenopause & Menopause: Demystifying HRT/MHT
Join us for on Teams for Family Medicine Rounds with Dr. Jenny Clement! Dr. Jenny Clement is a family physician, Medical Director, and clinic owner of Toronto West Medical. She completed a fellowship in low-risk obstetrics and has extensive experience in women's healthcare, including obstetrics, sexual health, and menopause management. She completed her certification in menopause management in 2025 and is passionate about empowering family physicians and nurse practitioners to confidently prescribe hormone therapy.
Learning Objectives:
Review common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Discuss approaches to prescribing hormone therapy during perimenopause versus menopause.
Explore the role of testosterone in menopause management.
Review newer treatment agents.
Participate in a Q&A session.
SJHC Family Medicine Rounds
Managing GI Symptoms - A Practical Approach
Speaker: Dr. Sam Elfassy
Learning objectives:
Review a workup general GI symptoms
Identify signs of organic vs functional symptoms
Take away a toolbox of treatments to help with functional symptoms
Learn when to refer patients for endoscopy
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/240855724805717?p=wtt5RcFCD8AvdO2WGO
Meeting ID: 240 855 724 805 717
Passcode: 64eH3od9
Family Medicine CME Rounds
Colon Cancer Check: 2026 Program Changes and Risk-Based Screening
Join speaker Dr. Lisa Del Giudice (Regional Primary Care Cancer Lead, Toronto Central Cancer Program, Ontario Health) to learn about the CCC Program!
At the end of this session the participant will understand:
· The CCC Program and Changes as of July 1, 2026
· Evidence and Rationale for Changes in CRC Screening
· Changes in FIT Ordering, Return and Reporting of Results
· Provider and Participant Resources
SCOPE Webinar: Head On!
Head on! Managing Migraines and Headaches in Primary Care
You are invited to a CME session on diagnosing and managing migraines in primary care, tailored for Ontario’s primary care providers. The session will focus on practical, evidence-based approaches for everyday clinical use.
Accreditation
Participants will earn 1.0 Mainpro+ credit.
Presenter
Diana Medeiros, NP
SCOPE Headache Program, Women's College Hospital
Moderator
Dr. Pauline Pariser
Provincial Primary Care Lead, SCOPE (UHN/WCH)
VIRTUAL: Family Medicine Rounds
Lipoprotein (a) – Why Should I Bother?
Speaker: Dr. Richard Choi (Cardiologist, St Joesph’s Health Centre and Riverside Cardiology)
-Review the characteristics of Lp(a) and effect on risk prediction
-Apply Lp(a) to everyday practice on prevention of ASCVD
-Distinguish between the various treatment options for Lp(a) reduction, present and future
The Building Primary Care Leadership Today
Get ready for an energizing day that will redefine leadership in primary care! The Building Primary Care Leadership Today session, hosted by the West Toronto Primary Care Network, is a full-day event dedicated to advancing our work as family physicians and nurse practitioners that you won’t want to miss.
Led by Professor Brian Golden—Sandra Rotman Chair in Health Sector Strategy at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and a nationally recognized expert in healthcare leadership—this session promises to deliver powerful insights, practical strategies, and engaging discussions that will inspire you to lead change and build high-performance cultures.
Submit your Expression of Interest TODAY for this opportunity as there are limited spots available.
Details:
📆Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
⏰Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm
📍In-Person: St. Joseph's Health Centre, 30 The Queensway, Toronto, ON M6R 1B5
Here’s what’s in store:
CME accreditation: Enhance your leadership skills while meeting your professional development requirements.
Exceptional networking: Connect with passionate colleagues and innovators from across West Toronto.
No registration fee: There are no costs associated with the event.
Interactive sessions: Experience dynamic, hands-on workshops that focus on real-world leadership challenges.
Don’t miss this chance to be part of a transformative experience that will empower you, your team, and our community!
West Toronto Primary Care Network Meeting
Join us March 5th at 6:00pm virtually for the West Toronto Primary Care Network meeting! We will have an exciting agenda that includes updates on WTPCN activities.
Agenda:
Primary care council updates-hearing from your representatives about the collaborative work we are doing with the WTOHT
PCN governance update - refreshing our Primary Care Council
Centralizing resources discussion
Rotman Leadership Day sneak peek into what the day holds
Round Table discussion-come with your thoughts and ideas!
Heidi AI Scribe Refresher
This online Google Meet session will review key features, share best practices for efficient documentation, and highlight recent updates to help you get the most out of Heidi AI Scribe. Whether you’re a new user or just looking for a refresher, this is a great opportunity to enhance your workflow.
VIRTUAL CME Rounds: Orthopaedic Surgery: Upper Extremity
Topic: Orthopaedic Surgery: Upper Extremity, Speaker Dr. Patrick Caroll
Registration link - Coming soon!
VIRTUAL CME Rounds: Chronic Headaches and Migraines
Topic: Chronic Headaches and Migraines, Speaker Dr. Adrien Le
Registration link - Coming soon!
VIRTUAL: Acute Care - Program #2
St. Joseph's Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto, in partnership with uOttawa Department of Medicine, are pleased to present the 2025-26 Acute Care Update (ACU).
Focus on Challenging Diagnoses:
• “Acute Headache” by Dr. Colin Rafferty, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto
• “Shortness of Breath: Unusual Ambulatory Cases" by Dr. Travis Carpenter, Dalhousie University/Nova Scotia Health
• “Endocrine Emergencies" by Dr. Heather Lochnan, The Ottawa Hospital
• Moderated by Dr. Maria Ivankovic, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto
Accreditation details:
• College of Family Physicians of Canada Mainpro+ (1 credit/hour) Group
Learning: 2.0 credits
• Royal College Maintenance of Certification Section 1: 2.0 hours
VIRTUAL: Primary Care Cancer Connection Lunch and Learn Series
Starting in September, tune in virtually the last Thursday of every month from 12:15-12:45 pm to stay connected with our cancer system and get free CME credits.
Sign up by clicking HERE.
Topics include:
Sept 25: Prostate cancer – screening use of MRI, who gets surveillance, and who gets treatment?
Oct 30: Breast screening in 40-49
Nov 27: Pearls for pain and symptom management
If you have any questions, please contact Anna Wilkinson, anwilkinson@toh.ca.
IN-PERSON: Clinical Teaching Series
If you are interested in improving your clinical teaching skills, this series is for you! This three-session program will be offered in-person at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and is tailored to our community hospital setting and learners.
CTS #1 – Thurs. Sept. 11th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #2 – Thurs. Oct 16th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #3 – Thurs. Nov. 20th 5:30 -8:30pm
This program is free and approval for CME accreditation for both the Royal College and the CFPC is pending. Click HERE to learn more.
Please email Joan.Cheng@unityhealth.to to register for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions. SPACE IS LIMITED, so reserve your spot soon!
VIRTUAL: Strategic Planning Session 2: Focus on Community Family Physicians and NPs
Unity Health Toronto/St Joe’s is developing a new Strategic Plan for 2027 - you are invited to take part!
Join the planning process to help Unity Health Toronto develop a strategy that INCLUDES the voices of Primary Care. Primary Care Physicians and Nurse Practitioners are major stakeholders in the future direction of Unity/St Joe’s.
This session's focus is on Community Family Physicians and NPs working in office-based practice in West Toronto.
You do not need to be credentialed at St. Joe’s to participate. This virtual meeting (via Zoom) is held in place of the monthly SJHC Family Medicine Rounds.
VIRTUAL: Strategic Planning Session 1: Focus on Hospital-Based Family Physicians
Unity Health Toronto/St Joe’s is developing a new Strategic Plan for 2027: Session 1
You are invited to participate in the development of the new Unity Health Toronto/St Joe’s Strategic Plan for 2027. We need the voices of Primary Care to be heard!
This session's focus is on hospital-based family physicians, including SJHC Academic FHT clinicians and community-based family physicians who work clinically at St Joe's (Palliative Care, Addiction Medicine, Family Medicine OB, Home Visit Program).
All are welcome to attend this virtual meeting via Zoom.
(You can attend Session 1 even if you don't work in-hospital)
VIRTUAL: Primary Care Cancer Connection Lunch and Learn Series
Starting in September, tune in virtually the last Thursday of every month from 12:15-12:45 pm to stay connected with our cancer system and get free CME credits.
Sign up by clicking HERE.
Topics include:
Sept 25: Prostate cancer – screening use of MRI, who gets surveillance, and who gets treatment?
Oct 30: Breast screening in 40-49
Nov 27: Pearls for pain and symptom management
If you have any questions, please contact Anna Wilkinson, anwilkinson@toh.ca.
IN-PERSON: Clinical Teaching Series is back for Fall 2025
If you are interested in improving your clinical teaching skills, this series is for you! This three-session program will be offered in-person at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and is tailored to our community hospital setting and learners.
CTS #1 – Thurs. Sept. 11th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #2 – Thurs. Oct 16th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #3 – Thurs. Nov. 20th 5:30 -8:30pm
This program is free and approval for CME accreditation for both the Royal College and the CFPC is pending. Click HERE to learn more.
Please email Joan.Cheng@unityhealth.to to register for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions. SPACE IS LIMITED, so reserve your spot soon!
VIRTUAL: Primary Care Cancer Connection Lunch and Learn Series
Starting in September, tune in virtually the last Thursday of every month from 12:15-12:45 pm to stay connected with our cancer system and get free CME credits.
Sign up by clicking HERE.
Topics include:
Sept 25: Prostate cancer – screening use of MRI, who gets surveillance, and who gets treatment?
Oct 30: Breast screening in 40-49
Nov 27: Pearls for pain and symptom management
If you have any questions, please contact Anna Wilkinson, anwilkinson@toh.ca.
VIRTUAL: West Toronto Primary Care Network Meeting (CME Accredited)
We will have an exciting agenda that includes updates on primary care expansion and WTPCN activities
An invitation to our exclusive virtual meeting will be sent to your email. If you haven't subscribed to our email list, this is your sign!
IN-PERSON: Clinical Teaching Series
If you are interested in improving your clinical teaching skills, this series is for you! This three-session program will be offered in-person at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and is tailored to our community hospital setting and learners.
CTS #1 – Thurs. Sept. 11th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #2 – Thurs. Oct 16th 5:30 -8:30pm
CTS #3 – Thurs. Nov. 20th 5:30 -8:30pm
This program is free and approval for CME accreditation for both the Royal College and the CFPC is pending. Click HERE to learn more.
Please email Joan.Cheng@unityhealth.to to register for 1, 2, or all 3 sessions. SPACE IS LIMITED, so reserve your spot soon!