The Art of Seeing™ is a visual literacy program developed by the McMaster University Department of Family Medicine and the McMaster Museum of Art in partnership. The program encourages participants to develop empathetic, holistic, and humanistic thinking, to enhance personal and professional growth. Through evidence-based looking and facilitated discussion, individuals will interact with each other, artworks, and exhibitions to discover how the work of artists reflects and expresses human experience across time and cultures. This analytic and experiential program uses visual art to generate a deeper understanding of oneself and others.

Led by Joyce Zazulak and Nicole Knibb

The Extended Care in Hamilton project provided clinical pathways to support family physicians to care for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 and other chronic conditions. The pathways integrate evidence, tools, electronic medical record (EMR) templates, and oxygen monitors to prevent unnecessary hospitalization and detect deterioration early to expedite necessary hospital transfers. The clinic connects regularly with patients in their home with phone calls that monitor symptoms. Evaluation of the pathways’ success resulted in scale up across Ontario in a provincial program now referred to as COVID@Home.

Led by Dee Mangin

The Co-RIG II project focuses on patients experiencing acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). A clinical care pathway was built by an expert panel of specialist and primary care physicians to help primary care clinicians monitor their AECOPD patients at home. The pathway also provides numerous resources on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for both patients and clinicians to easily access online via Hamilton Family Medicine (HFAM) website.

Led by Dee Mangin

ITTA was a half-day workshop delivered between 2018 and 2020 and co-designed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the department. The team evaluated the impact of the program on participants’ understanding of the history and current realities of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Led by Joyce Zazulak and Lorrie Gallant

The Niagara Safer Supply program aims to serve some of the most vulnerable populations in Niagara to curb rising rates of opioid overdoses and overdose deaths. Best practices, knowledge, and capacity building in safer supply will be incorporated and provided to relevant community agencies, along with frontline health, social, and harm reduction workers.

Led by Karl Stobbe and Ryan Chadwick

People with chronic health conditions rely on regular contact with their primary care team to manage their symptoms, pre-empt future problems and improve their quality of life. However, in many areas of Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to primary care as the focus was placed on assisting the pandemic response and infection control with a temporary shift to mostly virtual visits where possible. RIPPLE-C will use regularly collected patient data and interviews with patients to understand how COVID-19 did or did not impact the management of chronic conditions in different patient groups. 

Led by Michelle Howard