Digital Health Conference Program - Digital Health Conference

Thank you for attending the 2025 OMD Educates: Digital Health Conference.

The OMD Educates Digital Health Conference returns on Thursday October 1 and Friday October 2, 2026 at the Automotive Building at Exhibition Place.

Support quick and easy access to patient data/information for better clinical decisions.
Communicate and connect with other health care professionals efficiently
Optimize patient care, practice efficiency, and professional satisfaction for clinicians, staff, and patients

This program has been accredited for 9 Mainpro+® credits by the College of Family Physicians, Ontario Chapter.

This event (program number 00876) is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the SOGC. You may claim a maximum of 9.75 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

Registration and breakfast open at 7:00 a.m. each day

Program Overview View Agenda Sponsored Sessions Thank You to Our Sponsors

Day One Morning Sessions

Skip to Day 2 Sessions

Sponsored Session

8:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.

8:30 A.M. to 8:45 A.M.

Opening Remarks

Presented by:

Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer, OntarioMD
Zainab Abdurrahman, MD, President, OMA

8:45 A.M. to 9:30 A.M.

The renowned Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of the Primary Care Action Team (PCAT) will provide an update on the progress made in Ontario to build and expand primary care teams, improve access to care, and support primary care providers leveraging digital tools and streamlining processes.

Presented by:

Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of the Primary Care Action Team (PCAT), Family Physician

9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.

Session Objectives:  

Explore how thoughtful use of technology can enable high functioning and successful teams

Identify the cultural, governance and change management factors required to create digitally optimized clinics and teams  
Highlight opportunities and gaps in digital technology and data flow that supports team based care

Team-based care is more than just sharing patients—it’s about being truly digitally connected. In this candid discussion, physician leaders and digital health experts will share how Ontario’s Patient-Centered Core Teams can be enabled through strong digital foundations.  Panelists will explore the essential approach, resources, and cultural shifts needed to collaborate effectively, share information seamlessly, and support all team members to work to their full scope.  

Panelists include:

Chandi Chandrasena, MD, Family Physician, OHT Digital Health Lead and Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD
David Barber, MD, Chair, SGFP, OntarioMD Physician Peer Leader
Briana Yee Providence, MD, Physician Leadership and Engagement Table (PLET) Co-Chair

Moderated by: Rebecca Hicks, MD, Family Physician, President-Elect, OMA

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to describe how AI integration can enhance adherence to Canadian clinical guidelines by family practices (e.g., CTFPHC, NACI, Choosing Wisely Canada), assess the potential of AI-powered co-pilots to improve patient care and reduce documentation burden in team-based primary care, and identify opportunities to apply AI-enabled decision support tools to optimize clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

Presented by:

Paul Forman, MD, Family Physician, CEO, Summeridge Clinic

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Discover how to harness EMR query tools to improve preventive care and advance care planning. This session will demonstrate how to identify gaps in osteoporosis and breast cancer screening and support the documentation of advanced directives. Learn how to apply EMR insights to improve clinical guidelines, streamline team-based workflows, and deliver proactive, patient-centred care.

Presented by:

Suleiman Furmli, MD, Co-Founder, Co-Director and Supervising Physician, Durham Centre for Osteoporosis Excellence
Mariam Farooq, MPH, MD Candidate, Co-Founder and Director, Durham Centre for Osteoporosis Excellence

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Learn how custom EMR dashboards and digital tools are transforming care coordination across multidisciplinary teams. This session explores how specialist-specific dashboards and electronic forms can streamline referrals, improve triage by acuity, and support scalable solutions across clinics. Discover how OntarioMD’s Practice Enhancement Consultants can guide strategic planning, implementation, and digital adoption to boost efficiency and patient engagement beyond traditional EMR optimization.

Presented by:

Rose Paschkowiak, Clinic Manager, Orleans Family Health Clinic
Katie Peter, Practice Enhancement Consultant, OntarioMD

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Join legal, policy, and technology leaders for a practical discussion on the impact of AI and digital health technology on legal privacy, obligations of physicians and health information custodians. This session will explore use of digital health tools in clinical settings, recent IPC guidance, and the current Canadian legal and regulatory environment. Panelists will offer practical insights into emerging risks, emerging legislation and , including strategies for clinicians to maintain professional responsibilities.

Presented by:

Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD
Stephan Luciw, Assistant Commissioner, Tribunal and Dispute Resolution

Hosted by:

Zayna Khayat, a healthcare futurist, and Adjunct Professor and Executive-in-Residence, Health Sector Strategy at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management

Day One Afternoon Sessions

Sponsored Session

12:00 P.M. to 12:45 P.M.

12:50 P.M. to 1:35 P.M.

Session Description: We hear you! Report delivery through HRM can be improved for more efficient clinical workflows that reduce administrative burden and cognitive load. Come learn about the changes OntarioMD is driving – supported by the province – to make HRM work better for clinicians, and to hear stories from clinical leaders who are participating in trial implementations, helping to shape the evolution of HRM. By the end of this session, you will comprehend the breadth and scope of improvements that are either planned or actively underway to improve report delivery through HRM. You will recognize the tremendous contribution from clinical leaders in your community to make progress and how you can help be an advocate for your region.

Presented by:

Matthew Leduc, Executive Director, Products, Integrations & Service Management, OntarioMD
Kellie Scott, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD

12:50 P.M. to 1:35 P.M.

Explore a fully Canada-hosted, privacy-compliant AI solution for referral summarization designed to reduce reading burden and improve accuracy in specialist workflows. This session highlights results from a 500-case pilot study and introduces a five-step quality assurance checklist to safely integrate AI-generated summaries into certified EMRs while maintaining patient safety and data integrity.

Presented by:

Hanmu Yan, MD, Urologist

12:50 P.M. to 1:35 P.M.

Learn about success with SEED, a process designed to reduce administrative burden:

STOP duplicate reports
ELIMINATE unnecessary requests
EDUCATE your staff
DELEGATE

This session offers practical strategies to improve team productivity by stopping duplicate reports, eliminating unnecessary requests, and streamlining workflows. Learn how to effectively educate staff to ensure clarity and confidence in their roles and delegate tasks to optimize team efficiency. Through actionable insights and proven techniques, this talk will help you enhance workflow efficiency, reduce burnout, and focus on what truly matters—delivering exceptional patient care.

Presented by:

Rebecca Lubitz, MD, Family Physician
Katie Peter, Practice Enhancement Consultant, OntarioMD

12:50 P.M. to 1:35 P.M.

This session explores how multilingual voice AI can support patient self-management by enhancing communication, reducing burden on care teams, and improving health literacy. Participants will examine how AI-powered tools can automate the delivery of routine instructions and frequently asked questions, enabling patients to access clear, consistent information before and after clinical visits. The session will also highlight how delivering guidance in a patient’s preferred language or dialect builds trust, promotes equitable access, and strengthens patient-provider relationships. Attendees will gain insights into how these tools can support compassionate care and optimize clinical experience for both patients and providers.

Presented by:

Carlos Yu, MD, Family Physician, Durham Primary Care Network, OntarioMD Peer Leader
Mei Chen, Machine Learning Engineer, Free the Agents
Ron Beleno, Patient Advocate, RB33, Inaugural Ontario Caregiver Impact Award Recipient 2025

1:40 P.M. to 3:05 P.M.

Sponsored Sessions

ROOMS:

Leonard Cohen
Pierre Berton
Gordon Pinsent
Al Waxman

3:10 P.M. to 3:55 P.M.

Front-line staff play a critical role in the stability and efficiency of family practices. This session explores common digital pain points that impact clinic workflows and contribute to physician burnout when staff leave. Learn how a standardized, staff-centered EMR toolbar can reduce variability, support onboarding, and build workflow resilience—especially during staffing disruptions. Attendees will gain practical strategies rooted in human-centred design to co-create simple, sustainable digital tools that enhance team function without needing advanced technical expertise.

Presented by:

Preshanthini Shanmugathasan, MD, Digital Health Workflow Strategist, Family Physician, Ancaster FHO

3:10 P.M. to 3:55 P.M.

This session explores how AI scribes can support detailed documentation in complex clinical encounters. Learn how to effectively prompt an AI scribe to generate comprehensive geriatric assessment notes, including in cases involving cognitive impairment. Attendees will also examine how AI scribes perform in multi-speaker environments and gain practical insights to increase comfort and confidence in using these tools in real-world practice.

Presented by:

Nihal Haque, MD,  Geriatrician, Specialize Geriatric Services Clinic, North York General Hospital

3:10 P.M. to 3:55 P.M.

Gain insight into the essential components of AI tools implemented in clinical settings. This session will walk through a structured assessment and procurement process, highlight the value of central support, standardized workflows, and explore strategies to enhance transparency and build trust with patients. Attendees will leave with practical guidance to support successful, patient-centred adoption of AI solutions.

Presented by:

James Lane, MD, Family Physician, South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team
Lisa Rennick, Regional Privacy Coordinator, South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team
Tristan Cardwell, Digital Health and Navigation Program Manager, South Georgian Bay, Ontario Health Team

3:10 P.M. to 3:55 P.M.

Discover how AI and large language models (LLMs) are transforming patient communication and clinic efficiency in community-based diagnostic settings. This session will explore the use of secure, AI-powered SMS tools to deliver personalized, timely messaging that enhances patient preparedness and follow-through. Attendees will learn how to streamline administrative workflows, improve patient experience, and evaluate the clinical and operational outcomes of integrating LLM-enabled engagement tools. Gain practical insights into adopting these technologies to reduce delays, increase throughput, and support a more responsive outpatient care model.

Presented by:

Luis Leano, Senior Business Intelligence Analyst
Roger Han, Chief Transformation Officer, KMH Cardiology Centres Inc.

4:00 P.M. to 4:55 P.M.

In this interactive keynote, attendees will make connections between how their stance shapes the current and future culture of impact. They will leave with a deeper understanding of their role as stewards of ongoing organizational learning and growth. This keynote will create the space to build engagements and energy around a common vision and set of values. By the end of the sessions, attendees will be equipped with the tools and practices to tackle opportunities and challenges in their work.

Learning Objectives

Develop a better understanding of how impactful leadership can enable equity, diversity, and inclusion

Understand the importance of and develop tools to enhance a teaming culture

Develop the toolset and practice of an effective inclusive leader to create impactful teams

Presented by:

Nouman Ashraf, Managing Director, In Nova Consulting Inc. Professor of Organizational Behaviour & HR, Rotman School of Management. University of Toronto

4:55 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Closing Remarks

Presented by:

Debbie Fischer, Board Chair, OntarioMD

Day Two Morning Sessions

Sponsored Session

8:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M.

8:30 A.M. to 8:45 A.M.

Opening Remarks

Presented by:

Kimberly Moran, Chief Executive Officer, OMA
Robert Fox, Chief Executive Officer, OntarioMD

8:45 A.M. to 9:30 A.M.

Keynote Address: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Current State and Future Trends

Presented by:

Muhammad Mamdani, PharmD, MA, MPH.
Vice President – Data Science and Advanced Analytics, Unity Health Toronto. Odette Chair in Advanced Analytics.
Faculty Affiliate – Vector Institute
Director – University of Toronto Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM)
Professor – University of Toronto

9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.

Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of medicine, and why physician leadership is essential. This dynamic panel will examine the opportunities, risks, and ethical considerations of AI in clinical practice, and empower physicians to lead innovation, protect patient care, and shape the future of their profession.

Panelists:

Kevin Brophy, MD, Digital Health Lead, SGFP
Ali Jalali, MD, Specialist (Sports Medicine), University of Ottawa
Chandi Chandrasena, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD
Stephanie Zhou, MD, Addiction Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Family Medicine, Don Mills Family Health Team

MODERATED BY:

Suzanne Strasberg, MD, Family Physician

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Discover how AI-powered Medical Office Assistants (AI-MOAs) are reshaping the future of primary care. This session explores the secure use of open-source AI tools to streamline clinic operations, reduce administrative workload, and lower costs. Learn how to integrate these tools into your practice through effective change management strategies that support smoother workflow transitions and staff adoption. Whether you’re new to AI or ready to scale its use, this session will provide practical guidance and real-world insights to help you unlock the benefits of AI in a safe, sustainable, and patient-focused way.

Presented by:

Kevin Lai, MD, Medical Director, Get Well Clinic

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

This session highlights optimized clinical workflows and EMR-based strategies aligned with the updated HPV screening guidelines to enhance early detection of cervical cancer and streamline patient care. Attendees will gain practical insights into key changes in triaging protocols, screening intervals, and age-specific recommendations—alongside a comparative review of how HPV screening is documented, tracked, and managed within three EMR systems: Accuro, PS Suite, and OSCAR Pro. Emphasis will be placed on leveraging digital tools to support clinical decision-making, improve documentation accuracy, and ensure efficient patient follow-up.

Presented by:

Kellie Scott, MD, Physician Peer Leader, OntarioMD
Afsoon Khazaee, Practice Enhancement Consultant, OntarioMD

siegel domb drummond solomos

11:00 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Every year, cybersecurity threats are growing more sophisticated, and no clinic is “too small” to be a target. This session features practical advice from our panel of legal, clinical, technology cybersecurity experts including the IPC. The session is tailored for busy clinicians. Learn how to spot red flags like phishing scams, recognize everyday habits and policies which can present risks, and identify vulnerabilities in clinic workflows. You’ll get actionable advice to strengthen your digital defences to help keep patients’ data safe and your practice secure.

Presented by:

Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD
Sharon Domb, MD , Family Physician, Sunnybrook Health Sciences. OntarioMD Physician Peer Leader
John Solomos, Chief Executive Officer, BlueBird IT Solutions Inc.
Andrew Drummond, Director of Health Policy, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Day Two Short Snappers

The short snappers will feature new innovations your colleagues are using to help reduce admin burden and enhance patient care. These four sessions will run for 10 minutes each with five minutes for questions.

11:00 A.M. to 11:15 A.M.

This short snapper explores the growing impact of non-clinical administrative tasks faced by Canada’s physicians. Drawing on insights from 485 doctors across the country, a new research initiative by Dr.Bill in partnership with Santis Health aims to quantify the scope and evolution of this burden and its effects on clinician well-being, job satisfaction and patient care. Attendees will learn about the most pressing administrative challenges and explore practical tools, technologies and policy-level strategies to help reduce burnout and create more sustainable practice environments.

Presented by:

Maris Lush, CEO, Dr.Bill

11:15 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.

Community-based clinics are managing increasingly complex and specialty care, but administrative burdens—like enrolment forms, prior authorizations, and compassionate requests—continue to grow. This short snapper explores how automation and machine learning can reduce manual paperwork, eliminate duplication, and accelerate access to care for your patients. We’ll look at how digital tools are streamlining workflows by converting faxes into structured data, integrating with EMRs, and embedding support directly into clinical practice. We’ll also examine how digital collaboration tools improve coordination with all stakeholders involved in your patients’ specialty treatment journey. Learn how clinics adopting automation-first solutions are reclaiming valuable time, reducing staff burnout, and delivering more efficient, equitable care.

Presented by:

Shelley Burnett, President, Auxita

11:30 A.M. to 11:45 A.M.

Discover how large language models (LLMs), enhanced with physician-developed clinical guardrails, are creating new opportunities to triage patients safely and effectively for virtual care. This session will explore the capabilities of leading LLMs in clinical decision support, the ongoing challenges in determining virtual care suitability, and how curated AI applications can help clinicians make confident, informed choices about patient care pathways.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand the potential of LLMs in clinical decision-making and identify current leaders in the space
Describe challenges in assessing appropriateness for virtual care
Recognize how embedding clinical guidelines into LLMs enables accurate, scalable patient triage

Presented by:

William Cherniak, MD, Founder and CEO, Rocket Doctor

11:45 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.

This short snapper session will explore practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) to address key operational and clinical challenges in healthcare. Participants will examine how AI can be leveraged to improve data interoperability between systems, ensuring timely and accurate information exchange to support coordinated patient care. The session will also discuss AI-driven solutions that automate front-office and reception workflows, reducing administrative burden. In addition, attendees will learn how AI Agents can streamline the data capturing process, eliminate the need for manual form completion and enhance efficiency and the patient experience.

Presented by:

Amaan Rattansi, Co-Founder, Chief Technology Officer, Scribeberry

Day Two Afternoon Sessions

Sponsored Session

12:15 P.M. to 1:00 P.M.

peer leaders icon

1:10 P.M. to 2:25 P.M.

These 75-minute round table workshops will allow you to learn from OntarioMD Peer Leaders in a group environment. Ask questions and network with other colleagues who are using similar workflows. Get tips and tricks to improve practice efficiency and ease administrative burden from Peer Leaders using the same EMR you use. Please note: Round tables are only available for some certified EMRs.

peer leaders icon

1:10 P.M. to 2:25 P.M.

Building on the momentum from the Plant the SEED to Reduce Administrative Burden presentation by Dr. Lubitz from Day One of the conference, this workshop will aim to translate key concepts into actionable, EMR-specific skills and strategies that can be applied in daily practice. Through hands-on demonstrations led by OMD Peer Leaders and Practice Enhancement Consultants, this workshop will support clinicians and staff in optimizing workflows to reduce administrative burden and prevent burnout. Please note, there is limited capacity for this workshop and registration will be only available during the Plant the SEED to Reduce Administrative Burden presentation on Sept. 18.

1:10 P.M. to 1:45 P.M.

Standardized referral forms have been developed as part of the relaunch of the Ontario eReferral program. This session will provide some background on the development and implementation of the forms and demonstrate several examples. Participant feedback and recommendations for next steps will be encouraged.

Presented by:

Erin Keely, MD, Endocrinologist, The Ottawa Hospital. Ontario Health Clinical Lead Patients Before Paperwork. Executive Director, eConsult Centre of Excellence

1:45 P.M. to 2:25 P.M.

TBA

Presented by:

David Kaplan, MD, Vice President, Quality, Ontario Health
Payal Agarwal, MD, Family Physician
Erin Keely, MD, Endocrinologist, The Ottawa Hospital, Ontario Health Clinical Lead Patients Before Paperwork. Executive Director, eConsult Centre of Excellence

2:30 P.M. to 3:15 P.M.

Explore how clinician-guided Artificial Intelligence (AI) can address persistent challenges in primary care delivery. This session will examine real-world applications of chatbots and large language models (LLMs), highlighting their potential to improve clinical efficiency and outcomes—while also identifying common pitfalls and limitations. Learn how thoughtfully curated and responsibly implemented AI tools can enhance safety, build trust, and strengthen relationships between patients and providers. Clinicians will leave with a deeper understanding of how to guide AI adoption in ways that support both practice sustainability and high-quality care.

Presented by:

Kevin Peterson, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Treatment.com AI Inc.

2:30 P.M. to 3:15 P.M.

With so many AI scribe tools entering the Canadian market and tempting offers from the vendors, which one should Ontario physicians choose? OntarioMD learned from physician feedback in the AI scribe evaluation study that they wanted fairly priced AI scribes from vetted vendors that protect patient data and ensure they could meet their legal and regulatory obligations. OntarioMD worked with the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health and Supply Ontario on the Vendor of Record (VOR) list for the Ontario AI Scribe Program to help physicians make informed choices. Learn about the benefits of the VOR process, how it works, and the complimentary support available to you if you need it.

Presented by:

Chris Sulway, Chief of Strategy, Growth & Stakeholder Relations
Ariane Siegel, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD
Lydia Toledo, Vice President Category Management Goods and Services, Supply Ontario

2:30 P.M. to 3:15 P.M.

This session will introduce clinicians to a suite of e-learning modules designed to support quality improvement (QI) in primary care. Participants will learn how to access and apply these modules to enhance their understanding of QI concepts and practices. The session will explore how to leverage data—both from available sources and within electronic medical records (EMRs)—to drive meaningful improvements in patient outcomes. Clinicians will gain practical strategies for using their EMR systems to identify care gaps, monitor performance, and implement effective QI initiatives in their practices.

Presented by:

Lia Stenyk Jackson, Senior Specialist, Quality Improvement, Ontario Health

chandi chandrasena

3:20 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.

Day Two Closing Remarks

Presented by:

Chandi Chandrasena, MD CCFP FCFP, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD

SPONSORED SESSIONS