News and Events

QFHT News

Spring 2013

Summer 2012

Spring 2012

Fall 2011


Read Kingston Gets Active's Summer Newsletter


Birth Control Pill Recall

Health Canada has recalled some lots of the birth control pill Alysena-28 (the generic version of Alesse). This recall may affect you if you have been prescribed Alysena or Alesse. Contact your pharmacy to find out if you have been affected. If you have any questions about how this may affect your health, please book an appointment with us to discuss.

Patient Experience Survey


We want to know your thoughts on the care provided by the Queen's Family Health Team. Please fill in and submit our Patient Experience Survey. Your feedback is important because it helps us provide the best care possible for our patients.


Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Queen’s Family Health Team's Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is a free, six-week program that helps people to actively achieve their best health and wellness while managing ongoing conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease, depression, lung disease, and others. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and support one another in meeting their goals. Some of the self-management skills discussed include: dealing with the emotional, physical and social aspects of  living with a chronic condition; managing symptoms, medications and side effects; and managing stress and setting goals. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. The program is supported by the Living Well Self-Management Program of Southeastern Ontario.

The next program is scheduled on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., from September 10 to October 15. Prior registration is required. Click here for more information. To participate, please contact Jessica at 613-533-9303, Ext. 73050.

Other ongoing programs - offered to patient groups as needed - include: Diabetes Medications Explained; Insulin: The Basics; Insulin: Mastering the Skills; Nutritional Label Reading; Beginning an Exercise Program with Resistant Bands; Carb Counting: The Basics; and Stress Management.


Chronic Pain Self-Management Program


Following a successful fall and spring seven-week series of the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program, offered to patients who suffer from chronic pain, the Queen's Family Health Team (QFHT) will offer its fourth Chronic  Pain Self-Management Program from Tuesday,  October 8 to Tuesday, November 12 at the QFHT's 115 Clarence St. (Haynes Hall) location in the Lower Conference Room. The program will run over seven consecutive Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. To participate, patients should be fit to perform gentle exercises that may range from chair yoga to tai chi to stretching.

The program is led by Dr. Ruth Dubin and social worker Evelyn Bowering. A Self-Management Manual will be provided, along with refreshments.

For more information, please contact Jessica at 613-533-9303, Ext. 73050, or Jamie Lyn at 613-549-0490.


Diabetes Self-Management Program


Queen’s Family Health Team's Diabetes Self-Management Program is a free, six-week program that helps people live well with diabetes through building the skills needed to better manage their health. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and support one another in meeting their goals. Some of the self-management skills discussed include: dealing with the symptoms of diabetes and treatment side effects; stress and other emotional problems; starting (or maintaining) a safe exercise plan; healthy eating; and managing medications. Light snacks and refreshments will be  provided. The program is supported by the Living Well Self-Management Program of  Southeastern Ontario. 

The next program is scheduled on Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3:30  p.m., from September 11 to October 16. Prior registration is required. Click here for more information.  To participate, please contact Jessica at 613-533-9303, Ext. 73050.

Other ongoing programs - offered to patient groups as needed - include: Diabetes Medications Explained; Insulin: The Basics; Insulin: Mastering the Skills; Nutritional Label Reading; Beginning an Exercise Program with Resistant Bands; Carb Counting: The Basics; and Stress Management.


Breastfeeding Support Program Now Available


International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and registered nurse Liz Hughson is now facilitating a Breastfeeding Support Program that is available to all QFHT families. Services include prenatal assessment and follow-up after delivery, ensuring babies receive optimal nutrition. For more information, ask your health care provider or contact Liz at 613-533-9300, Ext. 73946.


Ear Acupressure for Smoking Cessation


Dr. Lawrence Leung and his research team are looking for patients interested in using self-administered ear acupressure for smoking cessation. It involves external beads (natural seeds) plastered to acupoints on the ear, which patients press on when they experience the urge to smoke. The study will be a randomized, placebo-controlled trial with no cost to patients. E-mail [email protected] for further details, or leave a message at 613-533-9300, Ext. 73938. Call-backs will take place Mondays and Tuesdays to set up appointments for the study.


How Do I Dispose of My Medications? 


- Old, unused medications can pose a risk to your health.
- They also pose a risk to the environment when they are not disposed of properly.
- Please bring your medications to your pharmacist for proper disposal.
- Your physician’s office is not equipped to dispose of your medications safely.


Humourous Video Addresses Fecal Occult Blood Test


The Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, has created an animated instructional video on the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), the screening method for average-risk people aged 50 and over for colorectal cancer. It's a simple test that can be done at home, and this video takes all the mystery (and, hopefully, fear) out of it through humourous commentary and visuals.

It is recommended that men and women 50 years of age or older, who do not have a family history of colorectal cancer and do not have symptoms, be screened every two years using an FOBT. Studies show that when this screening test is performed every two years, combined with a colonoscopy for those who test positive, it will reduce death from colorectal cancer by 16 per cent over a decade.
For more information about the FOBT, talk to your health care provider.

Watch the video in English

Watch the video in French


Medication Check for Diabetics


If you have type 1 or 2 diabetes, ask your pharmacist about the provincial MedsCheck Diabetes Program. You'll receive an annual review of your medications including advice, training, monitoring and education on diabetes.Ask your pharmacist to send a copy of your MedsCheck form to your health care provider.


Breast Cancer Screening Interview


The QFHT’s Dr. Ruth Wilson recently spoke with CBC’s The Current about a study on breast cancer screening. Listen here. (Interview follows one with Dr. Martin Yaffe.)


QFHT Patients Participate in Mobility in Aging Study


Hundreds of QFHT patients are participating in research conducted by Dr. Susan Phillips that examines how who you are, where you live, and how connected you are to a community affects your health. The International Mobility in Aging Study examines how a variety of factors alter the chances of developing chronic disease or mobility disability among 1,600 seniors. Click here for more information.


We're Accepting New Patients!


If you (or your family members) are looking for a family physician within an academic teaching centre, please drop by our clinic at 220 Bagot Street, Kingston, during regular working hours. (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.) Please contact us for more information.