HPV testing to replace Pap testing as the primary cervical cancer screening test

Most people have heard of the Pap test, which has been the primary cervical cancer screening test for many years. On March 3, 2025, the Ontario Ministry of Health will be replacing the Pap test with the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) test as the new primary test for cervical cancer screening. See Cancer Care Ontario for more detailed information on HPV testing.

Why this change?

  • The HPV test is more accurate and will improve detection of cervical pre-cancer.

  • The improved performance of HPV testing allows for longer intervals between screens for people who test negative.

  • Many cervical screening programs internationally and in Canada have transitioned to HPV testing as the primary screening as the HPV test is increasingly considered to be the standard of care.

Who is eligible for the HPV test?

  • Individuals with a cervix age 25 to 69 who have ever been sexually active with no symptoms suggestive of cervical cancer and have valid OHIP coverage.

How long between HPV tests?

  • Typically, individuals with a negative HPV test result are recommended to be screened every 5 years though how often screening happens depends on your personal circumstances and best discussed with your physician.

FAQs:

What if I am due for a Pap test?

If you are due for a Pap test, you can either get a Pap test before March 3, 2025 or get the HPV test on or after March 3, 2025.

What if I just got the Pap test before March 3, 2025? Should I get the HPV test right away?

If you have had a Pap test and it hasn’t yet been 3 years since the test, and the results were normal, you can wait until the 3 years mark for your next cervical screening test. At the time of your next cervical screening, you will get the HPV test.

What if I want a HPV test even though I’m not eligible for OHIP coverage for it?

OHIP only covers the HPV test for eligible individuals on or after March 3, 2025. For those who want the HPV test but are not eligible for OHIP coverage, it is possible to privately pay for it out of pocket. Contact LifeLabs or Dynacare labs for more information or book an appointment with your physician to discuss it

How do I know if I should be screened more often or if I am unsure if I need HPV testing?

If you have any questions about your screening interval or if you should be screened, you should book an appointment with your physician to discuss your concerns. How often screening happens and whether you need to be screened depends on your personal circumstances. This blog is intended only to provide some generalised information about HPV tests.

 Can I get the HPV test before March 3, 2025 if I am due to be screened anyway?

HPV testing will be covered by OHIP starting on March 3, 2025. Until then, HPV testing is available as a privately paid test that you can discuss with your doctor.

Should I wait until after March 3, 2025 to do my cervical screening so that I can get the HPV test?

If you are due for a cervical screening within 2-3 days of the March 3, 2025 rollout, then you can choose to wait until March 3 to get the new HPV test. 


IMPORTANT - Magenta Health is CLOSED to In-Person Appointments

Further to our email last night, Magenta Health is closed today to in-person appointments.

Instead:

  • for most appointments, please work on the assumption that your physician will call you at approximately your scheduled appointment regardless. Please pick up phone calls from blocked or unknown numbers. Many physicians will have children at home though, so if you aren't eventually called, please simply book another appointment. Everyone will be doing their best in the circumstances.

  • if your concern likely cannot be handled by phone, please reschedule your appointment instead. There will be no late cancellation fees of course.

  • for intake appointments, you will unfortunately need to book a new intake appointment. We understand it may have been hard to book your intake appointment, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Please go back to the invitation email, and schedule a new appointment at a time convenient for yourself.

Please stay safe and warm today!

IMPORTANT - In-Person Appointments at Magenta Health might be cancelled tomorrow

This notice was sent February 12, 2025, to patients with in-person appointments February 13, 2025:

Hello,

We're writing because you currently have an in-person appointment scheduled for tomorrow, February 13, 2025.

Our current plan is to follow the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).

  • If TDSB schools are closed tomorrow, our clinics will be closed for in-person appointments.

  • If TDSB schools are open tomorrow, our clinics will be open.

If our clinics are closed for in-person appointments:

  • for most appointments, please work on the assumption that your physician will call you at approximately your scheduled appointment regardless. Please pick up phone calls from blocked or unknown numbers. Many physicians will have children at home though, so if you aren't eventually called, please simply book another appointment. Everyone will be doing their best in the circumstances.

  • if your concern likely cannot be handled by phone, please reschedule your appointment instead. There will be no late cancellation fees of course.

  • for intake appointments, you will unfortunately need to book a new intake appointment. We understand it may have been hard to book your intake appointment, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Please go back to the invitation email, and schedule a new appointment at a time convenient for yourself.

Should the clinic indeed be closed, we will be posting a message on our website and will work to send out further messages as soon as possible. Please do not wait for these updates to be made though - if TDSB schools are closed, we will be closed. If TDSB schools are open, we will be open.

Sincerely,
Your Magenta Health Admin Team

IMPORTANT MESSAGE for patients of Dr. Jenn (Yun) Peng

A version of the following message was circulated electronically November 2024

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to share a very difficult decision I have made.

Many of you know that I moved to Magenta Health’s Midtown location from the Riverside location at the beginning of 2024. I sought to mitigate the impact of unexpected health changes in my family and other personal obligations. Read more here.

I am scheduled to start my second parental leave in January 2025. After much soul searching, I have decided that I am not in a position to return to family practice after this upcoming leave. This choice was made with a heavy heart, as I had hoped to serve you and your families for many more years. It has been a privilege to work with you, and leaving this role permanently is not something I envisioned or took lightly.

Fortunately, I have found two compassionate and experienced physicians, Dr. Jonathan Penner-Chea and Dr. Molly Gamble, to take over your care. Both Dr. Penner-Chea and Dr. Gamble will be relocating some or all of their existing practices to the Magenta Health Midtown clinic, together with taking on my existing patients. They also happen to be spouses to each other.

To ensure a smooth transition and continuity of care for all my patients, I am pleased to be able to announce:

  1. From now until January 11, 2025, I will continue to be your doctor.

  2. Starting January 12, 2025, Dr. Penner-Chea will permanently replace me and will be responsible for your ongoing care.

  3. In February 2025, there may be limited opportunities for some patients who strongly prefer a female family physician to switch from Dr. Penner-Chea to Dr. Gamble. Further information will be provided if / when this opportunity arises.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. I am confident that Dr. Penner-Chea and Dr. Gamble will provide you with excellent care. I am truly grateful to have found them to take over your care for the long term.

There is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would, contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have. The clinic will be handling all the changes in the background for you, and I’ll be working with Dr. Penner-Chea to transfer over your care.

To learn a bit about Dr. Penner-Chea and Dr. Gamble, please review their bios on the Physicians page here.

I want to take this opportunity again to express my sincere gratitude for the privilege of having been your family doctor. I wish you all the best and good health.

With heartfelt thanks and warm regards,

Dr. Jenn (Yun) Peng

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. The past few years have given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to arrange a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Penner-Chea and Dr. Gamble are available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  2. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to delay joining Dr. Penner-Chea's practice in hopes of transferring to Dr. Gamble’s practice later. To ensure continuity of care, all patients will initially be transitioned to Dr. Penner-Chea. There is no waiting list to “pre-register” a preference to switch.

  3. We would like to kindly note we won’t be able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Penner-Chea or Dr. Gamble, inclusive of requests to switch clinics. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians both in the community and across the country, as well as a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us. 

  4. Dr. Peng is not establishing another family practice in Ontario; therefore, it is not an option to remain with her in the long term.

  5. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

Important message for patients of Dr. Caileigh Pilmer

A version of the following message was circulated electronically November 2024

I hope this message finds you well.

I am writing to let you know that I have made the difficult decision to not return to my family practice at Magenta Health when my leave ends on December 19, 2024. Much of my work outside of the clinic has been in Women’s Health, specifically Breast Health; and after much thought and consideration, I have decided to focus my work in this direction to do clinical work full-time in the Breast Centres at Princess Margaret, Michael Garron, and Women’s College Hospitals.

I am pleased to be able to announce the following arrangements:

  1. From now until December 19, 2024, Dr. Melinda Caputo Janhager will continue to provide coverage during the remainder of my leave.

  2. Starting December 20, 2024, Dr. Carly Morin will permanently replace me and take over my practice.

I am truly grateful to have found Dr. Carly Morin to take over your care for the long term. Dr. Morin is a fantastic physician, and I have every confidence that you will be in excellent hands.

Your care will be seamlessly transferred to Dr. Morin on December 20, 2024.

There is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would, contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have. The clinic will be handling all the changes in the background for you, and I’ll be working with Dr. Morin to transfer over your care.

To learn a bit about Dr. Morin, please review her bio on the Physicians page here, underneath the Riverside section. Dr. Morin is looking forward to meeting you!

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the privilege of having been your family doctor. I wish you all the best and good health.

With heartfelt thanks and warm regards,

Dr. Caileigh Pilmer

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. The past few years have given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to arrange a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Morin is available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  2. We would like to kindly note we won’t be able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Morin, inclusive of requests to switch clinics. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians both in the community and across the country, as well as a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us. 

  3. Dr. Pilmer is not establishing another family practice in Ontario; therefore, it is not an option to remain with her in the long term.

  4. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR PATIENTS OF DR. SANA MEHRANI

An electronic version of this letter is being circulated between October 28 to 30, 2024.
Please note it is not an option to review or select physicians prior to November 1, 2024 at 9 am.

Further to our last email, your current family doctor, Dr. Sana Mehrani, is permanently stepping away from family practice at the end of November and relocating to Ottawa. We have been working with her to arrange a replacement family doctor for her entire practice.

At this time, other Magenta Health physicians, spread across our three physical locations, have agreed to take on Dr. Mehrani’s patients.

ACTION REQUESTED
(Link to the physician list will be available in your email notification being sent between Oct. 28-30, 2024.)

  1. You can review the options, and select your preferred physician and location, by choosing a new Magenta Health physician between November 1 and November 25, 2024 (link is in the email notification to you).  If you have a preferred location, we encourage you to make your selection early because spots at each location are limited - most spots will be at our Beaches location @ Queen and Woodbine or our Midtown location @ Eglinton and Avenue. Spots at Dr. Mehrani’s Riverside location are unfortunately limited.

  2. You can also visit the same link in your email if you’d like us to close your file on November 29, 2024. If you choose that option, you will not be a patient of any Magenta Health physician as of that day.

If you do nothing, you will be automatically reassigned to a new Magenta Health physician, most likely at our Beaches location (Queen and Woodbine) or our Midtown location (Eglinton and Avenue), and you will need to travel there for in-person appointments in the future.

We understand change is always hard, so we appreciate your patience and understanding. There’s a severe shortage of family doctors in the province right now, and so we are grateful for the physician team stepping forward to ensure care for all existing patients.  

Please see the below for answers to common questions, including how to ask further questions.

Sincerely,

Your Magenta Health Admin Team

====================================

I’m being forced to change locations, that feels unfair?
We wish we had enough capacity at each location for patients to choose their preferred option. Unfortunately, there’s a severe shortage of family doctors in the province right now, and we are doing the best we can in the circumstances. We understand and recognize this is not an optimal outcome.

Prior to the official transfer on November 29, 2024, can I book appointments that are to occur after November 29th?
Unfortunately, no. It’s very complicated to play musical chairs for almost a thousand individuals, and so you will be reassigned to your new physician, and able to book appointments only after November 29, 2024.

What changes after November 29, 2024?
Unless you’ve asked for your file to be closed, you’ll have a new Magenta Health family doctor. You’ll be automatically granted access to their homepage via the Magenta Health homepage as of that day, and further appointments will be with your new family doctor.

Can I meet my new family doctor before selecting them?
Unfortunately no, that’s not an option at this time. Our view is that individuals should primarily select a new physician based on location.

I have read the above, but still have an important question?
Please proceed to our contact page to ask your question.

Important message for patients of Dr. Sarah Park

An electronic version of this letter was circulated September 2024.

I hope this message finds you well.

With a heavy heart, I am writing to let you know that I have made the difficult decision to not return to my family practice at Magenta Health when my leave ends on October 10, 2024. Much of my work outside of the clinic has been in Indigenous health, and after much thought and consideration, I have decided to focus my work in this direction to do clinical and academic work in this space full-time.

It has been a priority for me that despite my changing scope of practice, you continue to receive ongoing care. Since making this decision, I have been actively searching to find the right physician to take over my practice and to help ensure the continuity of your care. 

I am pleased to be able to announce the following arrangements:

  1. From October 11 to 16, 2024, my Magenta Health colleagues will provide urgent coverage.

  2. Starting October 16, 2024, Dr. Samuel Markl will permanently replace me and take over my practice.

I am truly grateful to have found Dr. Samuel Markl to take over your care for the long term. Dr. Markl is a fantastic physician and I have every confidence that you will be in excellent hands.

In view of the above, your care will be seamlessly transferred to Dr. Markl on October 16, 2024.

There is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would, contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have. The clinic will be handling all the changes in the background for you, and I’ll be working with Dr. Markl to transfer over your care. 

To get to know Dr. Markl a bit better before transferring into his care, please click here to review his welcome letter. Dr. Markl is looking forward to meeting you!

I am sad to say goodbye as I embark on this new chapter in my medical career, and I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the privilege of having been your family doctor. I wish you all the best and good health.

With heartfelt thanks and warm regards,
Dr. Sarah Park

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. The past few years have given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to arrange a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Markl is available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  2. We would like to kindly note we won’t be able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Markl, inclusive of requests for a female physician, or to switch clinics. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians both in the community and across the country, as well as a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us. 

  3. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

A New Approach to Patient-Initiated Medical Messages

For the first 9 years of Magenta Health, approximately 400,000 incoming emails were received, read, and handled by our amazing team. These emails covered everything from ordinary administrative questions to complex medical requests. We stopped accepting emails in late 2023 for reasons discussed here.

Since then, we have continued to accept patient-initiated medical messages - patients could send written messages to their physician through their physician’s homepage. 

There’s still an elephant in the room though. OHIP does not compensate family physicians when they provide care in writing. Instead, for the past 10 years, Magenta Health physicians have reviewed and responded to messages without compensation, driven by a shared desire to provide accessible care and to support the health and well-being of patients.

However, given the option of virtual care, physician shortages, and an ever increasing administrative workload, the status quo is no longer sustainable. It’s driving physicians to burnout and to leave family medicine altogether. It’s time to make a change.

What’s the change?

In select circumstances, patients will need to subscribe to an annual uninsured services subscription to initiate new conversations with their physician. This fee will cover services not compensated by OHIP, including electronic messages. Alternatively, patients can choose to pay on a per-message basis.

We will be implementing this policy strictly. In some cases, messages may be returned to the patient without being forwarded to a physician if they fall under the new guidelines.

There will continue to be situations where messages cannot be sent at all, even with payment, as well as situations where payment is not required.

When Will Payment Be Required?

While the specifics will vary slightly between physicians, here are some examples of situations where payment will be necessary in order to send a request in writing instead of an appointment:

  • Requesting adjustments to an existing prescription

  • Following up on a previously discussed medical issue

  • Requesting replacement prescriptions while traveling

  • Asking for insurance-related notes (e.g., for massage or orthotics)

When Will Messages Still Be Free?

There will again be slight difference between physicians, but patients will likely be able to initiate certain types of messages for free, such as:

  • Responding to direct messages from your physician when a response is requested

  • Requests for routine screening tests (e.g., mammograms, other preventive screenings)

  • Requests for lost prescriptions

  • Providing information about care received elsewhere

Administrative messages that do not need physician review or input will also continue to be free.

When Can’t Messages Be Sent?

One of the key challenges with enabling patients to send written messages is that inappropriate, unnecessary, or potentially dangerous messages are sometimes sent.  For example, if someone is experiencing an urgent medical concern, sending a message and then waiting, in lieu of proceeding directly to see a medical professional, can lead to potentially catastrophic consequences.

We have worked to configure our systems so that in certain circumstances, messages cannot be sent at all.  Instead, in those circumstances, patients will be provided advice as to a more appropriate next step, such as booking an appointment with their family physician. 

Just like whether payment will be required or not, there will be some slight differences between physicians.

Why are there Differences Between Physicians?

Physicians are individuals with varying educational and work backgrounds, family life, schedule, personal preferences, and tolerances.  There will therefore be edge cases where different physicians can reasonably disagree as to how best to handle the situation, inclusive of whether sending a message should be free, payment required, or permitted at all.

We have worked to configure our systems so that these physician nuances are automatically handled. Patients only need to proceed through their physician’s homepage to search for and proceed via appropriate options.

What If I Can’t or Don’t Want to Pay?

This change will not affect anyone’s ability to access OHIP-covered care. Patients will always be able to book an appointment with their physician or, in urgent cases, a covering physician. These appointments are covered by OHIP, so there is no charge for in-person or virtual appointments.

Will Paid Messages be Prioritized?

Absolutely not. They will be processed and reviewed by physicians in the ordinary course. Patients should not send urgent medical concerns in writing; urgent medical concerns should be addressed by appointment. Magenta Health does not offer executive health or concierge care.

Important Update for Patients of Dr. Winnie Siao

An electronic version of this letter was circulated at the beginning of September 2024.

I hope you are doing well - I am writing to share an important update with you.

As I look forward to returning to work after my parental leave, I am faced with the challenges of reconciling work and family life, specifically the logistics of being a working parent with two young children. I do not live close to Magenta Health’s Riverside location, and the commute has only gotten worse in recent years. Therefore, I have concluded that I must prioritize my family’s needs and move my primary practice location.

Magenta Health and I have explored the option of finding a replacement physician for myself, but as I am sure you have heard, family physicians are currently few and far between. We were not successful. After much consideration, we have come to an arrangement so that I can continue to be your family doctor. 

Starting November 11, 2024, I will be seeing patients from Magenta Health’s Midtown location only, at the major intersection of Avenue and Eglinton. There is parking nearby, and there will be a subway station less than a block away once the Eglinton Crosstown opens. I also plan to continue to offer virtual phone and video appointments for concerns that can be appropriately addressed without an in-person visit.

At this point, there is nothing for you to do. My locum, Dr. Eva Bain, will continue to see patients from the Riverside location until November 8, 2024. All in-person appointments with me will switch to the Midtown location and you will be automatically notified and reminded of this change when booking. Most importantly, there will be no interruption in your medical care, as I remain your family doctor supported by the same team - the only change is where I will be seeing you in-person.

I understand transitions can be stressful, and with my recent parental leave, I recognize there have been a number of changes already. Please know that I have made this decision only after extensive reflection. For some of my patients, the Midtown location will be equal to or more convenient than Riverside. For others, I acknowledge that this new location will be less convenient for you to access. If this is the case for you, I apologize and appreciate your understanding and patience. I hope you see this as a better alternative than being left without a family doctor, and I look forward to continuing to care for you and your family. 

Lastly, if there are medical reasons that make it difficult to attend in-person appointments at the Midtown location, the clinic has established a form where you can register a request to potentially transfer to another Magenta Health physician at the Riverside location, should the opportunity arise in the future. To manage expectations though, transferring isn’t an option right now due to a lack of physician capacity. For more details, and to submit this form, please proceed here (https://www.magentahealth.ca/clinic-switch-policy).

Thank you again - I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Kind regards,

Dr. Winnie Siao


IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PATIENTS OF DR. SANA MEHRANI

A version of the following message was circulated electronically August 2024

I am writing this letter to share some bittersweet news.

I have decided to leave Toronto and relocate to Ottawa. Sadly, this means that I will be stepping away permanently from my family practice at Magenta Health on November 29, 2024.  This was a difficult decision to make. It has been my pleasure and privilege to take care of my patients and their families for the past few years.

The clinic and I are in the process of coming up with a transition plan that ensures continuity of care. At the moment we are quite optimistic and we do expect to be able to find you a replacement family doctor without any further action from you. 

However, this email is to give you the required 3 months advance notice that you will be discharged from my care and the clinic, in case we’re unable to find a doctor to take over. 

If you have any concerns about the possibility that we may not be able to find a new doctor to take over the practice, we encourage you to start looking for an alternative provider at this time. 

I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for allowing me the privilege of being your family doctor.  I wish you all the best and a lifetime of good health and happiness.

With heartfelt thanks and warm regards,

Dr. Sana Mehrani

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. We are working with Dr. Mehrani to establish a firm transition plan that ensures continuity of care. We hope to have more information for you in the coming weeks. We respectfully request that you do not contact our admin team for updates, as they will not have any further information.  We promise we will update you with more information as soon as possible.

  2. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

Interim Update - Upgrading Platform and Security Improvements to our Electronic Medical Record System

Earlier this year, we shared:

We are currently working with Conestoga College and their SMART Centre on an applied research project funded through the NSERC. This project will last 8 months and aims to make platform and security improvements to the Electronic Medical Record system used by ourselves and other family doctors around the country.

To get the ball moving, Magenta Health has pre-committed $20,000 towards this project, but we’re asking patients to consider pledging their LifeLabs settlement money towards this work as well.

Over the last six months, the Conestoga College team has leveraged our pre-commitment of $20,000 in cash to make incredible progress. Entire software frameworks have been upgraded and numerous security risks have been mitigated. Notably, this work has involved the use of AI to rewrite hundreds of files automatically. For those involved in software development, these stats from the latest pull request should amaze (and scare you): 

  • 2,497 modified files (not a typo!)

  • 74,526 new lines of code

  • 46,345 deleted lines of code

We’ve been so impressed with their progress that we have agreed to support this work for another three years at minimum, with Magenta Health founders and physicians jointly pre-committing over that time period approximately $100,000 in cash and $300,000 of in-kind contributions. For a small organization like us, this is a huge donation but we think it’s worth it in the long-term.

An Important Upgrade Funded by Magenta Health Patients - Integrated Encrypted Emails

As of July 2024, an important upgrade has been completed - integrated encrypted emails. This is the ability to send encrypted emails to patients directly from the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system that we use. Previously, emails needed to be sent via a different system, and without encryption. This is a massive upgrade!

Despite being a popular shared EMR used by family doctors around the country, this freely available EMR suffers from a significant lack of investment. Physicians at Magenta Health try to do their part by voluntarily contributing $100,000 annually but this isn’t enough.

Notably, we’ve asked for financial contributions from patients towards helping improve this software since late 2023, and it’s been incredible to see patients step forward to help. This important upgrade was made possible in part through this generosity and community mindedness.

Thank you!

Why is this a big deal?

Two huge reasons.

  1. Better privacy for patients. Previously, if your physician wanted to attach a document, they would need to download the file to their desktop, then attach it to the email within a different system. Attaching the wrong file has been the number one reason for accidental privacy breaches. This new upgrade introduces numerous “privacy by design” guardrails such as (a) only the email address on file can be emailed, manual changes can’t be made (b) documents can only be emailed to the corresponding patient, full stop.

  2. Streamlined workflow for staff. Every click matters. Improvements like these allow physicians and staff to invest more time on active patient care, instead of tedious computer work.

What’s Next?

For the moment, this upgrade is being tested right now with encryption turned off. In the coming months, we’ll turn on encryption and messages and attachments will start arriving in encrypted form.

The source code for this upgrade has also already been shared the community at large and the goal is that physicians and clinics around the country will soon be using it as well!

OPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ACCESS TO IUD INSERTIONS

Magenta Health believes that safe and convenient access to birth control is an important part of primary care. One of the most popular and effective methods of birth control are IUDs (intrauterine devices). 

We are inviting patients who can readily afford to do so, to contribute toward the cost of the sterilized equipment that is needed. Read on to learn more.

Tell me about the finances.

We’ve optimized our processes and crunched the numbers - it costs us roughly $25 to provide the sterilized equipment that every IUD insertion appointment requires. In contrast, our perspective is that the Ministry of Health only covers $2 of this equipment cost. It essentially feels like we’re paying roughly $23 out of pocket each time an IUD insertion appointment happens.

Why do we offer IUDs at all if the numbers don’t make sense?

Specialized clinics and some OB-GYNs offer IUD insertions, but wait times are typically quite long. Once a patient has decided they want an IUD, we want to help them access one quickly, safely, comfortably and conveniently.

Is a contribution mandatory?

A contribution is definitely not mandatory. We are asking only those who can readily afford to contribute to do so. We also want to make sure this does not affect anyone’s care so, whether or not you contribute is not something your physician will know.

Can I get an IUD elsewhere?

Yes. Specialized clinics and some OB-GYNs offer IUD insertions, but wait times are typically quite long. Please don’t feel you need to go elsewhere for an IUD due to this dollars and cents issue. This shouldn’t affect your decision-making on where to get your IUD.

What happens to my contribution?

To be transparent, we plan to do an annual blog post that compares the amount collected vs. the equipment costs. Our hope is to approximately break even - e.g. if we conduct 1000 IUD insertions in a year, we collect roughly $23,000 in voluntary patient contributions + $2,000 from OHIP to cover the roughly $25,000 in equipment costs.

Cyber Security at magenta health

As many of our patients may be aware - there have been numerous IT security breaches within the Canadian healthcare system in recent years. This blog post is intended to answer some common questions about what Magenta Health is proactively doing to enhance the security of the Personal Health Information we hold.

RECENT HEALTHCARE PRIVACY BREACHES IN CANADA

We’ll start with the background of why it’s important to share this update. 

The risk of privacy breaches is a very real threat to the healthcare sector right now. There have been several instances of recent personal info data leaks within the healthcare community. Thankfully, there has not been any incident at Magenta Health (and we’d like to keep it that way).

As a very recent example that is frighteningly close to home, five Southwestern Ontario hospitals had sensitive data leaked online following a cyberattack. Unfortunately, the result was “thousands of patients and staff whose information has been leaked onto the dark web” .

Even closer to home, Michael Garron Hospital lost employee and clinician data in 2023 and had its systems ransomwared in 2019.

Another more concerning incident is the 2019 Lifelabs data breach, in which “…hackers accessed personal information, including health numbers and test results” of approximately 15 million customers across Canada.

  • There are numerous existing administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect Personal Health Information, including:

    • Our systems and processes have been reviewed by accountable individuals, including our Chief Privacy Officer and in-house legal counsel;

    • All staff & students with access to PHI are required to review and execute confidentiality agreements;

    • Access to PHI is generally limited to only those requiring access to such PHI through technical means;

    • Through formal contracts, privacy policies, and service agreements, all third-parties retained by Magenta Health have committed to complying with those conditions and restrictions necessary to ensure Magenta Health's continued compliance with PHIPA;

    • Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and multiple logins are required to access various sensitive systems;

    • Sensitive systems have audit logs to track data access and use;

    • Network traffic is monitored and managed using security mechanisms such as routers, switches, firewalls, and anti-virus programs;

    • SSL encryption is used to secure the transmission of PHI over insecure electronic networks;

    • Whole-disk encryption is used as required to secure physical storage media holding PHI;

    • Removable physical media (e.g. paper, CDs, DVDs) holding PHI are destroyed following use;

    • Data, applications, and systems are backed up on a regular basis, including offsite, and can be readily restored as required;

    • All systems (e.g. operating systems, applications) are regularly patched with security updates;

    • All physical electronic systems maintained by Magenta Health are secured with a monitored security system;

    • Security cameras have been deployed throughout Magenta Health's physical spaces;

    • Physical access to computer servers have been restricted to those staff requiring access; and

    • Decommissioned equipment used to process or store PHI is securely disposed of;

  • To further enhance the security of your Personal Health Information, here are some examples of larger ongoing work (as of February 2024):

    • we are in the midst of fully migrating to an online messaging portal to eliminate the use of incoming email

    • we are developing encrypted email capabilities to eliminate the use of plain text emails

    • we are migrating our IT systems to a Tier 1 Data Centre to minimize the risk of physical theft

  • At Magenta Health - NO.

    We are not aware of any material compromise of our systems and we're working to keep it that way.

  • Specific to Magenta Health, we strongly recommend that the email address you have registered on file with us is your personal email (i.e. not an email that is shared with anyone else, or a ‘work’ email). This will help ensure that any medical information, appointment notices, referral content, etc. is not intercepted by any other individual or third-party.

    Additional advice from other reputable sources:

    Privacy Commissioner of Canada

    NPR

    Microsoft

The End of an Era: We’re Closing Our Main Email Inbox

In the nearly 10 years since the inception of Magenta Health, approximately 400,000 incoming emails have been received, read, and handled by our amazing team.

We’re at the end of this era - as of today, we’re closing our email inbox, which means emails sent there will no longer be received. Instead,

  • patients are asked to initiate inquiries and requests via their physician’s personal homepage.

  • third-parties and non-patients are asked to initiate inquiries via our homepage.

  • it remains an option to call our staff during regular business hours.

Why this change?

It’s to preserve the capacity of family doctors to provide timely and high quality care.

We’ve shared for many years that giving patients the option to send us emails has been extremely challenging. The volume of messages, the complexity of messages, and mismatched expectations are all aspects of the problem. We’ve tried many different strategies to address the issue, none with great success.

At this point, incoming emails has become the most frustrating part of the job for many Magenta Health physicians. It takes away from time better spent talking to patients directly. It leads to miscommunication and mismatched expectations. It detracts from the continued delivery of high quality care.

Does this mean no more written correspondence?

No - we’ll still be using written correspondence for all the reasons discussed in our patient communication policy and our technology use policy. We continue to think written correspondence has a key role.

For example, Magenta Health physicians still plan to send outgoing written messages to patients because there’s many different situations where that’s the best mode of communication. And in many cases, physicians will explicitly invite (or even require) a written response.

What’s ending is the ability to send us emails in an unrestricted way, anytime, anywhere, of any length. The replacement tool has been in place for a few months now - patients can still respond (or initiate) in writing in some situations, just not through email.

Why is a physician homepage better than email?

Our physician homepages have been designed to act like virtual receptionists. They can answer many common questions, and if it can’t, it directs patients to the right option for them in the circumstances. For example:

Ask it “I’d like a referral to a dermatologist”. It will automatically explain why an appointment is important, and take you to the appropriate booking page:

Alternatively, ask it for “I’d like a sick note”. It will explain when you can submit a written request vs. when you should book an appointment:

Email lacks these nuances. Anyone can choose to send an email anytime - and, in practice they do. 3AM emails advising “I might be having a heart attack, what should I do?” are unfortunately far more frequent than one might think.

There may be some hiccups these coming weeks as we all adjust to a new normal. For example, there will be situations where we sent a message within the last month via the old email address, inviting a response, and yet this email address no longer accepts replies.

We’ve done our best to establish a transition plan that minimizes these issues.

We thank you for your patience and understanding; we believe this change will help ensure we can continue to serve our community effectively and to the highest standards in the years to come.

Fall 2023 Updates on Uninsured Services and Fees

As dedicated healthcare providers within the community, we consistently strive to make a positive impact on the lives of patients such as yourself and your loved ones. In order to continue our vision of providing a high standard of quality care for our patients, we will be implementing some updates to your physician’s practice.

Below is an update on what to expect moving forward at Magenta Health.

***

During the pandemic, the processes and fees associated with services such as prescription renewals without appointments became very confusing. To make things as simple as possible for patients during uncertain times, many physicians chose to waive the fees typically associated with such uninsured services.

Unfortunately, this style of practice is no longer sustainable. Over the past couple years, we have continued to see rising costs of operations spurred on by inflation. Administrative burdens on physicians are at an all time high,which is a primary culprit for the current family doctor shortage that we are experiencing in the province, including within the City of Toronto.

With all of this said, the team has reflected on how we can best ensure the longevity of Magenta Health, and the physicians who practice at our clinics.

Beginning the week of November 13, 2023, Magenta Health will be implementing a policy to ensure all clinic physicians charge for the uninsured services they provide. The most common example of this is prescription renewals without an appointment, which is not covered by OHIP. Our intention is to direct resources into relieving administrative burdens, both for your physician, and our staff, and secure a long-standing foundation for the Magenta Health team. To review typical charges, please access your physician’s homepage.

We appreciate your understanding in this matter. This was not a simple or easy decision to make, but our collective hope is that it will make a measurable impact on clinic resources, and on the consistency of care we’re able to provide.

Yes - it's fall and time for the flu shot!

Time flies and it’s fall again! That’s right - time for your annual flu vaccine!

Your Magenta Health Physicians continue to recommend that everyone who is 6 months or older should get an annual flu vaccine.

Getting a flu vaccine helps to protect you, those close to you and our greater community. 

See this link for some great information about the flu, the flu vaccine and important reasons to get a flu vaccine each fall!

Check out our flu FAQ page for more information! 

WaYS to get your flu shot

Outside magenta health

For your convenience and due to our limited resources and supply, we suggest getting your flu vaccine using one of these options:

  • Many pharmacies in your neighbourhood offer flu vaccines to anyone aged 2 years and older. Please contact them directly to confirm availability and what ages they will vaccinate.

    • Of particular note, if you are 5 years of age or older, our co-located pharmacy partner at the Beaches clinic, Queen East Medical Pharmacy, is providing flu shots by appointment. Go to their website to book your appointment. They have also offered to give priority to Magenta Health patients so do mention that you are a patient at Magenta Health when connecting with them.

  • Toronto Public Health - check their website for locations and to book.

  • Other community health centres may also offer flu clinics. Please contact them directly.

  • Travel clinics may be able to offer flu vaccines to those aged 6 months and older. Please contact them directly.

As always, we recommend you call ahead and ensure that they have the vaccine in stock and to see if they have any age restrictions.

At Magenta Health

Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limiting who can get a flu vaccine at Magenta Health to those who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

You can get your flu vaccine at Magenta Health if you are a patient of a Magenta Health physician AND one of the following:

Our clinic stock of the various flu vaccines come from the Ontario government pharmacy and are stocked based on their schedule and inventory, meaning we don’t have control over delays or supply.

Click here to learn how book an appointment!

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check our our flu FAQ webpage!

IMPORTANT Update for Patients of Dr. Jennifer Peng

An electronic version of this letter was circulated mid-October 2023.

I hope you’re doing well! I am writing to share an important update with you.

Whether I’ve been your family doctor for some time, or I took over your care more recently, it has been my pleasure to be your family physician and I hope to continue to be your family physician for many years to come. 

However, due to unexpected health changes in my family and my personal obligations, I no longer have the option of regularly commuting to Magenta Health’s Riverside location. We explored the option of finding a replacement physician for myself, but as I’m sure you’ve heard, family physicians are currently few and far between.

I’ve settled on a compromise so that I can continue to be your family doctor. Specifically, starting January 15, 2024, I will be seeing patients from Magenta Health’s Midtown location only, at the major intersection of Avenue and Eglinton. There is parking nearby, and with the Eglinton Crosstown expected to open soon, a subway station is less than a block away. I also plan to continue to offer virtual phone and video appointments.

I understand transitions can be hard and with my recent parental leave, you have had your fair share of change already. Please know that I’ve made this decision only after extensive reflection and exploration of alternatives. For roughly half of my patients, this new location will be equal or somewhat more convenient. For the other half, I acknowledge that this new location will be less convenient for you to access. If this is the case for you, I apologize and appreciate in advance your understanding and patience. I hope you see this as a better alternative than being left without a family doctor.

At this point, there is nothing for you to do. I plan to continue seeing patients from the Riverside location until January 15, 2024, at which point, my in-person appointments will switch to the Midtown location and you will be automatically notified and reminded of this change when booking. Most importantly, there will be no interruption in your medical care as I remain your family doctor supported by the same team - the only change is where I will be seeing you in-person.

Lastly, if there are medical reasons that make it difficult to attend in-person appointments at the Midtown location, the clinic has established a form where you can register a request to potentially transfer to another Magenta Health physician at the Riverside location, should the opportunity arise in the future. To manage expectations though, transferring isn’t an option right now due to a lack of physician capacity. For more details, and to submit this form, please proceed here.

Thank you again - I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.


Kind regards,
Dr. Jennifer Peng


IMPORTANT Update for Patients of Dr. Heather Sherwin

A version of the following message was circulated electronically on June 7, 2023.

I have good news to share with you!

As you are all aware, I have been searching for a physician to take over the remainder of my practice permanently as I want to ensure everyone continues to have a family doctor. This has not been an easy or quick process.

Dr. Alessandra Pizzolato, who has been managing your care since May 1st, has graciously agreed to remain as your permanent family physician. She will be officially taking over my practice as of August 1, 2023.

Starting immediately, you can use Dr. Pizzolato’s booking link to book your appointments with her.

There is nothing else that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Continue to contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have. The clinic will be handling all the changes in the background for you, and I’ll be working with Dr. Pizzolato to transfer over your care.

I want to thank you for your patience while I worked to find a new family physician over the past year. I wish you good health and all the best for the future.

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  • The pandemic has given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to arrange a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Pizzolato is available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  • We won’t be able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Pizzolato, inclusive of requests for a male physician, or to switch clinics. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us.

  • Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PATIENTS OF DR. HEATHER SHERWIN

A version of the following message was circulated electronically December 2022:

As many of you are aware, I have indefinitely moved out of Toronto for family reasons. For a period of time I worked closely with colleagues to provide care via a combination of virtual and in-person care. More recently, for the last few months, Dr. Alyssa Cantarutti has been covering my practice.

In the meantime, I have been searching for a physician to take over my practice permanently as I want to make sure everyone continues to have a family doctor. This has unfortunately proven to be difficult as there is an overall family doctor shortage across Ontario and Canada as detailed in the news and the Ontario Medical Association.

So far, I have been able to find

  • a permanent physician (Dr. Moosa Jamal) for half my practice

  • a temporary physician (Dr. Kathy Do) for the other half


To comply with my regulatory requirements, the clinic has randomly assigned patients between these doctors. You will each have received an email letting you know which physician you have been randomly assigned to and how to book appointments January 1 onwards.

Broadly speaking, there is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would; contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have.

Everything went live January 1, 2023, so you will now be able to book online past January 1, 2023.

I will be working with Dr. Jamal and Dr. Do to ensure your ongoing continuity of care and to assist with the transition.

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. The pandemic has given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to offer a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Jamal is available to take over permanently and Dr. Do to take over temporarily to ensure continuing care.

  2. We don’t anticipate being able to accommodate requests to switch to another family doctor within the Magenta Health clinics at this time. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us.

  3. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

  4. Dr. Sherwin is not establishing another family practice in Ontario; therefore, it is not an option to remain with her in the long term.

  5. Dr. Cantarutti is currently on parental leave. We do not have confirmed details for where her practice will be located when she finishes her leave, or whether she will be accepting new patients at that time.