Programs & Services

Breastfeeding Program: This program provides education, hands-on assistance and support to women and their families regarding infant feeding and nutrition options, both before and after delivery. It is co-ordinated by an international board-certified lactation consultant, who is also a registered nurse with additional specialized training and skills in infant feeding. Her primary role is to provide education, hands-on assistance and support to women and their families regarding infant feeding and nutrition options. Our lactation consultant will meet with patients before they deliver (although she will meet with them any time) and can offer ongoing support after baby is born either in person or over the phone.

To arrange an appointment with our lactation consultant, please speak to your provider at your next appointment or contact our office.

Breastfeeding Drop-In: Our weekly breastfeeding program is offered every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon at 115 Clarence St. (Haynes Hall, main floor, seminar room). If you have any questions or concerns regarding your baby's feedings or growth, stop by! Read more here. Visit our Kingston Breastfeeding Drop-in & All Things Baby Facebook page for updates.

The QFHT also offers a Virtual Prenatal Breastfeeding & Bringing Home Baby class, the third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m. Visit our Kingston Breastfeeding Drop-in & All Things Baby Facebook page for login information and updates.

NEW! Connecting Moms: Circle of Support: Life with a new baby is often not what you expected. Join this ongoing weekly gathering for an opportunity to connect with other moms. Read all about it here!

Read KFL&A Public Health's Breastmilk Sharing: Know the Risks

Queen’s Family Health Team patients with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD)* have the opportunity to receive an expanded health check through our Health Check Program.

Participating patients can obtain a comprehensive health review, including a physical exam with one of the QFHT family physicians or family medicine residents, after which a plan developed by the resident with the patient or the patient's family will be made for follow-up visits on any health issues. 

Such periodic health checks are a recommendation of the Canadian Guidelines for Primary Care of Adults with Developmental Disabilities. To learn more about this program or to make an appointment for an IDD Health Check, please ask any of our staff or call us at 613-533-9303.

What is a “developmental disability”?

A "developmental disability" is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities such as household tasks, socializing or managing money that affects someone for their entire life. It is sometimes associated with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, among others.

Resources used by Physicians

• Primary care of people with developmental disabilities (a one-page guide to the content of a Health Check)

• Providing care for patients with developmental disabilities - a team approach

• Screening tool to identify patients with a developmental disability

• Information about supports for developmentally disabled patients

• Navigating Developmental Services Ontario

Services

The diabetes team at QFHT provides support to adults with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes by:

• Helping patients understand diabetes
• Providing information about and promoting healthy eating, healthy lifestyles, and self-management of patients’ diabetes
• Suggesting medicines best suited to patients’ individual needs

What is Pre-Diabetes?

• This refers to a condition where a person’s blood-sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
• It is important to know if you have pre-diabetes so we can discuss healthy habits that can help prevent or slow down the progression to type 2 diabetes.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

• Ninety per cent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
• The pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not use its insulin supply effectively.
• As a result, glucose builds up in your blood instead of being used for energy.

The Diabetes Team at the QFHT

Our team includes a nurse practitioner, dietitian, and pharmacist. We all have special training in the management of diabetes, and we work closely with our patients’ physician and resident physician to provide our patients with all the information and tools they need to live well with diabetes.

NEW! Particiipate in our first annual diabetic foot exam clinic on May 16, 2023. Each 15-minute appointment will include a foot exam and recommendations for keeping your feet healthy and happy. Click on QFHT Diabetic Foot Examination Clinic to learn more.  

Community resources and websites

Maple Diabetes

Loblaws In-Store Dietitian

Diabetes Education & Management Centre

Diabetes Canada

Unlockfood.ca

Living Well with Diabetes (Living Well South East Ontario virtual course)

Our foot care program is co-ordinated by a registered practical nurse with specialized training in foot care. It’s designed to provide professional medical assessments with health teaching, as well as treatment for a variety of lower leg and foot pathologies such as corn, callus and verrucae treatments. The foot care nurse can also provide safe nail and skin care to patients with diabetes and other conditions that may hinder one’s ability to provide their own care. 

Our program also offers education on daily diabetic foot inspections and diabetic high-risk factors, as well as footwear assessments and suggestions. 

To make an appointment with our foot care nurse, please speak to your health-care provider.

NEW! Particiipate in our first annual diabetic foot exam clinic on May 16, 2023. Each 15-minute appointment will include a foot exam and recommendations for keeping your feet healthy and happy. Click on QFHT Diabetic Foot Examination Clinic to learn more.  

Facilitated by QFHT registered nurses Rachel and Dominique, our Healthy Aging program is designed for QFHT patients 65 and over. This free, five-week series will focus on:

Falls and safety: Topics will include how to prevent falls; what to do if you have a fall; medic alert systems; and general home safety including fall hazards, use of mobility and assistive devices/equipment, and proper lighting. Polypharmacy (simultaneous use of multiple drugs) and how it relates to falls will also be discussed.

Exercise and nutrition: Topics will include amount and types of safe exercise; food safety; and a focus on nutrient requirements with aging. Food cost, food preparation, and brain health will also be discussed.

Coping with life transitions and change: Topics will include coping with loss of self, loved ones, and independence; role transitions such as retirement/transitioning out of the workplace and finding new ways to participate in society; becoming a caregiver; ageism; finding support for coping; and mental health concerns.

Advance care planning, social services, and supports: Topics will include power of attorney versus substitute decision makers for health care and finances (and how to access legal assistance); goals of care; available financial assistance and supports; and free, subsidized, and full-cost services including help at home, help with personal care, and meal programs.

This program’s topics involve additional speakers and health-care professionals including our dietitian, pharmacist, social workers, other nurses, and community services worker.

Click here for more information about our October-November 2023 session.

School Immunizations

The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that parents of children attending primary or secondary school provide their local public health unit with proof of their child’s immunization against the following diseases: tetanus (sometimes called lock jaw), diphtheria, polio and mumps, meningococcal disease, pertussis (sometimes called whooping cough), and, for children born in 2010 or later, varicella (chickenpox).

For more information on these changes, please ask your physician or nurse in clinic or contact KFL&A Public Health at (613) 549-1232.

Whooping Cough Vaccine

Whooping cough is a very serious contagious illness. In recent years, it has made a comeback. It is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, sneezing or talking. Persons infected with whooping cough can spread the germ for 21 days after they begin to feel sick. Babies and pregnant women are most at risk. All children and adults should be immunized. Pregnant women should be immunized during each pregnancy to provide additional protection to their baby.

Shingles

Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a painful disease that results from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. Following chickenpox, the virus lies dormant for many years and, for unknown reasons, can become active again and present itself in the form of shingles, an often debilitating and blistering rash that typically affects a side of the body or face.

Some individuals may experience severe long-term pain after the shingles rash has disappeared, as well as other complications, including skin infections and scarring. Approximately 90 per cent of Canadians have had chickenpox and are at risk of developing shingles. Individuals 50 years of age and older are eligible for a vaccine against herpes zoster. (National Advisory Committee on Immunization).

There are currently two herpes zoster vaccines; Zostavax, which is provided at no charge at your doctor’s office if you are between 65 and 70 years old, and Shingrix, which can be obtained with a prescription from your pharmacy. Shingrix must be paid for by the patient.  

FAQ about Vaccines

If you have questions about vaccines, you are not alone. This FAQ section is offered to help answer important vaccine questions you may have.

Do vaccines really make a difference?

Absolutely. Some diseases like polio are no longer seen in Canada because of vaccinations. The last polio outbreak happened in 1959 and, at that time, 2,000 people were infected. Before vaccine programs were in place, whooping cough infected 30,000 to 50,000 Canadians, resulting in 50 to100 deaths. Since the vaccine, we now see about 1,000 cases of whooping cough, with one to five deaths. Canada reported approximately 30,000 cases of mumps before vaccination programs. We now see 90. Many of the diseases for which we have vaccines have few effective treatments (KFL&A Public Heatlh). As the old adage says, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Now that most people are no longer affected by these diseases, why do we have to keep vaccinating people?

Vaccines protect the majority of people by preventing infection and the spread of disease. When a substantial number of people are vaccinated, effective protection is provided to the whole population. Here is an example of what we mean: In Sweden, the whooping cough vaccine was discontinued in 1979. By 1981, they had 700 cases of whooping cough, and by 1985, they had diagnosed 3,200 cases. In Italy, the vaccine for whooping cough became optional in 1992. It had been mandatory before that date. Since that time, less than 40 per cent of children under the age of five years are vaccinated. Twenty-five per cent of all Italian children under the age of five now get the disease. It is important to keep our guard up. (KFL&A Public Health)

If vaccines are so helpful, why are some people opposed to them?

There are many reasons why people may be opposed to receiving vaccines. For example:

• The high success of vaccines has almost eliminated many diseases from view. Years ago, people could understand the importance of vaccination if they saw a person suffering from polio. Now that many diseases are rarely seen, people forget about the importance of vaccination.
• Some people fear needles.
• Some mass media campaigns have used questionable facts in order to promote anti-immunization campaigns. There is a great deal of misinformation in the media, and this deception confuses many people.
• Some believe that giving their child a vaccine will make them sick or give them autism. Well-conducted medical studies have found no link between the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and autism. There has been much misinformation on the internet based on a poorly conducted study, leading people to believe there was a link. The study has been retracted due to its false information, but the concerns continue to appear on social media. Often, the onset of the symptoms of autism coincides with the age at which children are given vaccines. Your health-care provider is the best person with whom to discuss your child’s vaccination needs. (AP)

Why does my baby have to get more than one needle at a time?

The Immunization Schedule in Ontario recommends vaccinations for infants at specific times to provide early protection against many diseases. This does mean that your baby may need to receive more than one needle per visit. Getting more than one needle at a time is considered a small exposure to viruses in comparison to the germs your baby will come across on any given day. Babies are often more likely than adults to suffer severe complications from diseases. The vaccines provide a short-term discomfort in exchange for a healthier future. (AP)

Can you overwhelm the immune system of the baby if you give many injections?

Vaccines don’t hurt the immune system. Instead, they prepare it to respond when the child is exposed to the disease he/she has been vaccinated against. Even when a child receives multiple vaccines, only a small portion of the immune system is actually being used, leaving the rest of the system to do what it normally does. (AP)

Natural infection is better than a vaccine, isn’t it?

The immune response of the body to vaccines is similar to the immunity that the body gets after having the disease without facing the risks of the disease. Many vaccine-preventable diseases are serious illnesses that can cause significant symptoms, and sometimes death. (AP)

I have never had the flu. Why do I need a flu shot?

It is fortunate that you have not had the flu. Perhaps enough people around you were vaccinated so that you were not exposed to it, or you were lucky enough not to encounter it. Each year, Public Health, the Queen's Family Health Team and others (family health teams, doctors' offices, pharmacies) conduct flu clinics in an attempt to decrease the number of people who get the flu, and therefore lower the number of people who can pass it on to others. "The flu" is a virus. When someone sick with the flu sneezes or coughs, they release the virus into the air, which is then breathed in by others. The virus can also enter your body if you touch contaminated surfaces, then touch your eyes, mouth or nose. It spreads throughout the body, making you feel sick. Getting sick from the flu can be much worse than having a cold. The flu can lead to severe health complications like pneumonia. Even mild cases of the flu can make you feel sick for days. It’s always a good year to get the flu shot! (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care)

I got the flu shot and it gave me the flu.

The flu shot does not contain any live viruses so you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. It is possible that you were already exposed to a cold or the flu and would have been sick regardless of the shot. (KFL&A Public Health)

The internet contains so much conflicting information about vaccines. I don’t know where to turn. Where can I go to get reliable information?

Your health-care provider is a valuable resource. He/she can answer your questions or point you in the right direction. Call us at (613) 533-9303 to make an appointment

KFL&A Public Health is also available to assist with school vaccines, and runs ongoing vaccination clinics. They can be reached at (613) 549-1232.

Have you recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure or are you concerned about a family member or friend with high blood pressure? If so, we invite you to join our new Managing your Blood Pressure program. Click Manage your BP Oct-Nov 2023 to learn more about these four-week group workshops/information sessions.

At the Queen’s Family Health Team, we have a commitment to medication safety. Our medication safety program is designed to ensure that we always have the best possible record of your medications. Patients are encouraged to bring all of their medications (including over-the-counter medications and those prescribed by a specialist or other provider) to each appointment so that we can update our records, including medications and doses, as necessary. At the end of your visit, we may print off a copy of the updated list to take with you so you can share it with other health-care providers. 

This is also a great time to chat with us about any questions you might have about your medications. We encourage patients to ask the five questions below about your medications as developed by ISMP Canada, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the Canadian Society for Hospital Pharmacists.

Please contact us to make an appointment with your physician or our pharmacist. We can talk to you about why you need to take your medications, their potential side effects and interactions, and the best way(s) to get the most out of your medications safely.

NEW PROGRAM! We also offer a program that teaches you how to talk to your health-care provider about your medications. Read about our May-June 2023 program here. 

For more information about medication safety, please check out the following resources:

• YouTube Video: 5 Questions to Ask about your Medications
• Notepad: 5 Questions to Ask about your Medications (English)
• Notepad: 5 Questions to Ask about your Medications (French)

Social workers offer time-limited, supportive counselling in response to the psychosocial and mental-health needs of patients. Working within a collaborative team model of care, they address a variety of mental-health challenges such as anxiety and depression, grief and loss, stress management, and navigation of local supports and services. Urgent appointments are available each week.

Group programs include Understanding and Coping with Anxiety and Depression, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia, and Mindful Eating. 

Understanding and Coping with Anxiety and Depression: This is a five-week cognitive behavioural therapy program for adults struggling with anxiety and/or depression. 

Based on a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy model, this program aims to introduce patients to a number of tools that will help them build up a “tool bag” of skills to manage their mood. Each session is focused on learning new skills, and patients will be given "homework assignments" to utilize these strategies in their daily life.  

Cognitive-behavioural interventions covered in this program include, but are not limited to, education, self-monitoring, behavioural activation, program-solving, cognitive restructuring, relaxation, and planning ahead in case of relapse. 

Read more about this program, and our upcoming session in May-June.  

Booster Group 

Patients who have completed the Understanding and Coping with Anxiety and Depression program are invited to attend a booster session. These booster sessions focus on enhancing and maintaining skills practised during the original group series, and introduce new concepts and techniques such as assertiveness, self-esteem, stress management, perfectionism, and self-compassion.

*Our booster group program has been discontinued due to Coronavirus COVID-19 and will resume in future. However, patients who participated in our in-person Coping with Anxiety and Depression program prior to the pandemic are welcome to join our new Coping with Anxiety and Depression virtual program. (See above.)

Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating is an emotional eating and food-craving managment group. Click Mindful Eating Oct-Nov 2023 for details about our current session.

Read a QFHT article, Mental Health: Nurturing your own Personal Needs, here.