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Programs & Services

The ACPAC (Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care) Program

Program Description

Detailed Program Description (347 KB pdf file)

The ACPAC (Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care) Program is an innovative, unique academic and clinical-education training program in advanced musculoskeletal/arthritis care currently offered to experienced physical and occupational therapists. The program is hosted by St. Michael’s Hospital, in collaboration with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The ACPAC program was developed in response to the well-recognized need for an inter-professional patient-centred approach to better manage patients presenting with osteoarthritis (OA) as well as in the early detection of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by improving access to (shortened wait times) and efficiency of care.

The ACPAC program provides the mechanism for training advanced practitioners to assume vital roles of triage, education and in select cases, management of patients with osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis.

Program Goal

The goal of the ACPAC program is to provide a comprehensive, advanced educational experience in rheumatology/orthopedics for physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and to translate new knowledge into practice and thus provide the human resources need to develop new models of arthritis care.

Course Format

This 10-month academic and clinical training program focuses in the orthopedic and rheumatology fields and consists of modular based (n=5 modules) material delivered in episodic format over ten (10) one-week sessions offered between September and June of each year. The ACPAC program is a clinical and academic training program distinguished by its rigorous and extensive evaluation of both the trainees and program.

Candidates/Trainees

There are now 30 ACPAC program-trained practitioners in Ontario who have received a certificate from the University of Toronto based on their successful completion of the academic and clinical components of the program. NEW THIS YEAR: This program is now open to candidates from across Canada.

Program Impact

The impact of this program is evident by the many invited presentations- locally, nationally and internationally. In 2007, the ACPAC program was awarded the prestigious Colin Woolf Award for Excellence in Course Development from the Department of Continuing Medical Education at the University of Toronto. In 2008, the ACPAC program was recognized for its excellence in the design and delivery of a formal, post-licensure healthcare education training program in Ontario (Ted Freedman Award). In 2009, the ACPAC program was the recipient of an Ontario Ministry of Health: Innovations in Human Health Resources Award.

Over the past four years, there has been extensive growth in collaboration with multiple academic and community-based institutions resulting in further academic engagement (there are presently over 80 faculty members).

Program Testimonials (589 KB pdf file)

Health Policy /Improvement Practices Initiatives

The ACPAC program has been invited to participate in the following Ontario Ministry of Health Initiatives:

  • HealthCare Improvement Practice Registry
  • Celebrating Innovations in Health Care Expo

Program Funding

The ACPAC program will be entering its fifth year of operation in September, 2010 and is supported generously by the Ontario Ministry of Health, St. Michael’s Hospital and its Foundation, Amgen/Wyeth, Abbott, and tuition fees. The ACPAC program is fully endorsed by the Arthritis Society- Ontario Branch
and the Canadian Rheumatology Association.

Application to Program

The program description for 2010-2011 is found in the program synopsis. Please read carefully the criteria for admission to program. Prospective trainees must have completed the Polyarthritis Training Course offered by the Arthritis Society. Interested applicants are invited to contact the program coordinator at  k.lundon@cogeco.ca for further information or chiuc@smh.toronto.on.ca for a program brochure.

 

page last updated: January 29, 2010