February is Heart Month in Canada: Turning Awareness into Action in Primary Care
Every February, Canadians recognize Heart Month, a national campaign dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular health, promoting prevention, and supporting research to fight heart disease. The urgency is clear: heart disease claims a life every seven minutes in Canada.
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death and hospitalization nationwide. An estimated 750,000+ Canadians are living with heart failure, and the prevalence continues to rise as our population ages and more people survive acute cardiac events. Heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization among older adults, and hospital readmissions are frequent—often preventable with optimal, guideline-directed care and strong outpatient follow-up.
Heart Month is more than a reminder of the statistics. It is a call to action, especially for primary care, who exist at the “heart” of our healthcare system.
Strengthening Heart Failure Care at the Front Line
Primary care clinicians play a pivotal role in:
Early identification of patients at risk
Timely diagnosis of heart failure
Evidence-based medication optimization
Ongoing monitoring and follow-up
Supporting patients and caregivers with self-management
To support this work, Evidence2Practice Ontario (E2P) offers a complimentary, EMR-integrated Heart Failure Tool designed specifically for primary care.
The E2P Heart Failure Tool: Built for Real-World Practice
The E2P heart failure tool integrates practical, up-to-date recommendations directly within the EMR, so the right information is available when and where it’s needed.
Investigations into Heart Failure Diagnosis
Guided prompts and evidence-based recommendations help clinicians:
Identify at-risk patients
Order and interpret appropriate investigations
Track clinical indicators over time
Support early and accurate diagnosis
Medication Plan Management
Optimizing heart failure medications can be complex. The tool simplifies this process through:
Quick-access medication reference information
Picklists to support appropriate medication selection
Built-in notification flags when a patient’s condition may warrant medication adjustments
Structured tracking to support titration and monitoring
Improved Patient Care Planning & Self-Management Support
Heart failure care extends beyond prescriptions. The tool includes:
A patient- and caregiver-facing printable component
A clear outline of the management plan
Connections to accessible supports and resources—both locally and virtually
This strengthens patient understanding, encourages self-management, and improves continuity of care.
Designed for Your EMR
The E2P Heart Failure Tool is available:
Integrated for TELUS PS Suite and OSCAR Pro as part of the broader E2P Toolkit
Standalone version available for Accuro QHR
No matter your platform, the goal is the same: making high-quality, evidence-based heart failure care easier and more consistent in primary care.
Implementation Support Included
We know that even the best tools require thoughtful implementation. That’s why the heart failure tool also comes with:
Change management support from the E2P team to ensure smooth adoption
Academic detailing services provided in partnership with the Centre for Effective Practice
Our team works alongside clinics to ensure the tool is not just installed, but meaningfully integrated into practice.
“This tool will help you to ensure that you are up to date with the way that this disease is identified, diagnosed, treated, and monitored. It’s going to make you much more confident about how well you’re managing this patient – and not just more confident, but I think more pleased with how you’re doing it.”
R. Dacre MD, CFPC
Turning Heart Month into Lasting Impact
Heart Month reminds us that cardiovascular disease continues to take a devastating toll on Canadians and their families. But it also reminds us that strong, evidence-based primary care can change that trajectory.
By supporting clinicians with practical, point-of-care tools, and empowering patients with clear plans and accessible resources, we can improve outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and strengthen heart failure care across Ontario.
This February, let’s move from awareness to action.
To learn more about the Evidence2Practice Ontario (E2P) heart failure tool or to get started in your clinic, connect with our team today.
E2P brings together multi-disciplinary, cross-sector expertise under the joint leadership of the Centre for Effective Practice, Amplify Care, and North York General Hospital. Funding and strategic guidance for E2P is provided by Ontario Health in support of Ontario’s Digital First for Health Strategy.
