Five Business Maxims for 2021

 by Walter Robinson The human misery, economic destruction, and societal shocks of COVID-19 are irreparable, irrevocable, immeasurable and they just keep coming. Let’s face it, 2020 has been a tough year for everyone. Amidst this brutal backdrop, many hunger for a return to the mythical yesteryear of ‘normal’ … that

The Ottawa Hospital honours work of three researchers

 It was a sold-out night at The Ottawa Hospital Gala, presented by First Avenue Investment Counsel, which recognized three innovative researchers. The elegant ballroom of the Westin Ottawa was transformed with exquisite décor and a delectable four-course meal, enjoyed by more than 700 guests. It also marked the final gala

Ontario likely has enough doctors – if we make better use of our other health workers

 Does Ontario have enough doctors?  This question may have a surprising answer for some: yes, we may have enough doctors.  How is this possible when many don’t have a doctor or wait days, weeks or even months for a medical appointment?  We have more doctors than ever before, but many

What you need to know about prescription opioids

 You were playing some pick-up hockey with friends and slipped and broke your leg. Or you were running across the street, tripped over the curb and fractured your elbow. Or maybe you experience overwhelming pain from a chronic medical condition and your healthcare provider feels opioids may help manage your

Why ‘frailty’ Matters

 Addressing the specific needs of Canada’s frail older adults would improve health outcomes and quality of life -- and reduce health costs When a frail older patient has an acute health crisis in Canada, our health system usually delivers excellent service.  That’s good news.  But health – and quality health

A Way Forward for Ontario’s Doctors

 Just over a week ago, 31 doctors proposed five principles to provide a way forward for negotiations between Ontario’s doctors and the provincial government.  That number has quickly grown to over 400 doctors signing on to the document in hopes of delivering a way out of the recent bargaining impasse.

Canada Has More Doctors and Health Specialists Than Ever – But is That Good News?

 The recent negotiations between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario Government highlight the complex relationship between physicians and health spending.  As important and trusted gatekeepers to the health care system, physicians are nevertheless a crucial component of health care costs as the total number of physicians, the volume of

Pokémon Go Shows There is a Better Way to Promote Healthy Behaviours

 By Tanishq Suryavanshi and Steven J. Hoffman The recent release of Pokémon Go, the mobile phone augmented reality game, has taken the world by storm. The game has become a fitness icon, requiring players to walk or run around in the real world to catch Pokémon creatures in their virtual world.

British Columbia’s Failed Healthcare Experiment

 Paying Doctors More Did Not Improve Primary Care – and Cost the Province Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Our first point of contact with the health system – often referred to as ‘primary care’ – should result in prompt and efficient care for our general health concerns, and coordinate our

Faith and Free Thought

 It’s an issue that has been understandably drenched in emotionalism and hyperbole for years, but at long last there is some genuine movement. I refer to what is variously called euthanasia, assisted suicide or even compassionate homicide. For a nation as progressive and authentically liberal as Canada our previous lack

A Less-Than Silent Epidemic

 Photo by MCPL Robert Bottrill. Tinnitus is a word you may not know, but it describes something you’ve probably felt. It’s that ringing in your ears, the one that bubbles to the surface when you’re lying in your quiet room after a rock concert or a baseball game where the

People Need Less Money to Live As They Get Older? If Only.

 Pension plans for teachers, hospital workers and public servants target of study hype By Michael Wolfson Last week the C.D. Howe Institute released a short study just in time for the finance ministers’ meeting – rolling out the tired, old argument that as people age, they do not need as much money

What Kind of Health Workforce Will Be Needed to Serve Our Aging Population?

 By Gregory Huyer and Ivy Lynn Bourgeault We know that Canada’s population is aging. Among the many statistics that have been reported is how in 2015, the proportion of Canadian seniors surpassed that of youth under 15 for the first time. The gap will continue to widen over the next

The Last Chapter: Death on Your Own Terms

 A Supreme Court judgment now permits some Canadians to approach death on their own terms. Who should those Canadians be? An essay by Catherine Frazee For some of us, the book of life will close abruptly. A sudden pop or crunch or snap, and we’ll be gone. Perhaps some body

A New Health Accord Needs to Include Better Planning

 Why a new health accord needs to include better planning for health human resources. There is growing talk of a new Health Accord between the federal government and the provinces and territories. This is such good news -- great news, in fact. If I were asked to have one thing

Why Ontario Needs to do More About Doctors who Abuse Patients

 Reforms by Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons are a step in the right direction, but not enough. Ontario’s College of Physicians and Surgeons receives numerous deeply concerning reports of doctors sexually abusing their patients each year despite the adoption of a “zero tolerance” approach to such abuse 20 years

Dear Health Minister Philpott — We Need Leadership In Medicare Restored

 Dear Minister Philpott, It is fantastic news that as a family doctor you are our next federal health minister.  You will know very well that our healthcare system shows its age.  Born in the middle of the 20th century, its primary focus on doctors and hospitals is outmoded as technology

Current Patchwork of Funding Policies for Children’s Medicine in Canada Needs Critical Attention

 You are the parent of a sick child.  You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead.  What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too many Canadians are facing.

Pharmacare is for Kids Too

 Written by Avram Denburg and Steve Morgan You are the parent of a sick child. You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead. What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too

What I didn’t learn in medical school

 Sometimes doctors can’t fix what makes their patients sick in the first place. I began medical school optimistic about what becoming a physician meant I could do for my future patients. Naively, I presumed my career would involve treating patients’ illnesses so they could return to lead full and fulfilling

Are we finally in a health election campaign?

 Why more affordable medications for Canadians should be an all-party priority in this federal election. It's become almost a matter of faith: health and health care are perennially among the top priorities for Canadians, but are nearly invisible in election platforms and debates. This observation has led health care providers, health care

Can Wait Times for Hip Replacements in Canada be Shortened?

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  I spent my life teaching actuarial science at a university. As a result, I calculated lots of numbers:  averages, expected values, variances. But, they were only numbers. What I didn’t see was the individual human story behind each calculation. But now that I am the

The Digital Expert Will See You Now

 Why doctors and digital experts should work together to improve patient health  As a family doctor, I have seen a dramatic shift in the range of people I work alongside every day – all for the better. When I was in training, most family doctors worked only with other family doctors and

Four Things We Can Do to Improve Healthcare in Canada

 What’s next for primary care? Healthcare is the purview of the provinces in Canada, but health leadership–setting big picture goals, helping achieve best practices across the country and providing long-term, sustainable funding models–is the role of the federal government. As the federal election campaign wages, Canadians should be pressing federal

What’s Your Story? The Future of Healthcare

 Photo Courtesy of Dollar Photo Club. Jane, 44 lay frozen on the treatment table. A few seconds before a searing bolt of pain had gone through her back as though someone had just stabbed her with a red-hot poker. She looked up at the health practitioner and asked, “I don't understand