Reports from Television
The section will contain links to the many great reports these networks produce on a regular basis on healthcare across Canada. I will link with and summarize some of the written reports and briefly describe and link to the video reports.
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A CBC News report on findings from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) tells what every Canadian already knew: Surgeries performed are down, we are short of doctors and nurses, burnout among healthcare professionals is on the rise, we don’t have access to our personal health information, and millions of us are without a primary care physician.
To read the full article paste the url listed below into your browser:
My Take
Sadly, most Canadians already are aware of these issues. Many of us don’t have a primary care physician or are waiting for a surgical procedure. What Canadian want to see is action from our provincial governments. I know in Newfoundland the government completed an extensive review of healthcare in the province, but what we haven’t seen is a detailed roadmap of how to solve the problems that plague Newfoundland’s healthcare system. Here’s my suggestion:
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A CBC News report on findings from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) tells what every Canadian already knew: Surgeries performed are down, we are short of doctors and nurses, burnout among healthcare professionals is on the rise, we don’t have access to our personal health information, and millions of us are without a primary care physician.
To read the full article paste the url listed below into your browser:
Read in CBC News: https://apple.news/A8_s0JYX5T5iTb5Ba4elcgw
My Take
Sadly, most Canadians already are aware of these issues. Many of us don’t have a primary care physician or are waiting for a surgical procedure. What Canadian want to see is action from our provincial governments. I know in Newfoundland the government completed an extensive review of healthcare in the province, but what we haven’t seen is a detailed roadmap of how to solve the problems that plague Newfoundland’s healthcare system. Here’s my suggestion:
1. Come out with a detailed long-term plan.
2. Make the items small and achievable in the next 6 months.
3. Roll out large action items once a month.
4. Report back to the public every month of the progress, good or bad so we know what’s happening.
5. Review the long-term plan every year to measure progress and make adjustments.
6. Let transparency be the order of the day.
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CBC August 1 - 31, 2023
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While sightings of this tick are rare in Canada, experts say the species could become more widespread north of the border.
Known as the lone star tick for the distinctive white mark on its back, the tick has been linked to more than 100,000 U.S. cases of so-called alpha-gal syndrome since 2010. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the tick has not yet been established in Canada.
While the tick is most common in the eastern and southern U.S., data on eTick shows sightings in Canada have mostly occurred in Ontario, and to a lesser extent in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. In the last five years, there have been about 100 reported cases of the tick, according to the site.
To find out where tick populations are found in Canada go to the eTick.ca website at: https://www.etick.ca
To see and read this entire report place the url below in your web browser:
Read in CTV News: https://apple.news/ApQH_SHc6QYujn8t4JmFtHg
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Canada’s surgical backlog cannot be cleared without enough anesthesiologists, who are essential for surgeries, according to the former chair of Ontario’s Anesthesiologists, which represents the province's nearly 1,500 practising anesthesiologists.
Dr. Monica Olsen said the shortage of anesthesiologists is a “cyclical” problem that’s existed for years, but was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The shortage is currently being seen and felt across the country, with operating rooms having to close and surgeries and other medical procedures being delayed, she said.
To read the full report paste this url into your browser:
Read in CTV News: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/there-simply-aren-t-enough-people-canada-s-shortage-of-anesthesiologists-contributing-to-surgical-backlog-group-says-1.6506865
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A new strain of Covid-19 has been reported in the UK and the USA and Canada can expect and increase within the next month.
CTV August 1 - 31, 2023
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The program is designed to help individuals that have finished hospital treatment but can’t go home safely, or might be put in personal care homes too early.
To read the full story paste the url into your browser:
Read in Global News: https://apple.news/AcZxuy0KoQuOAQ_0y8g22k
My Take
Great idea and kudos to the Manitoba Government. Moving individuals out of hospitals when treatment is finished in a timely manner must be done Canada-wide. The benefits are numerous:
1. It frees up desperately needed hospital beds in our overburdened hospitals.
2. It is very cost effective.
3. It can have a positive impact on our nation-wide surgical backlogs.
3. It puts individuals in their home communities closer to friends and families.
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Last week mosquitoes in the York Region have tested positive for the West Nile virus, officials say.
It is important to know not all mosquitoes carry West Nile virus and the risk to residents remains very low,” Dr. Barry Pakes, York Region’s medical officer of health said in a statement.
To read the full story paste this url into your browser:
Read in Global News: https://apple.news/Agye7OIwKRnKDLnRQP1EN3A
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A team of researchers has launched a new study collecting the perspectives of rural British Columbians on the province’s oft-criticized health-care system.
The new project, called “Closing the Gap,” aims to examine the role of rural communities in policy decisions, identify disconnects and develop strategies for “more effective engagement.”
To read the full article paste the url into your browser:
Read in Global News: https://apple.news/AZjy_jLlcRRGYNikiTwMuCA
My Take
You must be kidding. I lived in rural BC for two years and if the government of BC doesn’t already know what the residents of rural BC think about their healthcare system then BC is doomed!
Let me save the BC government some time and money. Here are the problems in a nutshell:
1. No access to primary care.
2. No or limited access to Emergency Room care especially on weekends.
3. Very limited access to specialists.
4. Long wait times for surgery.
Solve these problems and you won’t need a study!!!
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Tens of thousands of people are still in limbo as they wait for surgeries in Saskatchewan, including Jolene Van Alstine.
Alstine suffers from parathyroid hyperplasia, and for the last six years, she’s been forced to live with daily bouts of excruciating pain and other symptoms.
“Of course, his cancer patients have to come first, which is understandable. But where does that leave me?”
To read the full article paste the url into your browser: https://globalnews.ca/news/9898459/regina-woman-waits-for-much-needed-surgery-waitlists/
My Take
I get it, prioritize surgeries, but doesn’t quality of like count for something. If this were any of us we would be infuriated, so we should be infuriated to Alstine because it just could be one of us next time. The Saskatchewan government can’t say they are doing everything they can when surgeons only get three half-days of surgical time per month. The question that begs to be asked is:
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Tens of thousands of people are still in limbo as they wait for surgeries in Saskatchewan, including Jolene Van Alstine.
Alstine suffers from parathyroid hyperplasia, and for the last six years, she’s been forced to live with daily bouts of excruciating pain and other symptoms.
“Of course, his cancer patients have to come first, which is understandable. But where does that leave me?”
To read the full article paste the url into your browser: https://globalnews.ca/news/9898459/regina-woman-waits-for-much-needed-surgery-waitlists/
My Take
I get it, prioritize surgeries, but doesn’t quality of like count for something. If this were any of us we would be infuriated, so we should be infuriated to Alstine because it just could be one of us next time. The Saskatchewan government can’t say they are doing everything they can when surgeons only get three half-days of surgical time per month. The question that begs to be asked is:
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Tens of thousands of people are still in limbo as they wait for surgeries in Saskatchewan, including Jolene Van Alstine.
Alstine suffers from parathyroid hyperplasia, and for the last six years, she’s been forced to live with daily bouts of excruciating pain and other symptoms.
“Of course, his cancer patients have to come first, which is understandable. But where does that leave me?”
To read the full article paste the url into your browser: https://globalnews.ca/news/9898459/regina-woman-waits-for-much-needed-surgery-waitlists/
My Take
I get it, prioritize surgeries, but doesn’t quality of life count for something? If this were any of us we would be infuriated, so we should be infuriated for Alstine because it just could be one of us the next time. The Saskatchewan government can’t say they are doing everything they can when surgeons only get three half-days of surgical time per month. The question that begs to be asked is: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SURGEON DOING THE REST OF THE MONTH??? Talk about a waste of capacity??
We must ask: WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IF THINGS LIKE THIS ARE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?
This flies in the face of the notion that we don’t have enough surgeons in Canada! Here is clearly another example of a broken healthcare system - don’t blame the doctor blame the system.
Here’s the bottom line. If any of us had pet that was in this much pain and we waited this long to treat it we would be charged with animal neglect. Why isn’t this any different for this woman? Explain that to me!!!
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A new walk-in clinic in Peterborough’s north end is the latest step to help residents in need of a family doctor but local Family Health Team CEO caution it’s only a short-term solution.
Tucked inside the grocery outlet of the Walmart on Chemong Road, the Jack Nathan Health Medical Centre is providing alternative access to a doctor or nurse practitioner.
To read the full article paste the url into your browser:
Read in Global News: https://globalnews.ca/news/9872163/new-walk-in-clinic-opens-peterborough-access-primary-care/
My Take
While the CEO of the Peterborough Family Health Team doesn’t think this is the future of primary care he’s dead wrong. Ontario and the rest of Canada need clinics like this because millions of Canadians don’t have access to primary care and that is precisely what these clinics offer. Certainly having a family physician is preferable to the episodic care offered at a walk-in clinic, but a walk-in clinic is better than no primary care at all, and like it or not this is the future of primary care for a number of reasons:
We have a shortage of family physicians and that shortage will not be overcome in the near to mid-term.
Family physicians won’t open practices because the way they are compensated is not compatible with solo family practice and making money- the business model is broken.
Larger practices are the only way to benefit from economies of scale that allow for better utilization of staff, facilities and equipment.
I believe these types of walk-in clinics will be the wave of the future for the following reasons:
BC uses these types of clinics and it allows patients to walk-in with or without an appointment, are open longer hours and are more accessible.
The clinics are staffed primarily by nurse practitioners (NP), and from personal experience I was very pleased with the service I received. Expanding the scope of practice of NP in all provinces would reduce the need for family practitioners and not swamp family physicians with cases that NP are perfectly capable of handling.
In BC these clinics are run by the various BC Health Organizations and not individual practitioners, which eliminates the “pressure” of owning and running a practice (a business). If provincial governments want more family physicians, open walk-in clinics like this and simply “hire” a doctor(s) to work in the clinic without the burden of having to “own and run” the practice. Doctors go to school to learn medicine NOT business. I know my wife an I owned 10 veterinary hospitals and most of my veterinarians did not want to own and run a hospital.