Shuttle service easing doctor shortage in B.C.
More than 800 people in Ashcroft, B.C. have been without access to a family doctor. So a new initiative is — pioneered by the Ashcroft Wellness and Health Action Coalition, doctors at the Lillooet Hospital and Interior Health — is shuttling them 100 kilometres away to Lillooet where they can be seen by a resident in […]
Lack of doctors for Canadian reservists
The country’s military ombudsman has found that National Defence is reluctant to conduct regular health assessments on reservists because over one-third of them have no family doctor — and if they’re sick it would be the department’s responsibility to care for them. Gary Walbourne’s latest report shows only four of the military’s 18 field ambulance […]
Most Ontario residents lack timely access to healthcare
CanAm perspective: We find it interesting that the Family Practice model introduced across Canada certainly doesn’t seem to be working. Nova Scotia is seeking to restructure their model and we are not sure where to look or which blended model will work. Perhaps government officials should take the approach of not looking to restrict physicians, and instead […]
Sifting the B.C. numbers: Is there a doctor shortage or what?
CanAm’s perspective: CanAm couldn’t agree more with Les Leyne’s article (see below). Like BC, Nova Scotia is facing the same dilemma. CanAm has held meetings with the senior health bureaucrats and the astounding attitude is that Nova Scotia has too many doctors. We assume this is based on statistical data from sources such as CIHI. But […]
Electronic medical record use paused in Nova Scotia hospitals
Doctors Nova Scotia says Nova Scotia’s Department of Health Wellness’s decision to pause the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in provincial hospitals is causing “quite a bit of anxiety.” The decision came after nine health authorities merged into one back in April. Some hospitals were using electronic records while others did not — for […]
New rules say Alberta doctors must provide after-hours care
The Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSA) says very few doctors in the province are providing the after-hours care they are supposed to offer their patients — so they’re making a few changes to the rules. Physicians will now be required to either collaborate with colleagues in an on-call rotation, or pursue a formal […]
Canadians ‘playing the waiting game’ for healthcare
If your family doctor decides you should have a colonoscopy for cancer screening, you may feel anxious thinking about the potential health issue. You may also worry about the procedure itself, and if you’ll feel much discomfort. But for one Nova Scotia patient, that’s nothing compared to the frustration he felt when the referral letter […]
Virtual healthcare programs growing rapidly
Telehealth services are still relatively new and controversial. There’s no denying the convenience of seeing a doctor virtually — no sitting in a waiting room, or even leaving the house — but there are also questions about the quality of care that can be obtained through a screen. But these programs are gaining traction throughout […]
Proposed bill making medical students reconsider family practice
Medical students in Quebec are shying away from family practice because of a pending bill that would limit their time with patients. Quebec introduced Bill 20 last fall, which would slash income for family physicians unless they meet a patient quota — and various other obligations. The bill would require all general practitioners to take […]
New push for straight talk between doctors, patients about end-of-life care
Lauran Neergaard, The Associated Press Published Monday, March 23, 2015 12:26PM EDT WASHINGTON — Dr. Angelo Volandes remembers performing rib-cracking CPR on a frail elderly man dying of lung cancer, a vivid example of an end-of-life dilemma: Because his patient never said if he wanted aggressive care as his body shut down, the hospital had […]
