‘Data is powerful’: Demographic questionnaire adds transparency to Match Day

This year, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) with the support of Dalhousie University, rolled out its pilot questionnaire to collect much-needed demographic data on residency placements across the country. Information gathered on race and Indigeneity, immigration, ability, gender, sexual orientation and household income of students could go a long way in ensuring equity among med students.

There is no debate – Patient Medical Homes are the way to go

The Patient's Medical Home is a vision for the future of family practice in Canada: One that focuses on comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing care for populations through a family physician working with health care teams.

COVID-related beliefs and challenges for informed consent

Can patients who deny the existence or nature of COVID have the capacity to consent to the treatment of COVID-19? The answer could determine who will decide what happens to a patient.

10 paid days of sick leave. A basic right for all workers

As a provincial election nears in Ontario, the Ontario Medical Students Association joins advocates across the province calling for a comprehensive paid sick-days program that supports all workers.

Improved paid sick leave, minimum wage necessary for our patients’ health

The public health order to “stay home when sick” without 10 paid sick days was impossible for countless workers. Precarious workers who perform essential, yet low-paying jobs shared the greatest burden of the pandemic. Now is the time for the government to act.

Deadly cracks in a broken mental-health system

While struggling with any illness, it is reassuring to feel that there is a place to go for help if things deteriorate beyond your ability to handle it. This is a sense of comfort I have lost. I have been forced to face the reality of what the emergency department can provide for mental health crises – not a lot. But there's more we could do.

In support of addiction and mental health patients in emergency departments

If our health-care system claims to be equitable and considerate of patients with addiction and mental-health concerns, it has to resolve the issue of boarded mental-health patients in emergency departments, which can lead to higher overall wait times for emergency care.

Long COVID – a public health crisis taking out women at the height of their lives

Long COVID symptoms now dominate my life, hopes and dreams. As soon as I realized that I wasn’t getting better after my COVID infection, I went looking for answers.

National licensure, better virtual-care needed to fix system ‘close to the precipice’: incoming CMA president

Dr. Alika Lafontaine sat down with Healthy Debate to talk about the challenges facing our health-care system as it grapples with pandemic recovery.

Episode 39 – Hypertension in Pregnancy and Oral Mircrobiome Therapy in Recurrent C. difficile Infection

Rapidly changing environment calls for new approaches to leadership

This month’s Top Three focuses on the issue of senior and executive leadership and the use of strategic interventions effectively to meet the needs of patients, families and communities.

The right to die: Should MAiD apply to those whose sole condition is mental illness?

With the expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to include those whose sole condition is mental illness fast approaching, we asked a panel of experts whether they felt this was a move in the right direction — and what they hope to see moving forward.

Togethering as a frustrating, messy yet meaningful journey

For part four of the Togethering Series, Amy reflects on how the pandemic and her mother's heightened and unpredictable home care needs caused her family to come together to take care of each other in seemingly impossible yet profoundly meaningful ways.

Lack of government supports leaves Ukrainian refugees at risk of human trafficking in Canada

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 223,000 Ukrainians have applied to come to Canada without the federal housing, income and integration support normally given to refugees – a gap in our emergency settlement program experts say threatens to leave many at risk of being trafficked.

Social prescribing: An undervalued tool to deal with mental health

Treating Josh and others like him during the pandemic taught me an important lesson – individualized treatment for those dealing with a mental health crisis must go beyond psychotherapy and medications.

The case for comprehensive contraceptive funding in Northern Ontario

For those living in rural and remote communities in Northern Ontario, access to affordable contraception is not only a financial issue, but one of equity and human rights.

MDI asthma inhalers come under scrutiny over heavy carbon cost

Small amounts of the propellants used in the familiar blue and orange inhalers can have an “outsized” climate footprint. Now there is a growing call for patients to switch to low-carbon dry powder alternatives.

Stories from the immunocompromised

Now that restrictions are lifted across Canada, discussions with my immunocompromised patients about infection risk are not “one size fits all.”

Let’s ditch the ‘fear of long-term care’ narrative; instead, let’s uncomplicate aging at home

Instead of focusing on setting or place of residence, the starting point for discussions on long-term care should be understanding individuals’ physical, functional and social care needs.

Healthy Debate nominated for excellence in digital publishing

Healthy Debate has been nominated for two 2022 Digital Publishing Awards, including excellence in digital publishing!