When Canadians travel abroad for private medical care they are engaging in what is known as medical tourism. Medical tourism is a global, multi-billion dollar industry. Patients from all regions of the world are traveling to a growing list of countries as medical tourists. Our research group studies medical tourism, with a particular focus on …
Sometimes I smugly think that I know a reasonable amount about health care in Canada and elsewhere. Well, it is always good to have one’s smug illusions shattered every once in a while. When in Europe recently, I was at a presentation by the Turkish government about their focus on “medical tourism” – attracting residents …
The goal of the public health system in Canada is to improve the health of communities, whether that is locally, provincially, nationally, and/or globally. Historically, most significant improvements in health occurred in the realm of public health, including preventing infectious diseases and improving water quality. These areas are still vital – we don’t typically worry …
In recent weeks, I have read several reports on the health of immigrants in Canada. All these reports are unanimous in their conclusion that immigrants are healthier than Canadians when they arrive in Canada. However, over a 10 year period, their health deteriorates, with increasing rates of heart disease, hypertension, blood pressure, autism, diabetes and …
One of the big challenges facing modern health care systems is how to reduce delayed discharge from acute hospitals by patients for whom acute care is not longer medically necessary – better known as the problem of bed blockers. Bed blocking occurs when a patient is ready for discharge, but has to stay in hospital …
In 2011, Su-Yun Kim and her husband arrived in Canada hoping for a better life, as many refugee claimants do. In North Korea where they were born and raised, Su-Yun’s husband was involved in political activity, necessitating that they flee from their loved ones and their home for safety. With difficulty, they managed to escape …
Canada contributed 3.6 billion dollars in assistance to developing countries in 2005-2006. But we and other rich countries practice what has been called by some “foreign aid in reverse”: The recruitment of foreign health professionals from the developing world, a potential obstacle to the deployment of our initiatives in poorer countries. The WHO estimates that …
The acting editor of the CMAJ has sparked a controversy weighing in to a debate about parking, suggesting that parking near health facilities should be subsidized. Assuming such a policy can be operationalized (how near? For whom?), the underlying issue is an interesting and global one. When I was first appointed as a Board chair in …
The past ten years have seen a surge of bedbug infestations across North America, with many cities across Canada affected. Although they do not cause or transmit disease, bedbug infestations are often perceived to be a health problem. An effective and efficient bedbug strategy requires coordination among various sectors, including public health, housing, community and …
Walking through the streets of any large city, one sees many homeless people. Nearly two in three have a history of some form of mental illness. Hospitals have become the place where homeless people with serious mental illness go during a crisis, but hospitals are poorly equipped to meet their needs. How can society improve …