Education

Even a child can see collaboration is essential to save the Canadian health-care system

Everything is related; solutions must once again be aligned, locally scaled and human centred. We need a more stable, unified approach in health care. We need more transformative models moving forward. Above all, we need primary care and public health to join forces to prepare us for the next big challenge – climate change.

The war raging in your body: These little-known immune cells may prevent severe COVID

Infectious diseases were once the greatest threat to human survival. Today it is not necessarily the infection itself but rather the immune system’s response to the infection that dictates the survival of the fittest.

Re-imagining global health care, person by person, mission by mission

Author and physician Jennifer Wilson reflects on the decision to offer her medical services in Northern Ghana and the writing of her book, Grant Us Tomorrow.

Book excerpt: ‘Oh God. What am I doing here?’

An excerpt from Jennifer Wilson's book, Grant Us Tomorrow.

Groundbreaking research into ME/CFS a pandemic ‘silver lining’

ME/CFS is a misunderstood complex chronic illness affecting more than 600,000 Canadians. For decades ME/CFS patients have been left without proper medical support. But now, with the wave of new post-viral illnesses from the COVID-19 pandemic, ME/CFS patients might finally see some answers.

‘Please don’t come back’: Using virtual care to prevent readmissions

In Canada, one in 11 patients is readmitted within 30 days of being discharged from hospital. But virtual care can help reduce readmissions, cut costs, and reduce pressures on the health-care system.

Why social impact matters: Reflections from a nursing leader

Investing in social impact is something organizations in the health-care field are uniquely positioned to do. We need to remind people of the “why” behind what we do and consider ways we can use our considerable economic and social power to be a force for good.

What to know about bivalent vaccines

Health Canada authorized the most recent bivalent vaccine to date, a Moderna booster, to target multiple strains of the COVID-19 virus. But what exactly is a bivalent vaccine? And is it safe? Here's all you need to know.

What are we waiting for? Nurse Practitioners can fill gaps in our ailing health-care system

Nov. 13 to 19 marks Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week in Ontario. NP's are a key, underused resource that have the potential to alleviate many challenges currently facing the health-care system.

The Faces & Phases of COVID-19

The Faces/Phases Project is a portrait of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Through a series of data visualizations, we cover the first two years of the pandemic.

Trust is essential to a functioning social safety net: Lessons from the pandemic

For those who already felt disconnected from the health-care systems and policy-makers, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated lack of trust in health care and public messaging.

The ABCs of combating ageism

We all need to rethink aging. Not only do our beliefs about aging play an essential role in the aging process, but changing these beliefs is not as hard as we might think.

I saw first-hand how the nursing shortage is squeezing smaller centres

As the nursing shortage worsens, we must remain cautious about privatization further creeping into the Canadian health-care system, especially given its potential effects on smaller and rural centres.

Who is monitoring the gatekeepers? The Royal College an impenetrable fortress

Yes, I failed the Specialty Examination of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. But that does not preclude me from expressing what I consider to be wrong.

The Plan to Stay Open: Relief for our beleaguered health-care system or a move to further privatization?

Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open, a five-point strategy aimed at “health-care system stability and recovery,” has been the subject of much debate since its final release in August. We asked a panel of experts what they thought about the plan. Here's what they had to say.

Ten health literacy principles cancer patients need to know

A medical oncologist describes ten health literacy principles to help cancer patients be informed participants in important treatment decisions.

‘Violating Nature’s Health Laws’: How an eccentric early 20th century influencer set the stage for the COVID infodemic

Recognizing historical influences is just the start of tackling the social underpinnings of the infodemic. We must shed the legacy of the idea that a sick person ‘deserved it as a penalty for violating Nature’s health laws.

Take the survey: What are your priorities for primary care?

What trade-offs are acceptable to you? Do you currently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner? How important is it that every person living in Canada has a relationship with a family doctor? These are some of the questions we ask in the OurCare/NosSoins nation-wide survey.

Cross-country project gives patients a say in solving primary-care crisis

Dr. Tara Kiran and a team of collaborators are launching OurCare, a three-phase research project that aims to provide much-needed answers to Canada’s primary care woes. The project kicks off with a national survey of patients' experience.

Let’s talk about part-time: Finding work-life balance in residency

Life doesn’t stop in residency. Marriage and babies happen. Grief and illness and losses happen. Burnout happens. Therapy happens. And with some flexibility, life can happen while we remain present – more present for life and more present for all the work that comes with it.