Healthcare Delivery

No reinforcements

Practising family medicine in a rural community is dire these days. It’s precarious for patients and stressful for physicians and there’s no one coming to save us.

‘We might die because you won’t wear a mask’: A plea to health-care workers

Yes, it’s time to mask again. We need to do better. We know how to do better. We can save so many lives and preserve the dignity of patients in the process.

Pregnancy with HIV: Breaking down barriers and overcoming stigma

Maria's experience highlights the need for better training on HIV management in maternity care. No woman should feel like an outsider or unwanted during the very time when she is bringing life into the world.

Death ‘is not a medical process. It shouldn’t be made one’: Suicide pod stirs controversy among right-to-die proponents

Sarco, the world’s first suicide pod, is stirring up controversy amongst right-to-die proponents as an ongoing criminal case takes place.

Is your doctor watching YouTube? The role of FOAMed in medical education 

Free Open Access Medical Education is a growing movement in the medical community aimed at enhancing medical education through online resources.

Guelph braces for ‘devastating impacts’ as supervised consumption site set to close

As Guelph’s only supervised consumption site prepares to close March 31, advocates warn people will die and the surrounding community will suffer.

Empowering choices: The importance of advance care planning

Advance care planning empowers individuals to have their health-care preferences honoured, offering peace of mind to both themselves and their loved ones. Yet, despite the importance of these conversations, many people delay or avoid them altogether.

‘The first time students see a patient of colour should not be in hospital’: The need for diverse patient actors

Advocate groups say increasing patient actor diversity is crucial to prepare Ontario’s future doctors to care for the province’s increasingly diverse patient population.

Statement from the CMA, CNA, CFNU: Attacks, abuse of health workers must not be tolerated

The reprehensible assault of health workers in Halifax last week is a harsh reminder of the dangers health professionals across Canada face while trying to provide quality care to patients.

The cost of lies: Misinformation is worsening mental health and eroding our social fabric

Political propaganda, amplified by social media and unscrupulous actors, has become a weapon of choice, wreaking havoc on mental health, public safety and democracy itself.

Dual HIV/syphilis rapid test aims to lessen stigma, reach underserved communities

As rates of syphilis and HIV continue to climb in Canada, a dual rapid test recently was approved by federal regulators, making it the second of its kind to become available in the country.

Patient Perspectives: Is patient experience finally having its moment?

Will this be the year that patient and caregiver engagement become a real thing? And how do we stay on course? Just ask someone with lived experience.

The importance of health-system navigators

Patients need to know where to turn to for help - and the province must support family doctors and patients in accessing system navigators.

Health misinformation is rampant and deepens inequities for marginalized communities

Health misinformation is more than a communication challenge; it’s a driver of inequity. By addressing these disparities head-on, we can ensure that no one is left behind in our health system.

Rising HIV cases in Canada: Putting the numbers in perspective

The rise in HIV infections over the last several years might indicate that the public health system has failed in containing the virus. But the raw numbers don’t tell the full story.

Ontario’s health care needs courageous leadership, not political appeasement

Ontario’s health-care system is crumbling. We can cling to outdated ideals and watch our system collapse under its own weight, or we can rewrite the playbook.

Barriers to Paxlovid are exacerbating our health inequities

Access to Paxlovid has become increasingly challenging. Canada needs to do a better job at making it more accessible to those who would benefit most.

We don’t pay donors for blood plasma. But is that the right approach?

Any debate about whether to enhance the domestic supply of blood plasma by allowing payments to donors should consider these five items and ensure that citizens are aware of them.

New Year’s resolutions from health-care professionals: Advocate, avoid burnout and remember to love

At a time when the problems in Canadian health care can feel overwhelming and reaching our goals seems a daunting task, we wanted to know what health-care experts have on their personal resolutions list for 2025. 

How The Grinch stole family medicine: A tale of Ontario’s health crisis

Like a green, scheming miser, the Grinch of health care – festooned in a slew of government mismanagement and shortsighted policies – descended upon family medicine, stealing its spirit one policy at a time.