Research

Examining Quebec’s primary care: Challenges, solutions and patient priorities

Despite some improvements, reports published in recent years suggest primary care in Quebec performs poorly compared to other Canadian provinces in terms of accessibility and coordination.

Regard sur les soins de première ligne au Québec: défis, solutions et priorités

Malgré certaines améliorations, des rapports publiés dans les dernières années indiquent que les soins de première ligne au Québec sont moins performants que ceux des autres provinces du Canada quant à l'accessibilité et la coordination.

Beyond stigma: Treating opioid use disorder

Stigma impacts all aspects of treatment for people living with opioid use disorder. We can work together to move beyond stigma.

‘I’d love to see us rethink what we’re doing’: A Q&A in family medicine with Tara Kiran

Dr. Tara Kiran sits down to talk about Indigenous health, all things family medicine and the nation-wide OurCare survey results.

Episode 60 – Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia with Dr. Tony Bai

Your teeth can reveal how much radiation you’ve been exposed to

Ontario Tech scientists team with dentists to measure life-long radiation exposure in people living close to nuclear power plants.

Blockchain and the future of medicine

Move over Bitcoin, blockchain is no longer just for cryptocurrency. The technology could improve transparency, trust and efficiency in health-care settings. But what exactly is blockchain and how do we make the best use of it in health care?

Reimagining primary care

The primary care system needs to be restructured and Canadians want to see reforms that support continuous relationships with their doctor or health team Let’s not be afraid to act on their recommendations.

Misinformation: Yep, still a problem

We are seeing a strange revisionist spin on the issue of misinformation. But misinformation has done and is continuing to do serious harm. It is killing us.

Team-based care key to alleviating primary-care crisis

Primary care is in crisis and there aren't enough doctors to go around. Done right, team-based care can expand the capacity of family doctors to care for more patients.

Synthetic data may revolutionize clinical trials – and save lives

Behind each clinical trial, there are real human lives at stake. Advancements in synthetic data could lead us to a future in which every cancer patient enrolled in a clinical trial is guaranteed hope.

Virtual care must be integrated into public system, not driven by profit

Virtual care is here to stay. But how it should be used and who should own the services are important to patients, OurCare survey shows.

Diet vs. drugs – Comparing the effects of diet with leading pharmaceuticals

In 440 B.C., Hippocrates famously said “Let food be thy medicine.” More than 2,000 years later, the evidence to substantiate this statement has never been more robust.

More than 6.5 million adults in Canada lack access to primary care

Results from the OurCare national survey estimate that more than one in five Canadian adults do not have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. It's time we invest in primary care.

Artificial Intelligence: Kinks to iron out but a boon for health care

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to change our lives. Now, with the release of the AI tool ChatGPT, it's knocking on the door of your doctor’s office and the hospital wards.

OurCare survey highlights lack of access to primary care

A nation-wide survey on the state of primary care in Canada illuminates pressing issues facing our health system. Dr. Tara Kiran and a team of collaborators with the OurCare project have launched an online dashboard with the findings.

The case for mature medical students

Many professional programs in Canada have long touted values that promote diversity of experience. But when it comes to medical schools - little consideration is made for older, more experienced candidates.

The Treadmill

"Now the treadmill makes my steps uneven. One foot moves faster or slower than the other, and I stagger like a would-be dancer who wasn’t taught the choreography before the show."

Woefully inadequate: Dearth of funding for biomedical health research reflects our environmental racism

Biomedical research policy needs to begin addressing environmental racism and justice and expand funded research for climate change, environmental and planetary health.

The ongoing race in health care. Who will win?

In the race to change health care, there are two participants: Health-care improvement and burnout. Who will win?