I would like to think that we do a reasonable job recognizing and acknowledging nurses for all of the hard work that they do, compassion, caring nature and dedication to their work. We often talk about what nurses do for patients and their positive impact upon the healthcare system, but as we enter the busy holiday season, I would like to take a moment to reflect upon their contribution and influence on my life as an …
Professionals should dress professionally
What would you prefer your doctor to be wearing when examining and treating you or your loved ones? Most would likely reply with something along the lines of “it doesn’t really matter, as long as they are competent and do a good job“. Except it does matter, apparently. So much so that there have been hospital/nation-wide policies surrounding the issue, and a recent surge in publications studying this phenomenon – some of them hinting …
Counterpoint: Talking about service and education
As we continue to develop educational models within medicine, old paradigms need to be examined and discussed. In a recent post on the ICENet Blog, Dr. Lynfa Stroud discussed perceptions on service and education in residency training programs. Dr. Kaif Pardhan (@kaifpardhan), a staff Emergency Physician at the University of Toronto, and recent FRCP graduate, provides an counterpoint and some further considerations to Dr. Stroud’s arguments. Service and Education: Two separate issues? Dr. Stroud raises an interesting point as it relates to service …
Anecdotal evidence: what’s the harm?
Anecdotal evidence is data garnered from stories or experiences. In a medical context it is often based on one (or more) patient interactions [1]. After seeing a rare disease, or missing a potentially dangerous diagnosis, we are naturally inclined to over-investigate that entity, regardless of what the evidence would suggest we do.
ED wait times: There’s an app for that
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority recently announced the availability of a new smartphone app called Connected Care which allows users to view up-to-date information on ED wait times at the various hospitals in the area.
Resource utilization: how we can help the healthcare system
The healthcare system in Canada is in trouble, and physicians have a significant role to play in order to address many of the shortcomings, particularly in regards to resource utilization.