Federal politicians are not talking about healthcare, is the Canada Health Act to blame?
As a Family Doctor, Ontario’s Fee Cuts Make Me Want to Quit
I graduated from family medicine residency in Ontario three years ago. I’ve spent the last two years building up a family practice serving an underserviced population of non-English speaking new immigrants, as well as patients from about three to four local family physicians who quit prematurely due to burnout. At least weekly I work one night until 12 a.m. to review labs and update my patients’ records, filling out disability forms and advocating for …
Medical Narcissism.
Medical narcissism is a term coined by John Banja in his book, Medical Errors and Medical Narcissism. Banja defines “medical narcissism” as the need of health professionals to preserve their self-esteem leading to the compromise of error disclosure to patients. In the book he explores the psychological, ethical and legal effects of medical errors. He talks about our need as physicians to constantly assert our competence and how this can cause otherwise capable, and even exceptional, professionals to fall into narcissistic traps. He claims that: “…most health …
Patient Satisfaction: Who Really Matters?
Does patient satisfaction matter? If you’re a healthcare administrator you’re likely to believe so, as demonstrated by patient satisfaction surveys, hospital greeters and increased vigilance on ensuring enhanced patient satisfaction at all levels of healthcare. While well intentioned, the premise behind this sentiment may be misguided. There is an idea that enhanced patient satisfaction correlates to better patient care, however, we’re merely muting more deeply seeded issues. By employing measures to enhance patient …
The Google Hospital: What healthcare can learn from Google
According to a Google spokesman, the company’s overarching philosophy aspires “to create the happiest, most productive workplace in the world”. After reading a little about their lofty goals, I thought to myself: boy, we should do that at the hospital. That would be awesome. A Google Hospital! Now, like all of you, I’ve had my fair share of fantasies about getting a job at the Googleplex. If you don’t know what this is, Google …
Keep Emergency for Emergencies? Reframing the basic assumption
Emergency departments (ED) are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Health conditions can develop or worsen at a moments’ notice, making the ED a necessary safety net for even the best healthcare systems. However, the very characteristic that makes the ED essential also leaves it open to abuse. When there is nowhere else to go it is an attractive location to bring the intoxicated, the homeless, the destitute – the …