Hospitals are slowly resuming non-emergency procedures as outbreaks of COVID-19 wane across Canada. But for thousands of Canadians waiting for replacement organs, the pandemic continues to disrupt transplant operations and the supply of organs. The slowdown of procedures to free up resources for patients with COVID-19 “delayed a number of living and deceased donations,” says […]
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Should triage guidelines be revisited ahead of a second wave of COVID-19?
The first wave of COVID-19 left doctors and medical ethicists across Canada scrambling to draft guidelines for allocating limited resources should hospitals become overwhelmed during the pandemic. But some ethicists and patient advocates fear these recommendations could lead to discrimination based on age or disability if Canada sees a resurgence of cases. Read more in CMAJ.
Does healthcare “hot-spotting” really save money and improve care?
Recent research underscores that there are no quick fixes for complex health and social problems. The idea behind the Camden Coalition of Health Care Providers’ renowned “hot-spotting” program makes a lot of sense: Since many of the heaviest users of health care have unmet health and social needs, identifying and providing extra supports to those […]
Exam delays throw residents’ careers into limbo
Canada’s resident doctors are preparing for major disruptions to their lives and careers from the deferral of licensing exams until the fall or beyond. On March 20, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada announced that written licensing exams scheduled for the end of March and April, and the oral exams to follow, […]
CMAJ drops paywall
Starting today, all new Canadian Medical Association Journal content is now freely available online, with older material becoming available on March 1, 2020. Previously, CMAJ research articles, editorials and news stories were freely available, and other content including commentaries and practice articles were only fully available after one year. Dr. Andreas Laupacis, editor-in-chief of the […]
How hospitals can protect themselves from cyber attack
Hospitals and healthcare systems have become a major target for hackers. The recent announcement that LifeLabs, Canada’s largest medical testing company, paid a ransom to retrieve the data of 15 million patients is just the latest in a string of cyber attacks aimed at stealing data or extracting money from healthcare organizations. Read more in CMAJ.
Coupons for healthcare a sign of creeping privatization?
The online discount site Groupon, home to cut-price gym memberships and spa visits, may seem like a strange place to find deals on medical procedures, but some Toronto-area clinics are offering just that. One medical imaging clinic in Vaughn, Accurate Imaging Diagnostics, recently offered a hefty discount on a full body scan used to measure […]
Liberals promise family doctors for all but is it realistic?
A major plank of the Liberal Party’s federal election platform is a promise to ensure that everyone in Canada has access to a family doctor or primary health care team. The party has pledged $6 billion over four years to support the commitment. Around five million Canadians lack access to primary care. But the Liberals’ […]
Are fees for cataract surgery still too high?
Improvements in cataract surgery mean the procedure is faster and safer than ever before, allowing ophthalmologists to perform operations more quickly. The rise in productivity has led to increased incomes for surgeons, but has improved efficiency led to lower costs to the health system? Read more in CMAJ.
Laupacis aims to bring patient perspective to CMAJ
Dr. Andreas Laupacis, who will take over as editor in chief of the CMAJ Group of publications on Oct. 7, intends to continue his longstanding push to increase the involvement of patients in health care when he takes up his new post. “I think it is important that the journal also involves patients in helping […]