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How do you get herpes?
How have society’s changing attitudes about sexual activity and responsibility affected our teenage children? The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, a U.S. non-profit group promoting sexual abstinence outside marriage, lists the devastating toll laissez-faire attitudes have had on our teens.
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Doctors must factor in free will of the patient
A recent front-page story in the Citizen remarked how a Health Canada anti-tobacco campaign using Olympic skaters Elvis Stojko and Josée Chouinard did not have much influence on reducing or quitting cigarette use. Indeed, how effective are health promotion campaigns?
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Billing reviews recall witch hunts
A recent column by Christina Spencer, John Robson’s radio commentary on CFRA and Citizen Editorial eloquently criticized the Quebec government’s abuse of legislative power over its physician population. In Quebec, all physicians who have worked in an emergency room in the previous four years will now be forced to work in them whether they wish…
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Patient chart transfers warrant a reasonable fee
A recent Dave Brown column touched upon the thorny issue of patient chart transfer requests. He cited the case of one individual who expressed his irritation with transfer fees that he felt should be free of charge. Copyright law analogy provides the basis for his assertion. His claim is that patient chart notes are paid…
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Closing Riverside emergency centre costs more than it saves
Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen August 21, 2002 Original Title: Who Wants to Save a Million Dollars? Despite the problems in our health-care system, there are some roses worth our attention. One such rose is the Riverside Acute Care Medical Centre. Unfortunately, if the Ottawa Hospital administration has its way, the rose will whither…
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Drug dispensing fees need to be explained
Many patients express their disdain over medication dispensing fees. All Canadian pharmacies charge this fee. I too had some misgivings about the fees but did not have the necessary background to draw any firm conclusions. Further enquiry to determine their origin and their original purpose was needed. Do people get value for their money? Why…
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Doctors not paid as much as you think
Originally published in The Ottawa Citizen July 9, 2002 Original Title: Who Wants to be a Millionaire How much are doctors paid? It varies depending on the medical specialty. Certainly some specialties provide a greater income for its practitioners but on average most physicians are not pulling in the big bucks as perceived by the…
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Images designed to shock can cause needless harm
Parents are forever vigilant protecting their young children from some of life’s harsher realities. It is indeed frustrating and indeed infuriating when parents encounter unexpected situations that expose their children to potentially deleterious actions and images. Their child-rearing timetable explodes. They have to now enter damage-control mode.