• Sunday House Call #293, February 28, 2010

    An interview with Dr. Yoni Freedoff regarding his article published in the CMAJ about Health Canada’s intention to allow fortifcation of food products without any evidence that it will benefit public health. Instead, Dr. Freedhoff states that the beneficiaries are the food corporations. Read more about this on his blog. [display_podcast]

  • Lack of support for people with traumatic brain injuries

    An estimated 500,000 people in Ontario who have brain injury are unsupported in the community. Many end up on the streets or in prison, or inappropriately placed in nursing homes or psychiatric facilities. Many individuals post-ABI ‘fall through the cracks’ because society does not provide them with the community resources they need – supportive housing,…

  • Basic Life Support for major traumatic injuries by paramedics works as well as Advanced Life Support

    Patients with major traumatic injuries fare just as well if they are given Basic Life Support (BLS) by paramedics than if they are given Advanced Life Support (ALS), according to the Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) study. The results, published in the April 22, 2008 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, also suggest…

  • Is there evidence to support antibiotic use in conjunction with draining the abscess?

    Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of developing a skin abscess. The approach to treating this infection is variable and can include the use of antibiotics. It would seem to make sense because abscesses are usually caused by bacteria. In a study published in the April 2007 edition of the Annals of Emergency…

  • Traumatic brain injury update

    We bear witness to many kinds of injuries. Indeed when watching sporting events, some injuries do not galvanize much attention other that an exclamation like “Oh that’s gotta hurt!” Inherent in this statement is the knowledge that the injury is likely to be temporary and the player will recover. However, watch the crowd’s reaction when…

  • Health Partners International of Canada

    When medical aid and services are sent into war zones or disaster areas, where do the supplies and personnel come from? How are aid packages and their contents organized and what infrastructure is needed to make it happen? Health Partners International of Canada brings much needed medicines, vaccines and other supplies to some of the…

  • The state of emergency rooms in Ontario

    Two weeks ago we talked to Dr. Ken Milne of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) about the difficulties faced by many Ontario emergency rooms with respect to staffing shortages, increased stress on the system, overcrowding and a lack of acute care beds. The Ontario Government announced this week a set of solutions to…