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2019-03-12 Dr Z.Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
The $118 million announced consisting of $75 million new money plus redistribution of existing funds as a "stabilization fund" is an interim measure, a one-time handout over 4 months October 2022 to Jan. 31st, 2023, to help family physicians (FP) in the community, both longitudinal practices and walk-in clinics with overhead costs to keep their doors open until January 2023. This first step is intended to buy more time for the government and DoBC to develop a "new payment model" that will be introduced and implemented. According to DoBC President's letter, the new model will be based on compensation determined by a number of factors including time, patient encounters, and attachments/complexity.
As it hurtles ever faster at us will Artificial Intelligence merge with human genetics or will it be artificial stupidity? See the episode "The Machine That Feels" on CBC The Nature of Things. How AI has been applied to complete Beethoven's Tenth Symphony and how the future might combine genetic material with AI leading to new hybrid life forms. Is it no longer a question of if but when will this happen? Are we going to become these new beings? Do we need to remember who and what we are now, because it will soon be gone?
No one can deny the importance of BC societies to communities large and small throughout the province, assisting all kinds of people as charitable and not for profit societies, including associations that represent occupations and professions.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - June 6, 2021.
2016-10-05 Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - May 20, 2022
2016-08-22 Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BCNews Items
Has the BC Medical Association been stolen from the members?
Public
Doctors and members of the BC Medical Association (Doctors Of BC) are asking what is happening at the helm of the BCMA? Some are saying they think the new CEO Allan Seckel is not good for the Association and a sign that bad things are happening to the Association.
Who is Allan Seckel? How did he get to be the BCMA CEO? What is he doing as the CEO? And what is the BCMA Board doing?
Disagreement is central to progress
Public
It's never too late to change the world !
In this TED talks video Margaret Heffernan demonstrates "that disagreement is central to progress, that the best partners aren't echo chambers and how great businesses allow people to disagree".
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree.html
JN Mahy MD FRCSC
Dr Karpiak on Bill Good CKNW - Bureaucracy in health care is not sustainable
Public
Dr Dennis Karpiak, Internist and former BCMA Board Director from the Interior of BC speaking on the Bill Good Show CKNW radio 980 on July 10, 2012.
"It's become increasingly more difficult to sustain a practice in this province."
"The BCMA 20 years ago formed the Regionalization committee that predicted the rise of bureaucracy and a decline in patient care funding."
"Currently you can walk through any hospital and you'll see more administration offices than patient rooms."
Listen to the whole interview.
Burnout and Resilience
Public
Vancouver BC - Oct 19, 2011.
A talk on burnout in doctors at a recent conference in Vancouver provided good information and stimulated further exploration.
During questions the speaker said the prevalence of burnout in doctors is 20 percent and tends to occur in pockets or clusters.
The talk focused on burnout resulting from lack of recognition while caring for others. Although burnout can also result from lack of recognition from colleagues and co-workers, lack of resources, and degree of bureaucracy.
Burnout can also occur in other aspects of our lives besides our work.
Good news from the talk is research shows that when individuals examined their level of burnout and attended to the risk of burnout they were not only able to reduce their current risk but their future risk of burnout continued to remain less and even improved further over time.
Health issues for adults born with cerebral palsy
Public
What happens to children born with cerebral palsy when they become adults?
In one case an individual born with cerebral palsy when they were an adult in their early 30’s had progressive deterioration of function involving their affected upper limb.
The individual was reviewed by their orthopedic surgeon who suggested botox injections for spasms and possibly some cosmetic improvement to the upper extremity although not optimistic for functional improvement.
The 3D defence; Deny, Delay, Destroy.
Public
Book Review
The book, "Corporate Personality Disorder, Surviving & Saving Sick Organizations" by Eli Sopow, PhD draws heavily on medical practice examples and describes how "at the core of the Organizational Family Tree is the Triangle of Trust, which combines authority, responsibility, and accountability through a harmonious balance of communications, cooperation, and connectivity to others." He offers critical success factors for each of these six factors.
Nutrients in Our Food
Public
If you ever find yourself wondering what nutrients are in different foods you might want to take a look at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient database.
It provides a wealth of information on over 7,500 specific food items and details of the nutrients they contain down to the many different minerals, vitamins, types of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and various amino acids.
There are two very useful ways to look at this information on their website.
Don’t FIPPA your PIPA without knowing this when it comes to personal health information.
Public
Vancouver, BC – May 3, 2010
When it comes to the privacy of personal health information everyone in British Columbia needs to know how FIPPA (also known as FOIPPA) is different from PIPA, and the same may apply in other jurisdictions across Canada and elsewhere.
This is of particular importance when information is shared between your doctor's private office and a hospital or clinic operated by the Health Authority which is a public body.
In BC, three different legislative Acts govern the privacy and protection of individual personal health information. There are some very important differences in how these work and the results they have that should be known to all doctors, health providers and patients/clients.
BC Auditor General issues report on Electronic Health Record (EHR) Implementation.
Public
Health professionals not effectively or adequately engaged.
Approach should ensure health professionals, stakeholders and the public are informed.
On February 17, 2010 the Auditor General of BC, John Doyle, issued his report on “Electronic Health Record Implementation in British Columbia” which is available on their website http://www.bcauditor.com
In his report, the BC Auditor General, acknowledges “The development and implementation of an EHR system … is a complex and high-risk endeavour … because of the large investment of public funds” and “because collecting, storing and disclosing information electronically raises concerns about the privacy and security of personal health information”.
