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Why is our health care system and government broken? Part 2.
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Dr. Zafar Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - October 6, 2024.
This is part 2 in a series covering different aspects of our health care system and government. Let’s apply our thinking to the problems and solutions.
Part 2. Early closure of debate erodes our parliamentary democracy.
Early closure of debate is important to health care because it was used by the current BC NDP government to push through the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) in 2022, with changes to the licensing of doctors and other health care professionals. Early closure of debate was also used by the BC NDP to push through three additional far reaching pieces of legislation. So, what is early closure of debate and why does it matter?
Why is our health care system and government broken? Part 1.
Public
Dr. Zafar Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - October 6, 2024.
This is part 1 in a series covering different aspects of our health care system and government. Let’s apply our thinking to the problems and solutions.
Part 1. How health care administration over took funding for doctors.
Every day we hear reports on how our health care system is broken and having difficulty keeping up with the health challenges faced by patients and people throughout BC and across the country. We hear politicians say it’s like this because of a lot of unexpected circumstances and they’re doing the best that can be done; that they are following what the experts are telling them, and we should trust them to carry on with it.
Are these unexpected circumstances or are they foreseeable outcomes?
Either way, our health care system is broken. So, how do we fix it?
The Tenth Nerve: a brain surgeon's stories of the patients who changed him
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Penguin Random House Canada has published this book and I hope you will enjoy it.
These are the stories of seven brave patients whose close encounters changed me into a better person and surgeon. It is a book about discoveries—both medical discoveries (including two new diseases) that I have provided my patients and personal discoveries that my patients have prompted in me. The scalpel can only go so deep, and technical skill can only take you so far. Real understanding of an illness requires listening and genuine care. The Tenth Nerve is a book about curiosity, the wonder of the human brain, and the courage of a few remarkable patients.
Delegation to Campbell River City Council on concerns arising from HPOA
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At the Campbell River City Council meeting on February 29, 2024, a delegation of physician Dr Anna Kindy and retired naturopath Dr Ingrid Pincott discussed the Health Professions and Occupation Act, HPOA, and the serious concerns it raises for health professionals, patients, and people living in and around Campbell River. Like most City Council meetings in BC it was streamed live and recorded and can be watched on YouTube. City councillors asked questions and expressed the view that these concerns are important and that they would like to ensure it is discussed when the UBCM meets this year, on September 16-20, 2024.
Sign up to see the BC College of Physicians hearing on Dr. Charles Hoffe
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Dr. Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC – February 11, 2024.
If you are a doctor or a patient who is concerned about health care in BC, there are only a few days left to sign up to see the BC College of Physicians hearing on Dr. Charles Hoffe. This will be an opportunity to see how the College of Physicians disciplinary hearing works. Is the College sincere about seeking the truth and ensuring doctors provide proper medical care for the benefit of patients? Or is the College focused on control of doctors and to endorse government policies?
If you are interested in the online Zoom meeting, you may have to register by the end of this week, February 16, to ensure your opportunity to view the hearing from March 4 to 15, 2024. Instructions on how to register are provided below.
Judicial Review of Dr. Bonnie Henry’s Orders begins in BC Supreme Court on Monday, November 20, 2023.
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Update: The Judgment was released on May 10, 2024 and is available on the BCSC website: Hoogerbrug v. British Columbia, 2024 BCSC 794 – 2024/05/10
Dr. Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - November 19, 2023.
Finally, an opportunity for everyone to hear a BC Judicial Review of the ongoing orders of Dr. Bonnie Henry, Public Health Officer, and the BC Government that, since November 2021, have impacted the livelihood of thousands of health care workers in BC who are unvaccinated, prohibiting them from working in health care. BC and Nova Scotia are the only jurisdictions in the world that have not allowed unvaccinated health care workers to return to work. Orders and actions that have caused severe division even among health professionals and workers; where nurses, doctors, paramedics, porters and others are not sure who is safe to talk to if they disagree or think consent for vaccination is paramount.
Starting Monday, November 20, 2023, the BC Supreme Court will begin the Judicial Review of Dr Henry’s orders and the October 2023 amendment perpetuating them.
What loud bells will wake BC doctors and the public to the dangers of Bill 36, the HPOA?
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Dr. Zafar Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - November 6, 2023.
There is a sleeping sickness throughout our land. It has found its way into health care and affected all the doctors. It is not some esoteric thing happening in some small political arena or lawyers club. This impacts all of BC and all of us: the ability of doctors to practice medicine the way they were taught and trained, according to their conscience and oath for the benefit of patients.
The significance of Bill 36, the Health Professions and Occupations Act, is profound and the association, Doctors of BC, should be ringing alarm bells. Instead, they are subduing the importance of it, convincing all doctors to move on to the regulations, like lemmings over the cliff. Not only is this unhelpful to doctors, it is actually dangerous for doctors with their purpose and professional obligations to deliver health care to patients. Bells need to ring everywhere, and the association should be dissolved.
Cease Fire Now
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The horrors of doctors and others trying to care for the injured in Gaza under these conditions must stop. We decided to post a news collage cease fire now banner and block on our website and released them on X.com (aka Twitter.com) so others may copy and use on their website or social media. They are also available for download here. There must be a Cease Fire Now.
Psychological inoculation against misinformation and polarization of discussions
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An intriguing bit of research and an online game. Developing an approach to expose people in advance to methods of misinformation before they encounter it. How might this apply generally, not just to "fringe" elements that may be labelled as "fake news", but also to mainstream news or even published articles that may use the same techniques? For example, in the documentary "Waiting To Die - Canada's Health Care Crisis" mention is made of the polarization of public discussions on the introduction of hybrid public and private health care in Canada? This is an example of the "false dichotomy argument" where it is framed as either Canada's universal health care or the US style private care, while totally ignoring that 28 other developed nations have hybrid systems. What can we learn from the research?
Documentary: Waiting To Die - Canada's Health Care Crisis
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A new one hour documentary by Aaron Gunn, "Waiting To Die - Canada's Health Care Crisis" was released yesterday (August 14, 2023) and in the first day it had more than 23,000 views and more than 700 comments from people sharing their own experiences and thoughts.
