You are only seeing posts authors requested be public.
Register and Login to participate in discussions with colleagues.
News Showcase
Having worked for 40 years as a family physician in BC, when I heard the media announcements recently: that on April 3 vaccine mandates will be lifted on BC public service government workers but not on health care workers until it can become a permanent condition of work in health care, and that we may see only combined vaccines in the fall; it struck me that it’s time we had a real chat. This can’t wait.
2016-10-16 Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
A new one hour documentary by Aaron Gunn, "Waiting To Die - Canada's Health Care Crisis" was released yesterday (August 14, 2023) and in less than one day had more than 23,000 views and more than 700 comments from people sharing their own experiences and thoughts.
The I Ching, or Book Of Changes, is an ancient Chinese book. While there are many translations, the German translation by Richard Wilhelm rendered into English by Cary F. Baynes (1950) has become a well respected classic. The book includes a foreword by CG Jung, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who has elsewhere described using the I Ching in his psychiatric practice from time to time. An electronic version of the text related to the hexagrams (the oracle), from the first part of the translation, can be viewed online or downloaded using the link below.
2019-03-12 Dr Z.Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - February 16, 2018
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.
A petition to repeal BC's Bill 36 - Health Professions and Occupations Act has already gathered more than 10,800 signatures. It was presented to the BC Parliament when the session resumed earlier this month. More signatures are still being collected and will be presented to the House later. It is already one of the largest petitions introduced to the BC Legislature.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - May 20, 2022
You hate those ads and pesky messages from Google, but you’ve become increasingly dependent on their services, right? Cloud storage, Gmail, Google Calendar and so on have just become so necessary that you feel you have to put up with the intrusions on your privacy and constant marketing of 'stuf', and being stalked by trackers everywhere you go? Well, there are alternatives, but one is growing rapidly and can do everything you want and need without those downsides: the eFoundation (Android) operating system.
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?
News Items
Requirements to be Deputy Registrar at College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSBC) – Is something different?
Public
Z. Essak, MD – Vancouver, BC – 2015 Apr 23
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC is looking to hire a new Deputy Registrar with the deadline for applications of April 30, 2015 fast approaching.
Is there something different about the experience required in this job posting – “a career opportunity in medical regulation”?
The proven experience and qualifications all candidates should have begins with, "minimum 10 years of senior administrative experience in a complex health-related organization (e.g. regulator, health authority, association, etc.)"
Also the requirements, while including "medical degree preferred", are open to others with "master of business/health administration or law degree also accepted".
Is this a sign of changes or a shift underway at the College (CPSBC)?
Rick Mercer's 2013 Rant - Scientists Muzzled Again
Public
This is one of my favorite Rick's Rants. In less than 2 minutes he lays it all out. Beginning with the problem for scientists then in the middle he turns it up a notch, "Get over yourselves. It's not like scientists are the only ones being told to shut up. No, it's everyone." Then after some fine examples he ends with a polite, "Thank you for not talking." A great entertaining and thought provoking rant.
are you sure you want to drive this car ?
Public
You are done driving your bicycle, as you have successfully completed your race car driving school.
You decide that it is time to buy a car and put your training to use, driving people around, to feed your family, pay your student loans, mortgage etc …
You go to the only car dealerships available, all state owned dealerships, and you have no choice as they have a state sanctioned monopoly.
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.
