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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.
Does the BC NDP's new legislation: Bill 36 - Health Professions and Occupations Act, introduced on October 19, 2022, set the stage for political interference in the licensing of physicians and other health professionals? Under sections 519 to 532 of the proposed Act, the Cabinet can make changes to the regulations including disciplinary measures, the composition of discipline panels and the oversight of complaints. In BC, will politics trump science when it comes to health professionals?
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.
2021
The youtube channel "Cracked Science" with Jonathan Jerry provides some good humour and scientific knowledge in ten minute episodes to bring you up to speed and get you thinking.
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.
What happens to children born with cerebral palsy when they become adults?
Dr Carmen Eadie, Vancouver BC, Sep 4, 2022.
Please read the OpEd by a BC family doctor that while Health Minister Adrian Dix uses findings of the Cayton report to defend the rapid introduction of Bill 36, the HPOA, he refuses to comment on the contradictory content in the report and snubs the issues raised by the Doctors of BC.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - February 16, 2018
2019-03-12 Dr Z.Essak, MD - Vancouver, BCNews Items
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”.
Mistakes were made (but not by me): Cognitive dissonance
Public
Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts... a book co-authored by Elliot Aronson.
Psychiatrists specialize in the ails of individuals. Social psychologists specialize in the ails of groups. The eminent social psychologist Elliot Aronson was interviewed in a CBC audio "podcast" available from the following site:
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/ideas_20080428_5430.mp3
It is an interesting program from the CBC radio “Ideas” on the subject of cognitive dissonance. It offers some insight into how people can so badly misinterpret things to fit their preconceived notions and prejudices and become incapable of accepting any other view.
The program runs about 50 minutes and I suspect if people even listen to just the first 12 minutes they might find it sufficiently compelling to listen to the rest. (The MP3 file can be imported into iTunes or other music manager or burned to CD.)
Health Records and Privacy (Humour?)
Public
In 2004, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) produced a satirical video called “Ordering Pizza in 2015”. If you haven't already seen this, here it is, a humorous piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNJl9EEcsoE
You can also check out their home page for other interesting news stories,
"Deja Vu" - Dr Norman Rigby
Public
Dr. Norman Rigby, Retired GP and Former Executive Director BCMA.
"The best thing we had going for us was the District 6 Newsletter."
"It excited the attention of the membership."
"What really changed things was when ... the administrator became the President of the hospital, ... and governments started to deal with the President not the Board."
Video highlight from June 3, 2006 Forum for Physicians, Vancouver.
"Deja Vu"
Dr. Norman Rigby, Retired GP and Former Executive Director BCMA.
