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This is an interesting and thought provoking 1 hour video interview and debate. It begins with a 5 minute overview and then proceeds with an interview by moderator Bill Blakemore with Jaron Lanier, a long-time computer scientist and developer and the father of virtual reality, who is concerned about the use of behaviour modification "to engage and addict you to algorithmic exploration until we find whatever it is that will get you".
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.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - August 11, 2021.
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.
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.
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.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the growing list of names for different generations; boomers, gen-X, millenials, zoomers and what follows? Here are a couple of links that may help.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - March 4, 2018
2019-06-21 Vancouver, BC
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - June 6, 2021.News 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.
