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BCCLA provides synopsis of the SCC decision on death with dignity
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The BC Civil Liberties Association has posted a brief synopsis of the Supreme Court of Canada decision on death with dignity.
The BCCLA filed the case in 2011 on behalf of Gloria Taylor, who suffered with ALS, Dr William Schoichet, a family doctor and Ms. Carter and Mr. Johnson from Roberts Creek, BC who accompanied Ms. Carter's 89 year old mother, Kathleen (Kay) Carter, to Switzerland to peacefully end her life.
Opinion: B.C. doctors have been kept in the dark about Doctors of BC bylaw amendments
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Dr Caroline Wang, Vancouver BC. January 18, 2017.
Doctors of BC members are being encouraged by the association’s leadership to vote in favour of proposed bylaw amendments to relinquish their democratic right to elect the board of directors. If passed, the new policies and governance structure would, in effect, disenfranchise the approximately 12,000 physician members as the owners of the sole representative association for the medical profession in B.C.
Most worrisome, the majority of doctors appear to be unaware of the profound implications and risks of the proposed changes that would impact physicians, patients and the health-care system. It’s little wonder that the vast majority of doctors, who are interested in practising medicine and not trained in matters of policy governance, would choose to ignore the governance referendum as irrelevant to their practice. They don’t know what they don’t know.
Do doctors need legislation to assist patients end of life?
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Since the Supreme Court of Canada February 6, 2015 decision on physician assisted suicide the question on people's minds is, "Do physicians need legislation to help them with this ruling?"
The BC Civil Liberties Association ( BCCLA) was quick to allay any fears of a void occurring should new legislation not be enacted by Federal or Provincial Governments reminding that if no action is taken, physician-assisted dying will be regulated in the same manner as other health care matters.
What is Bill C-51 about?
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Have you been wondering what Bill C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act 2015, is about?
Here's a two minute guide.
eHealth series in the Province newspaper
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Vancouver, BC - Sep 24, 2013
Beginning at the end of last week and continuing this week the Province newspaper is publishing a series of articles on eHealth.
Topics so far include:
Video link saves time all around.
Website brings help to chronic disease sufferers.
New Electronic tools are making patients active partners in their own health care.
Isn't there a medical app for that?
A doctor, a patient and an iPad: Innovation on the front lines.
Dr Eric Cadesky becomes new President-Elect Doctors Of BC
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Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - July 26, 2017.
Congratulations to Dr Eric Cadesky on winning the election for President-Elect of the Doctors Of BC, the BC Medical Association.
It has been an interesting campaign with opportunities to get to know both candidates, Dr Eric Cadesky and Dr Jean-Noel Mahy, through not only their websites but also meeting them in person at the debate and for everyone to see them on the YouTube live stream and recorded video of the debate.
Seeing both candidates making such efforts to promote thought and discussion about health care in BC it is disappointing that only 16 percent of doctor members even voted.
Will BC doctors do something before it's too late?
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Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - September 9, 2017.
There are a lot of calamities in the world today grabbing our attention so why is this important now?
This directly affects our BC health care system, which has slipped from being one of the best in the world to below the top ten. You don't have to tell patients and families who need care, they already see the cracks and hurdles everyday as they wait and hope to get the care they need.
What is happening this week at the BC Medical Association, the Doctors of BC, is critical. They are a well-funded, important organization that negotiates on behalf of all doctors with the BC Government and co-managing public health care. This affects not only doctors but patients and everyone in BC. It cannot be ignored.
Doctors may have become apathetic and cynical with low professional satisfaction as they feel overworked and struggle trying to get people the care they need. However, now is a critical time for them to consider these important facts. If they don't act now things may get a lot worse.
BC Appeal Court to rule on Qualified Privilege
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Vancouver, BC – Z. Essak, March 5, 2014.
Next week on March 11th and 12th the BC Appeal Court in Vancouver will be hearing the matter in Wang v BC Medical Association and named Defendants.
Why might this Appeal Court hearing be important to people in all walks of life in BC especially those involved as board directors and members of any non-profit Society, Association, Health Authority, Union and even corporations?
When can members of a Board claim qualified privilege as a defense for what they do?
Qualified privilege is a special privilege for those in positions of authority or trust. When does qualified privilege apply and when are actions simply an abuse of privilege, position, or power?
Survey results: Why did more than 70% not bother to vote in 2016 Doctors of BC elections
Public
The results on the survey so far may come as a surprise.
Was it fair to ask these questions? Some comments have questioned this, but these are some of the questions that doctors have been asking each other in hallways, over coffee, and at meetings. So why not ask them in a survey?
The survey was not sponsored by anyone. All members of doclounge can use the survey tools to create a questionnaire and the survey was made public to allow the questions to be answered anonymously. The tools can be used for any kind of survey.
What are the results of the survey?
What are the fiduciary duties of directors of the BC Medical Association?
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Vancouver, BC - Z. Essak, April 22, 2014
The BC Medical Association (BCMA), now rebranding itself as the DoctorsOfBC, is a non-profit Society in BC. It is a voluntary professional association of physicians that purports to represent all BC physicians in negotiations regardless of whether or not physicians choose to be a member.
The 2014 BCMA elections are now underway. Which way are the winds blowing? Are they winds of change? Are they strong enough? Will we see openness, transparency and accountability emerge or continued substitution with opaque communications and marketing?
