CMAJ points out that when presented with a patient with co- or multi-morbidities, physicians tend to think about the individual conditions independently and not about the complex interactions between them. Treatments follow the same pattern, with
A study led by ICES finds that between 2013 and 2016, the percentage of opioid-related deaths in Ontario that could be traced to prescriptions declined from 38% to 33%. Older individuals and women were more likely to have an active opioid
In an effort to help patients spend less time sitting in the ER waiting room, student entrepreneurs in Fredericton created an app that would notify less urgent patients when their turn to see an ER doctor is approaching. Such apps are already in use
Researchers at McMaster University want to bridge the gap between hospital and home for patients who undergo major surgery. Their SMArTVIEW project includes technology to wirelessly monitor patients' vital signs on the ward. It's also a hospital-to
This University of North Texas study found patients who stay in private rooms as opposed to double occupancy rooms have a reduced risk of central line infections (CLI), a hospital-acquired infection that causes thousands of deaths in the U.S. and can
RAND Corporation reviewed a range of approaches to patient-empowered record matching, concluding mobile devices and smartphone apps offer a promising approach to ensure individuals’ medical records are matched correctly when shared between different
B.C.'s Attorney General filed a class-action lawsuit in the province's supreme court against over 40 defendants, including opioid manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacy chains. The goal is to recover some of the millions of dollars the provincial
At the front edge of Baby Boomers, retirees are downsizing or moving into gated senior communities, says the Senior Medical Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. The internet of things, the world of smart thermostats and light bulbs
A doctor practicing in B.C. says Canada should adopt Australia's policy and have one federal licensing body for physicians. He explains that to work temporarily in other provinces (locum) requires applying for a license in the new jurisdiction. In
A report from the Fraser Institute contends the federal government's plan to regulate drug costs could be harmful to individuals with rare or ultra-rare disorders. It is pointed out that 23 orphan drugs available in either the U.S. or the EU aren't