Catherine Varner

Dr. Catherine Varner, an emergency physician and deputy editor at CMAJ, teams up with Dr. David Petrie, co-chair of the EM:POWER Task Force, to discuss the crisis engulfing Canada’s emergency departments. They dive into alarming issues like overcrowding, long wait times, and healthcare worker burnout. The duo highlights often-overlooked solutions, emphasizing the need for improved resource allocation and community-based care. They challenge misconceptions about emergency congestion and stress the urgency for systemic reforms in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Issac Bogoch updates listeners on the rising threat of tick-borne illnesses, stressing the need for better awareness and diagnostics. Dr. Kathleen Stephanos shares insights on pediatric ECG interpretation, highlighting crucial differences between children and adults. Nail bed repair techniques are discussed by Dr. Matthew McArther, emphasizing best practices for injury management. Dr. Brit Long simplifies end-stage renal disease complexities. Finally, Dr. Catherine Varner shares her leadership journey, focusing on the importance of resilience and teamwork in emergency medicine.

Catherine Varner, Deputy Editor of CMAJ, joins Jessica Kent-Rice, a toxicology fellow, and Peter Wu, an internist specializing in pharmacology, to tackle the opioid crisis. They reveal shocking statistics on treatment gaps for opioid overdose patients, urging more urgent prescriptions of life-saving therapies. The discussion also highlights the alarming presence of xylazine, a veterinary sedative, in street drugs, complicating overdose treatments. The guests advocate for better communication and support in emergency care to combat these escalating challenges.