White Coat, Black Art

This holiday season, many of us will be taking to the skies to visit family or escape to warmer climes. So we’re sharing a recent episode of our sister podcast, The Dose, which asks: “What do I need to know about in-flight medical emergencies?” Dr. Vincent Poirier, associate professor of emergency and aviation medicine at McGill University, senior medical advisor for Air Canada and medical consultant for Air Transat, explains what happens when a medical emergency occurs on board and how passengers can help prevent them.

B.C. emergency room physician Dr. Kaitlin Stockton took the rare step of suing her regional health authority, alleging her job was threatened after she and other doctors warned patients about unsafe, overcrowded ER conditions. The lawsuit has since been resolved to both sides’ mutual satisfaction. Dr. Stockton hopes her experience will empower healthcare workers and patients to speak up about patient safety.

Dr. Marina Lagodiche, a family physician from Quebec, shares her emotional decision to close her practice due to the controversial Bill 2, which she claims promotes 'fast food medicine.' Health policy expert Stephen Lewis provides insight into the historical roots of Quebec's healthcare crisis, arguing that while the government's intentions might be good, the execution is flawed. They discuss the alarming shortages of family doctors and the implications of coercive measures on patient access, offering lessons for other provinces grappling with similar challenges.

Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, an Ottawa family physician, shares her personal experience with long wait times for gynecologic surgery after postmenopausal bleeding. Alongside Dr. Nick Leyland, a leading OBGYN and advocate for women's health, they tackle the alarming disparity in care for women. They discuss systemic issues like the undervaluation of gynecologic surgeries compared to others and the urgent need for more resources. Their conversation emphasizes the necessity for greater female representation in healthcare decision-making and solutions to alleviate long wait times.

Miles Randell, an advanced care paramedic, is trying to do something different for frontline health-care workers who need a supportive work environment. He says years of working as a paramedic in Vancouver led to post-traumatic stress that left him unemployable. And that the help he needed wasn’t there. So he created TEAAM (Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical), a non-profit that deploys helicopters to provide advanced life support in some of the most rugged locations in B.C.’s wilderness. But TEAAM is also a workplace where health-care workers are encouraged to regularly check in and talk about work stress after a call. 

Dr. Paxton Bach has spent years trying to help people navigate a broken system. Inconsistent approaches to withdrawal management, long wait times for detox and recovery programs and a system that struggles to address the social determinants of health have caused too many of his patients to fall through the cracks. So he and a team at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver are trailblazing a new model of care that’s set to roll out across B.C. It’s called Road to Recovery, and it’s helping doctors like Bach answer the question: How can I keep you alive until tomorrow? 

Like many of Canada’s rural and remote communities, Mackenzie, B.C.’s hospital struggles to staff the ER. But once a week, a doctor hundreds of kilometres away fills in virtually. Many provinces like B.C. are using virtual care in ERs in an attempt to keep the doors open. But critics are concerned about patient safety and the need to balance virtual with in-person care.

Join Dr. Rob Robson, an emergency physician and patient safety expert, as he shares crucial insights on raising healthcare complaints effectively. Dr. Robson discusses common obstacles patients face, including defensiveness from hospitals and difficulties in reporting unprofessional behavior. He emphasizes the importance of persistence, suggests strategies like recording conversations, and highlights the value of direct communication. Plus, learn how to navigate the complexities of mental health complaints and the vital role of emotional support in the complaint process.

Until recently, Jeremy Auger’s diabetes was unstable. Then he met endocrinologist Dr. David Campbell and the team with the diabetes mobile clinic in Calgary. The roving clinic brings care directly to people who are homeless or have low incomes. For patients like Jeremy, it’s a lifeline that helps prevent devastating complications.

Obesity has more than tripled in Canada since 1981. In their new book “Food Intelligence,” Canadian co-authors Julia Belluz and Kevin Hall - an award-winning health and science journalist, and a prominent researcher on metabolism in the U.S. - argue that it’s not because of a collective loss of willpower. Instead, they say the foods we buy and eat have become more calorie-dense, delicious and addictive over the last 40 years.