 |
Daily Health and Healthcare News
 |
|
| |
July 2008: The Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC elected to the Académie nationale de médecine in France
The achievements realised during his career as a researcher by Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and Associate Executive Director of the MUHC, have once again been recognized and rewarded internationally.
July 2008: SSHA Adds Senior Expertise to Enhance Client Service (DOC)
Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA) has added three seasoned staff members in its Client Relationship Management Division to drive e-Health deployments in the laboratory, public health, telemedicine and physician sectors.
July 2008: RCPSC Announcement: Interim Director of the Office of Education (PDF)
I am pleased to announce that David Hawkins, MD, FRCPC, will assume the role of Director, Office of Education, effective July 1, 2008, on an interim basis for approximately six months.
July 2008: Children’s Treatment Network Makes Strides at Recent Symposium with Help from SickKids Foundation and Network Partners
Over 250 participants including 70 parents and family members of kids with special needs, 160 front line professionals, and 21 Board members and CEO’s of partner organizations gathered for the Children’s Treatment Network of Simoe York 2nd Annual Symposium in Alliston, Ontario in June.
June 2008: Wait time priority procedures continue to increase
Over a two-year period, Canadian patients outside Quebec underwent almost 60,000 additional surgical procedures in priority areas targeted for wait time reductions, according to a new study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
June 2008: Redefining the Boundaries of Care
A major redevelopment of West Park Healthcare Centre which will redefine the boundaries of rehabilitative care received a $3 million boost today with the awarding of a planning and development grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
June 2008: Ministry of Research and Innovation and Health Technology Exchange affirm Ontario well positioned to be a global leader in healthcare technologies
Already the epicenter of Canada’s medical and assistive technologies (MAT) sector, Ontario has the opportunity to take a leading worldwide role in MAT research, development and commercialization, creating robust, skilled local employment and contributing to innovative healthcare delivery on a global scale, according to the Health Technology Exchange (HTX), a non-profit organization established by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI) to help accelerate the development of the $4-billion MAT industry sector in Ontario.
June 2008: McGill researchers overcome chemotherapy resistance in the lab
Researchers from McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine have discovered a compound that reduces resistance to chemotherapy agents used to treat cancer. Their results were published in the June issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
June 2008: First CyberKnife System to be Installed in Canada
Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery today announced that Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) has purchased a CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery System for installation at Hopital Notre- Dame du CHUM, in Montreal, Canada.
June 2008: Janet Ecker new chair of Rouge Valley Health System
The new chair of Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) Janet Ecker says the board of directors will continue to focus the hospital on quality improvement during the next two years.
June 2008: CIHR Rewards Four Mentors Who Have Helped Create Tomorrow's Researchers
Three different Synapse awards recognize mentors who have helped young Canadians understand the value of health research and the potential of science.
June 2008: Medisolv Acquires Clinsaver & McCartney Consultants in Toronto
Medisolv— the market leader in Business Intelligence and Clinical Decision Support Solutions for hospitals and healthcare systems has expanded its global healthcare business with the acquisition of Clinsaver Software, Inc. and its subsidiary McCartney Consultants in Toronto, Ontario.
June 2008: New Change Foundation report puts human face on navigating Ontario health system (DOC)
Ontarians want and need clearer two-way communication among all the parts and players in our health system and better coordination of services, according to a new report released today by The Change Foundation. Who is the Puzzle maker? Patient/Caregiver Perspectives on Navigating Health Services in Ontario is The Change Foundation’s first health integration report.
June 2008: New Study Demonstrates High Level of Safe Surgeries Performed in Accredited Facilities
The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) has developed a new study which analyzes data submitted by accredited ambulatory surgery facilities from January 2001 through June 2006.
June 2008: CAMH introduces “Mental Health & Addiction 101” – A fast, easy information resource for one of Canada’s most widespread health concerns
With as many as one in five Canadians expected to face a serious mental health or addiction challenge in their lifetime, there’s never been a greater need for fast, easy-to-use education material on these issues.
June 2008: Canadian Physician in Zimbabwe Recognized by Royal College
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is pleased to present the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award for the first time ever to Dr. Paul Thistle, FRCSC, who has built his life around serving the people of rural Zimbabwe.
June 2008: New workplace violence prevention DVD for health and community care sectors
OSACH, the Ontario Safety Association for Community & Healthcare, today releases the first workplace violence prevention video developed specifically for the province's health and community care sector.
June 2008: Patient safety is first
This Citizen editorial was inflammatory, claiming "many doctors still sneer at nurse practitioners" and want to maintain an "exclusive club" by "being the exclusive custodians of the power to heal" and "protecting turf" not patients.
June 2008: Astronaut to launch patient safety plan
James Bagian is in Wellington to help the Government launch its national safety improvement programme, which follows the publication this year of summaries of hundreds of adverse events and near-misses in hospitals.
June 2008: Investigation among nurses: They would work more hours in mixed public-private practice
An investigation conducted among nurses by the Montreal Economic Institute reveals that the report of the Quebec roundtable on the nursing workforce neglects an important factor in nurses' availability: more than half (54%) are willing to work on weekdays in the private sector in addition to their usual 34-hour work weeks in the public sector.
June 2008: Cancer Care Ontario's Research Chairs Program aims to attract leading cancer scientists to Ontario
Cancer patients in Ontario live longer and enjoy a better quality of life than ever before because of advancements stemming from research. Cancer Care Ontario is today announcing the 2008 recipients of the Cancer Care Ontario Research Chairs, a program that will further strengthen Ontario's cancer research capacity.
June 2008: Landmark Provincial Aging at Home Strategy Launches in Toronto Central LHIN
Standing in front of six new Dodge Caravans that will provide area seniors with rides to appointments, George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, today announced a series of local Aging at Home initiatives receiving $4.9 million this year.
June 2008: McGill conference tackles global food crisis
The world is currently facing one of its most serious challenges in ensuring there is enough food for everyone.
June 2008: Weight-loss surgery can cut cancer risk
Successful bariatric surgery allows morbidly obese patients to lose up to 70 percent of their excess weight and to maintain weight loss.
June 2008: Stem Cells an Ontario success story
It was Ontario scientists who discovered the existence of stem cells back in 1961 and since that moment Ontario has been at the forefront of global stem cell research.
June 2008: President and CEO of VON Canada Acclaimed as President-Elect of CNA (PDF)
VON Canada (Victorian Order of Nurses) is proud to announce that Dr. Judith Shamian, President and CEO of VON Canada, was acclaimed as the new president-elect of the board of directors of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) at its 2008 annual meeting.
June 2008: Emerging therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (PDF)
UCB today announced new data showing that CimziaTM (certolizumab pegol), the only PEGylated, Fc-Free anti-TNFα (Tumor Necrosis Factor), added to methotrexate (MTX), significantly inhibits progression of joint damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as early as 16 weeks after the start of treatment. Presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) meeting in Paris, these data are the first to show such rapid inhibition of progression of structural damage in patients receiving an anti-TNF.
June 2008: Canadian scientists deliver on promise of stem cell therapy for lung disease
Two Quebecers suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a rare but debilitating lung disease, were treated in Montreal with their own gene-modified stem cells. This experimental treatment was administered at the Jewish General Hospital's Centre for Pulmonary Vascular Disease.
June 2008: Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre Announces Commencement of Construction of New Health Centre
The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Center Board of Directors are pleased to announce that construction contracts to build the new health care facility have been successfully tendered, and that the actual building construction is now underway.
June 2008: Physician Adoption of Electronic Health Records Still Extremely Low, But Medicine May be at a Tipping Point
Despite the promises it offers health care and quality improvement, only a small minority of U.S. physicians have embraced electronic health records (EHR) as a routine part of practice, says a study in the June 19 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. The survey of 2,758 physicians—the most up-to-date and comprehensive picture of EHR adoption trends—shows that only 4 percent have a fully functional EHR system and 13 percent have a basic one.
June 2008: Same drug, different results: MUHC researcher on the path to personalized medicine
Minor genetic differences between individuals change the effect of a common medication, study shows
June 2008: Health System expands use of McKesson IT
A hospital is expanding its use of advanced information technologies and automation solutions from McKesson to better connect clinicians and staff members across the enterprise and enhance patient outcomes.
June 2008: Central Texas Doctor Named AMA President-Elect
Dr. James Rohack, director of Scott & White’s Center for Healthcare Policy, was named president-elect of the American Medical Association Tuesday.
June 2008: CIGNA Reaches across Borders to Improve Health Care
lobal Knowledge Exchange Network (GKEN) was created through an unrestricted grant from the CIGNA Foundation to the Wye River Group on Healthcare (WRGH), a non-partisan group known as a catalyst for constructive health care change. Initially, this three-year program will bring together leaders from government, health care, business, philanthropy and academia to discuss and advance better practices in health care among industrialized nations.
June 2008: CEO turns company's attention to more aggressive marketing
Montreal technology firm Sonomax Hearing Healthcare Inc. has a new strategy to free its shareholders from penny-stock shock and break out the company's full potential.
June 2008: Judith Oulton Recipient of Highest Canadian Nursing Honour, the Jeanne Mance Award
Judith Oulton will receive Canada's most prestigious nursing award, the Jeanne Mance Award, for her positive impact on the practice of nursing in Canada and internationally.
June 2008: More Bedside Care and Greater Accountability in Ontario's Long-Term Care Homes
Ontario is introducing a new level of transparency and accountability - as recommended in Shirlee Sharkey's report on staffing and care standards for long-term care homes - by publicly reporting and measuring health outcomes and resident satisfaction in long-term care.
June 2008: Intel Launches Online Community to Connect Caregivers
With a goal to connect and assist the more than 50 million caregivers in the United States, Intel Corporation today unveiled ConnectingForCare.com, the first online community of its kind for family caregivers, nurses, social workers and others to share information and provide emotional support, filling a void in today's healthcare system.
June 2008: Inspiring and Creating Change - This year's focus at the Federation of Medical Women of Canada Annual General Meeting
The Federation of Medical Women of Canada (FMWC) will be assisting members to speak up, speak out and speak together by offering communication workshops in conjunction with our 84th Annual General Meeting at the Palliser Fairmont Hotel in Calgary from June 22-23, 2008.
June 2008: Renowned Cancer Researcher and Leader of Scientific Institutions Wins Prestigious Friesen Prize in Health Research
Dr. Harold Varmus, President of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Nobel Laureate, has been awarded the 2008 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research. The Friesen Prize recognizes Dr. Varmus' exceptional leadership and innovative contributions to medical research and to the promotion of science over the past four decades.
June 2008: Medicines derived from cannabis: A review of adverse events
Researchers at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), McGill University and the University of British Columbia (UBC) determined that medical use of cannabinoids do not cause an increase in serious adverse events, but are associated with an increase in some non-serious adverse events.
June 2008: MUHC cancer care teams receive top marks from Quebec Health Ministry
Dr. Arthur T. Porter, Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre, congratulates the MUHC Cancer Care Mission on the exceptional accreditation ratings it earned from Quebec’s Direction de la lutte contre le cancer. After an exhaustive assessment of MUHC cancer care capabilities, this agency of Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services awarded level four status – the highest possible ranking – to 10 MUHC teams. A further two teams achieved level three status.
June 2008: Mounting evidence links hospital cutbacks, high occupancy rates to increased risk of infection-related patient deaths
Ontario's health minister is ignoring mounting evidence from the United Kingdom that links high hospital bed occupancy rates and cuts to cleaning staff to increased risk of patients dying from hospital-acquired infections, says the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU), the hospital division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario.
June 2008: CCI Awarded Contract to Support New St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton Hospital
Comprehensive Care International (CCI), a leading healthcare project management firm, is pleased to announce its selection as the vendor of choice for the St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH), Centre for Mountain Health Services redevelopment project.
June 2008: CHCA urges governments to seize the opportunities for information technology applications in home care
The Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) has concluded an important piece of work, sponsored by Canada Health Infoway, to gain a better understanding of the potential and readiness for information communication technology in home care in Canada.
June 2008: Submissions Now Open for the 2008 Canadian Healthcare Excellence in Quality Award (CHEQA)
Canada's premiere healthcare award, recognizing quality of care and patient safety, is now accepting submissions for a chance to win $15,000.
June 2008: Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital Presents “Implementation of Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN) Wide EHR”
With a decade worth of strides toward a paperless environment, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital has established a model environment for electronic medical records. Alison Anderson, HIM Director and Maureen Robbins, Health Records & Privacy Coordinator, will be presenting the benefits and challenges of this endeavor on June 13 at the CHIMA Annual Conference.
June 2008: Healthcare systems firms Clinitrust and Consulting Cadre enter into strategic alliance to offer joint web-based solution
Consulting Cadre International Inc., one of Canada’s leading healthcare solution providers, and Clinitrust Global Inc., one of Canada’s leading secure email system innovators, today announced they will market a joint solution to the Canadian health industry consisting of CCI’s Clarity Healthcare Solutions and Personal Health Journal deployed on Clinitrist’s CliniMail secure email system.
June 2008: Nortel, Bell Canada Help Santa Cabrini Hospital Raise Quality, Lower Cost of Care
Already known for its leadership in both emergency and long-term care, Montreal's Santa Cabrini Hospital has partnered with Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] and Bell Canada for a pioneering approach to raising the quality of patient care while lowering the cost.
June 2008: Letter to the community from Osler Health Centre supervisor
In this, my second letter to the community, I am pleased to inform you of some of the initiatives underway aimed at improving patient care at William Osler Health Centre.
June 2008: Electronic Prescribing Increasing, but Barriers Remain, Report Finds
Thirty-five million prescriptions were sent electronically in 2007, a 170% increase from 2006, but significant regulatory and cost barriers remain, according to a report released Wednesday by the eHealth Initiative and the Center for Improving Medicaid Management, Modern Healthcare reports.
June 2008: New Microsoft HealthVault Applications And Devices Unveiled
At the second Microsoft HealthVault Solutions Conference recently, a wide range of health technology companies introduced more than 40 new online health applications and devices designed to improve information sharing between patients and physicians; promote fitness, wellness and workplace productivity; and give people innovative online tools to manage their health and the health of their families more effectively than what is available today. These applications and devices take advantage of new features in HealthVault, Microsoft's consumer health platform.
June 2008: Nightingale to implement electronic medical record solution with Newfoundland-based Killick Health Services
Today, Nightingale Informatix Corporation ("Nightingale") (TSX-V: NGH), an application service provider (ASP) of electronic medical record (EMR) software and related services, announced that it will implement its web-based Nightingale On Demand EMR solution with Killick Health Services Inc ("Killick"), a Newfoundland-based private multidisciplinary healthcare clinic.
June 2008: New Change Foundation report puts human face on navigating Ontario health system (DOC)
Ontarians want and need clearer two-way communication among all the parts and players in our health system and better coordination of services, according to a new report released today by The Change Foundation.
June 2008: Canadian healthcare companies provide medical aid for people of Zimbabwe
The people of Zimbabwe are in a desperate situation and Canadian healthcare companies are responding with significant donations of medical aid through Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC).
June 2008: CHCA urges governments to seize the opportunities for information technology applications in home care
The Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) has concluded an important piece of work, sponsored by Canada Health Infoway, to gain a better understanding of the potential and readiness for information communication technology in home care in Canada.
June 2008: Five University of Ottawa researchers receive Canada Research Chairs and over $1.12 million in CFI grants
The University of Ottawa is proud to be awarded five Canada Research Chairs, four of them new. Among the five researchers, four will receive Canada Foundation for Innovation grants totalling $1,125,249.
June 2008: Health Experts Call on Global Leaders to Ensure Access to Life-Saving Pneumococcal Vaccines
Nearly 1,000 of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases and vaccines are meeting during the 6th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-6) this week to call for renewed and urgent action by governments to protect their citizens against pneumococcal disease, a leading killer of children and adults worldwide.
June 2008: In the Caring Hands of Your Neighbour: VON Expands Neighbours Helping Neighbours Program (PDF)
VON Canada (Victorian Order of Nurses) is pleased to announce it has received $200,000 from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) to help expand its successful Neighbours Helping Neighbours Program, started by VON Hastings, Northumberland, Prince Edward.
June 2008: Québec Science honours Michel Tremblay and the McGill Cancer Centre
A breast cancer breakthrough made by McGill Cancer Centre Director Michel Tremblay and his team was named Quebec’s top discovery of 2007 in the “Ten Discoveries of the Year” award compiled by Québec Science, as voted on by the magazine’s readers.
June 2008: Kaiser and Microsoft To Provide Health Care Program
Microsoft Corporation and Kaiser Permanente, the largest managed care organization in the United States, have united powers to create a special pilot program according to which patients can have a control upon their health records.
June 2008: Digitizing Healthcare
The total cost savings from using information technology in healthcare may be disputed, but there's little doubt some savings would ensue. HR professionals should try to boost the use of electronic health records and e-prescribing in their local and regional medical networks, experts say.
June 2008: A health campus in the Outaouais to take care of our region
The President-Executive Director of the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l'Outaouais, Dr Guy Morissette, the minister responsible for the Outaouais region and MNA for Chapleau, Mr Benoît Pelletier, along with his colleagues Maryse Gaudreault MNA for Hull, Charlotte L'Ecuyer MNA for Pontiac, Norman MacMillan MNA for Papineau, Stéphanie Vallée MNA for Gatineau, are pleased to confirm that the partnership needed for the Campus santé Outaouais project.
June 2008: Web sites let you rate your doctors
Type your doctor's name, then write in your comments on RateMDs.com. DrScore.com lets your grade your physician, while Vitals.com links you to other sites to check for lawsuits and medical board complaints.
June 2008: Nurse staffing debate shifts to Senate
A fight over the level of nurse staffing at hospitals has erupted on Beacon Hill, with a showdown looming in the state Senate this summer.
June 2008: Diabetes, skin trouble plague expat workers in UAE
Diabetes and skin problems are the main diseases afflicting expatriate workers in the UAE’s construction sector, it was found after a medical camp held here. “From what we have seen, diabetes and skin-related problems top the list of diseases that afflict construction sector workers here,” Davis Paliakkara, president of Indira Gandhi Veekshanam Forum (IGVF), an Indian charitable organisation, told IANS.
June 2008: GE-Pittsburgh varsity forms new company
GE Healthcare, a division of General Electric Company, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre (UPMC) on Friday announced the formation of a new company to "improve the speed, efficiency of diagnosis and interpretation of lab results".
June 2008: Hazards abound in rural hospitals
Audits of the seven rural regions found that they are at risk of making medical mistakes related to everything from incomplete patient charts to medication handling.
June 2008: Patients at risk in health facilities
The Alberta government released seven sweeping audits of the province's rural health-care system following freedom of information requests by the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal.
June 2008: Province launches patient safety reporting
As the C. Difficile bacteria continues to make headlines in Ontario, the province has unveiled a plan to promote transparency in how hospitals report adverse effects.
June 2008: Province appoints new chief coroner
Dr. Andrew McCallum has been appointed Ontario's chief coroner, effective June 4. Dr. McCallum's appointment follows an extensive international search, which began when Dr. Barry McLellan stepped down as chief coroner last September.
June 2008: Dubai Health Authority Unveils Healthcare for All
Everyone Living in Dubai Will Have Access to a Good, Affordable Health Service That Meets Their Basic Medical Needs.
June 2008: Cross-Ontario Homecare hearings: Three eminent panelists to gather stakeholders' input
Two well-respected health policy experts and the former mayor of Ottawa will be crossing the province this month to hear from patients, family members, seniors and advocacy groups on home care reform in Ontario:
June 2008: OMA encouraged by IMG announcement
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is encouraged by the government's announcement today of new legislative and regulatory initiatives that will be introduced to reduce barriers and make it easier for doctors educated outside Ontario and for internationally-trained physicians to practice in the province.
June 2008: New Public Peterborough Hospital Opening Sunday: OHC Report Shows Costs Dramatically Lower than P3 Hospitals
As the patients move into the brand new public Peterborough Hospital on Sunday June 8th a new Ontario Health Coalition report shows that it was completed at a fraction of the cost of the Private-Public Partnership (P3) Brampton William Osler Hospital and the P3 North Bay General Hospital. The report, "Cost Comparison Analysis of P3 Projects Versus Public Hospital" raises serious questions about the extraordinary cost of the privatized P3 hospitals and can be found at the OHC website at www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca.
June 2008: Canadians expected change, but Health Council of Canada says many hopes for health care renewal are not yet realized
Despite the nationwide commitment to build real and lasting change and the infusion of billions of dollars brought about by the 2003 Accord on Health Care Renewal, progress falls short of what could, and should, have been achieved by this time, says the Health Council of Canada's latest report to Canadians, Rekindling Reform: Health Care Renewal in Canada, 2003 to 2008.
June 2008: Allan Rock designated the University of Ottawa's 29th President and Vice-Chancellor
Allan Rock, PC, QC, LLB will become the 29th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa. His appointment is effective July 15, 2008.
June 2008: Saint Elizabeth Health Care Wins Healthcare Safety Award! (PDF)
The Canadian College of Health Service Executives (CCHSE) has created a new award which recognizes one leading health care organization that is committed to improving safety within the health care environment, through leadership, culture, best practices, innovation and change management.
June 2008: McGill researcher named CIHR Chair in Public Health
A McGill epidemiologist has been named to one of 14 new Chairs in Public Health funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and several partner agencies.
June 2008: Patient safety group introduces new medication cards
The Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety launched the free It’s Safe to Ask Medication Card today.
June 2008: Canadian researchers launch French-language web site
Obtaining up-to-the-minute, reliable, evidence-based information on autism just got easier for the 6.8 million Canadians whose first language is French.
June 2008: Best and brightest leukemia researchers receive $1-million from Cole Foundation
For the second year in a row, the Cole Foundation is awarding $1-million in fellowships to the most promising researchers studying pediatric leukemia and related diseases. The fellowships will enable these young scientists from the Université de Montréal, McGill University and the Institut Armand-Frappier to pursue their research.
June 2008: CMSA/The Compliance Team, Inc. Agreement on Accreditation Services (PDF)
The Canadian Medical Suppliers' Alliance has reached an agreement with The Compliance Team, Inc. (TCTinc), a nationally recognized healthcare accreditation organization based in Pennsylvania, to have TCTinc become the CMSA's official accreditation source.
June 2008: Hip and knee replacement patients
Hip and knee replacement surgery patients - who are often elderly - are at increased risk of developing potentially life-threatening thrombosis, or blood clots. Nevertheless, according to a study by Dr. Elham Rahme of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University, most patients in Quebec do not receive the recommended treatment to prevent a thrombosis. The study will be published June 3 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
June 2008: Ontario Tackles ER Waits With $109 Million Investment
Responding to challenges patients are facing in emergency rooms, the Ontario government is taking numerous coordinated steps to reduce wait times and improve patient satisfaction.
June 2008: St. Mary's Hospital goes live with Epic Systems' electronic medical record
At St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, it's goodbye paper charts and hello electronic medical records as the hospital successfully “went live” at midnight with the launch of its new EMR from Epic Systems.
June 2008: Woman says CAMC fired her because she spoke up about patient safety
A Fayette County woman has filed a suit against a local hospital, claiming she was fired because she raised concerns over patient safety issues.
June 2008: Superbug Stats Promised
Ontario will start publishing the number of C. difficile cases in the province by Sept. 30, Health Minister George Smitherman announced yesterday.
June 2008: Neuroscience diploma will have social and scientific impact
A new diploma program in neuroscience will teach York University graduate students about the biggest health care problem in the world – brain disease.
May 2008: New arthritis medication achieves fastest adoption ever recorded (PDF)
Celebrex, a new antiinflammatory medication has outpaced all recent new drug launches in Canada, according to figures released by IMS HEALTH.
May 2008: TBayTel Partners to Bring Innovative HealthCare Technologies to Northwestern Ontario
Better care for Northwestern Ontario patients through the use of Information Technology (IT) will result from a new collaboration of Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA) with TBayTel and Hydro One Telecom (HOT).
May 2008: Ryerson University names School of Nursing
Sheldon Levy, President of Ryerson University, today announced that the University is naming its School of Nursing in honour of Daphne Cockwell, recognizing her family's ongoing support for Ryerson and its Master Plan development.
May 2008: Physicians debate computerizing medical records
In 2003, President Bush said he wanted most Americans' medical records to be computerized within 10 years. The savings from moving away from paper could rise into the hundreds of millions a year, the president said. And electronic records can reduce medical errors, proponents said.
May 2008: Chiropractic College Garners First Jointly Funded Award From NCCAM/NIH-CIHR
The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) has received a landmark grant to investigate mechanotransduction - the manner in which physical treatment is communicated between tissues to achieve its effect.
May 2008: IntelliDOT® and Cisco Collaboration Delivers Wireless Innovation for Clinical Asset Location in Hospitals
IntelliDOT Corporation, a leading provider of wireless handheld, barcode point-of-care (BPOC) solutions to hospitals, today announced that it is collaborating with Cisco, the market leader of enterprise wireless LAN (WLAN) infrastructure, to develop a new mobile solution for clinical asset location in hospitals.
May 2008: IBM Canada subsidiary opens International Centre of Excellence to support information exchange between health systems
Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced it has created a Centre of Excellence in Quebec City to deliver a solution to facilitate the sharing of critical medical documents between physicians, clinics and hospitals around the world. Artefact Informatique, a division of LGS Group Inc., an IBM company, will be the exclusive global provider of the solution.
May 2008: Dr. Morag Park appointed new Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Cancer Research
Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR's Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Morag Park as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Cancer Research. This appointment is effective August 1, 2008.
May 2008: Dr. Nancy Edwards Appointed New Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Population and Public Health
Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with CIHR's Governing Council, announced today the appointment of Dr. Nancy Edwards as incoming Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH). This appointment is effective July 1, 2008.
May 2008: U of T Research Supports Ontario Ban on Cigarette Displays
Just weeks before Ontario implements a ban on the retail display of all tobacco products, new research from the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit at the University of Toronto shows that consumers have been bombarded by extensive tobacco promotion at point of sale.
May 2008: Two Senior VON Staff and Two VON Board Members Honoured with One-Time CNA Award (PDF)
VON Canada (Victorian Order of Nurses) is pleased to announce that Dr. Judith Shamian, President and CEO of VON Canada, and Dr. Sue Matthews, National Executive Director Disease Management, Ontario Vice President and Chief of Practice will both be awarded with the Canadian Nurses Association’s (CNA) Centennial Award.
May 2008: New Guidance on Advanced Practice Nursing from the International Council of Nurses
Today a number of nations are electing to introduce, prepare and support the advanced practice nurse (APN) as a provider of direct patient care within their health care systems.
May 2008: OUCH! 'Canadian kids missing vital vaccines'
Fewer Canadian children are getting the immunizations they need, putting themselves and others at much greater risk of contracting and spreading vaccine-preventable diseases. However, immigrant children are doing much better says new research from Ontario's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
May 2008: NIH Launches Undiagnosed Diseases Program (PDF)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced a new clinical research program that will aim to provide answers to patients with mysterious conditions that have long eluded diagnosis. Called the Undiagnosed Diseases Program, the trans-NIH initiative will focus on the most puzzling medical cases referred to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., by physicians across the nation.
May 2008: Vancouver Island Health Authority to Deploy MediSolution's Virtuo Revenue Cycle Management Solution
MediSolution Ltd. (TSX:MSH), today announced that Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), has purchased MediSolution's Virtuo Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) solution. The Virtuo RCM system will be implemented throughout the region's network of hospitals, clinics, centres, health units and residential facilities and will replace multiple legacy Account Receivable/Billing Systems. The contract includes over $700,000 in software licensing and professional services revenue and will be implemented over the next twelve months.
May 2008: VON Celebrates VON Week Across Canada (PDF)
Staff and volunteers from across the country will celebrate VON Week from May 18 - 24, 2008, incorporating this year’s theme “Stay @ home with VON™.”
May 2008: Ontario failing to meet chronic disease challenge
Ontario, like many parts of the world, is failing to meet the chronic disease challenge and needs to continue improving access to family doctors, the Ontario Health Quality Council (OHQC) said today in releasing its third annual report.
May 2008: International health professional associations present first-ever guidelines on incentives for health professionals
The world's leading health and hospital professional associations have joined to produce the first-ever joint guidelines on incentives for the retention and recruitment of health professionals.
May 2008: IBM and HIPAAT Team to Give Patients Control Over Personal Health Information Access
IBM (NYSE: IBM) and HIPAAT Inc. (HIPAAT), the leading provider of consent management solutions to the healthcare industry, are joining forces to bring innovative health-information privacy controls to patients and care providers everywhere.
May 2008: Evolution Leads to Name Change
The Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA) last night announced its new name, Accreditation Canada.
May 2008: Spending on Prescription Drugs Slows as Use of Generics Increases: New CIHI Report
A new report on prescription drug spending in Canada released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows spending on prescription drugs in Canada has slowed as the use of generic medicines has increased, Jim Keon, President of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA) said today.
May 2008: Report Reveals Inequalities in Access to Palliative Care
Ontario has made significant progress in case management as it is one of four jurisdictions that has policies for
24/7 access to these services; however, Ontario has fallen short in wait time management as it has a mechanism
to track wait times at the local level for individual services (e.g., nursing, home care), but it does not have a
mechanism to track wait times at the provincial level. In addition, Ontario covers the cost of pharmaceuticals
through both the provincial drug formulary and the exceptional drug status program.
May 2008: Keeping the Spirit Alive - CIHR experts comment on Aboriginal health concerns in light of Aboriginal Awareness Week
May 20 to 23 is Aboriginal Awareness Week. Experts at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research are dedicated to learning more about the health problems that afflict many Aboriginal people in Canada and to engaging Aboriginal communities in health research.
May 2008: New Board of Directors leads COACH for 2008-2009
Canada’s Health Informatics Association is pleased to announce its 2008-2009 Board of Directors, made up of professionals from across Canada who reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of the field.
May 2008: Kingston researchers repeat international nutrition survey for critically ill patients
Based on past successes, researchers at Kingston General Hospital will repeat an international survey designed to further improve upon nutrition therapies provided to critically ill patients in intensive care units around the world.
May 2008: Saint Elizabeth Health Care receives nursing awards
This year, the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO) honours Saint Elizabeth Health Care (SEHC) with its Employer of Excellence Award 2008.
May 2008: Evolution Leads to Name Change
The Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA) last night announced its new name, Accreditation Canada. Accreditation Canada more succinctly reflects the critical role it plays as the national leader in supporting and guiding the health sector in achieving quality and safety. The dedication and commitment to fostering quality health care remains and is clearly conveyed in the accompanying tag line - Driving Quality Health Services.
May 2008: $120 Million Goes to Ontario Health Research
Health researchers from Ontario universities are receiving over $120 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This funding was part of a national announcement made May 7 by the federal Health Minister Tony Clement of $298 million for 764 projects across Canada.
May 2008: Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing professor leads the way for ‘telepsychiatry’ by nurses to treat women with postpartum depression
Women suffering with postpartum depression may in future be able to receive psychotherapy from a specially trained nurse over the phone, eliminating barriers to treatment such as distance, time, or the availability of a psychologist or psychiatrist.
May 2008: The Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC Begins Search for Causes of Autism
Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years.
May 2008: Child abuse may ‘mark’ genes in the brains of suicide victims
A team of McGill University scientists has discovered important differences between the brains of suicide victims and so-called normal brains. Although the genetic sequence was identical in the suicide and non-suicide brains, there were differences in their epigenetic marking – a chemical coating influenced by environmental factors.
May 2008: Law Commission of Ontario Launches Public Consultation On the Law as it Affects Older Persons
The Law Commission of Ontario today launched a public consultation on the law as it affects older persons. This public consultation is the first stage of a larger project that is expected to develop a new approach to this area of the law.
May 2008: An MUHC team evaluates a new saliva-based HIV test to speed up detection
The usual waiting period for the results of a HIV test can seem like an eternity, especially in emergency situations where results are needed immediately. Also it requires a blood sample, which is invasive and often painful. Recognizing the urgent need for a faster and less invasive diagnostic method, Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, from Marina Klein’s research team at the MUHC has just finished testing a new saliva-based test that gives results in approximately 20 minutes! She describes her findings in an article that will appear in the May 6th, 2008 issue of PLoS Medicine (Public Library of Science, an open access publication).
May 2008: CHSRF names new CEO (PDF)
The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation today announced the appointment of Maureen O’Neil as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1st, 2008.
May 2008: McGill study links breastfeeding to increased intelligence
The largest randomized study of breastfeeding ever conducted reports that breastfeeding raises children’s IQs and improves their academic performance, a McGill researcher and his team have found.
May 2008: Brain malfunction possible cause of drug addiction
CIHR experts discuss addiction in light of Mental Health Week (May 4-10)
May 2008: uOttawa team awarded $1.5 million for the development of a new cell analysis technology
Genome Canada today announced an award of $1.5 million to a team of scientists from the University of Ottawa lead by proteomic specialist Dr. Daniel Figeys to refine a technology developed in his lab that enables the identification and measurement of infinitesimal amounts of proteins from living cells. One of the great challenges of biology is to analyze so-called ‘rare’ cells which normally exist in small populations in the body. Stem cells, which can generate any human tissue, are a good example of these rare cells. The University of Ottawa will work in partnership with National Research Council Canada (NRC) scientists at the Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences in Ottawa and at the Industrial Materials Institute in Montreal to further improve the prototype instrument called the ‘proteomic reactor’.
May 2008: Children's Mental Health Week is underway
One in five children and youth in Ontario will struggle with their mental health. That means more than 500,000 young people in this province will suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, bullying and eating disorders.
May 2008: St. Joseph’s Care Group in Thunder Bay purchases Consulting Cadre’s national rehabilitation reporting system (PDF)
Consulting Cadre International Inc., one of Canada’s leading healthcare solution providers, today announced that St. Joseph’s Care Group (SJCG), a Catholic healthcare organization committed to providing compassionate and holistic care and services to the people of Northwestern Ontario, has purchased its industry-leading Clarity Healthcare Solution for NRRS™, which will enable the organization to collect valuable health information more efficiently and improve such activities as Rehabilitation services planning.
May 2008: Who has the best brain in Canada?
High school students from across the country will compete for the title of "best brain in Canada" at the first CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee, testing their knowledge of neuroscience and their skill at patient diagnosis and neuroanatomy
May 2008: New Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise announces board members, vaccine targets
Scientific leaders from three of Canada's foremost public health vaccine research agencies will gather on the University of Saskatchewan campus tomorrow to officially launch the $25.5-million Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise (PREVENT), a new national vaccine commercialization consortium.
May 2008: Genetic breakthrough explains dangerously high blood glucose levels
Canadian, French and British researchers have identified a DNA sequence that controls the variability of blood glucose levels in people. This is a potentially significant discovery because high blood glucose levels in otherwise healthy people often are indications of heart disease and higher mortality rates. The results will be published May 1 in the online version of the journal Science.
May 2008: Physical activity, healthy eating and BMI not linked in older teens: study
Contrary to what many researchers expect, physically active older teens don’t necessarily eat a healthier diet than their less-active contemporaries.
May 2008: Industry leaders form task force to align on electronic health record standards
Focused on the acceleration of electronic health records, industry leaders from Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), Canadian Healthcare Information Technology Trade Association (CHITTA, the Health Division of Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)), and the Association of Health Technology Industry (AITS) announced today they have formed a task force to accelerate and promote the transition to a new set of pan-Canadian health information technology standards.
May 2008: Capital Health opens Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute
The first heart institute in Western Canada, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, officially opened today in Edmonton. The institute will bring together some of the world’s leading heart specialists and researchers to combat all aspects of heart disease.
May 2008: World first: researchers develop completely automated anesthesia system
Researchers at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have performed the world’s first totally automated administration of an anesthetic. Nicknamed “McSleepy,” the new system developed by the researchers administers drugs for general anesthesia and monitors their separate effects completely automatically, with no manual intervention.
April 2008: Nova Scotia answers the call of cancer patients for colorectal cancer screening and access to Avastin
The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) congratulates the Ministry of Health of Nova Scotia's on its commitment to fund colorectal cancer screening in the province. "Screening is at the heart of our prevention policy and we believe that it will ultimately not only reduce the mortality rate from the disease, but improve outcomes for those already touched by it, said Barry D. Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC).
April 2008: The National Physician Survey 2007 Results Are In
With newly added data from the 2007 survey, new website of the National Physician Survey (NPS) will help you learn even more about what physicians in Canada are doing in their practices as they respond to societal needs, personal and professional interests.
April 2008: St. Paul's Hospital Opens B.C.'s First One-Stop Thyroid Clinic
St. Paul's Hospital has opened the doors to British Columbia's first clinic dedicated to the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancers and thyroid hormone disorders.
April 2008: HIMSS President Slams PHRs: I Wonder Why?
According to an interview in the WSJ Health Blog, Steve Leiber, the chief executive of HIMSS, is nervous about personal health records (PHRs).
April 2008: Scientists Form International Cancer Genome Consortium
Research organizations around the world announced today that they are launching the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), a collaboration designed to generate high-quality genomic
data on up to 50 types of cancer through efforts projected to require up to a0 decade. The ICGC, which is extending an invitation to all nations to participate, will make its data rapidly and freely available to the global research community.
April 2008: Clinical IT system for QU students
Qatar University (QU) announced that it will use the Cerner Academic Education Solution to teach students enrolled in its pharmacy programme how to work with an Electronic Medical Record.
April 2008: Misys Healthcare Enhances Misys MyWay with Evidence-Based Clinical Content
Misys Healthcare Systems, a market leader in healthcare IT, announced that it will enhance Misys MyWay™, its physician-friendly electronic medical record (EMR), for targeted use within specialty medical practices through a contract with Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information for professionals and students in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.
April 2008: New study measures links between mental health, youth delinquency and criminal behaviour
Mental health factors, such as one's level of self-esteem or ability to handle stress, are linked to whether or not a young Canadian will display delinquent behaviour or become involved in criminal activity. According to a new study from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), youth aged 12 to 13 who reported hyperactivity and depression were more likely to report high levels of aggressive behaviour, as well as high levels of delinquent acts involving property.
April 2008: Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA) Captures Three Coveted Communication Awards (PDF)
SSHA’s GET CAUGHT! Privacy and Security Awareness campaign has won a prestigious 2008 Gold Quill Award, presented by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), as well as two IABC Toronto Ovation awards.
April 2008: Predicting breast cancer patient outcome: MUHC researchers identify new genes (PDF)
New studies from a team of researchers from the Research Institute of the MUHC and McGill University show that the environment surrounding breast cancer cells plays a crucial role in determining whether tumor cells grow and migrate or whether they fade away. Their study is the first to identify the genes behind this environmental control and correlate them with patient outcome.
April 2008: Neoteric "Smart" Refrigerator Improves Patient Safety in Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre OR (PDF)
Neoteric Technology Ltd and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre today announce that the hospital is the first institution in North America to implement Neoteric’s BloodTrack® OnDemand blood dispensing system. The system could be described as a high-tech vending machine that immediately provides users with the blood product they need, eliminating the need to wait for blood services to fill the order.
April 2008: Eighty per cent of European GPs using e-records
A new Europe-wide survey on e-health has found that 87% of European GPs now use a computer, 80% of whom are using electronic patient records. The survey, which involved almost 7,000 General Practitioners, was carried out in late 2007.
April 2008: Port Huron Hospital Proud of Its Dedication To Safety
Port Huron Hospital was notified in February that it is ranked in the top 5% of hospitals in the nation for patient safety by one of the most prominent online health data organizations. The hospital also recently received the Governor's Award for Excellence for Patient Safety.
April 2008: Alberta Tories Triumph Despite Health Woes
Alberta's Tories went into last month's election with the threat of potentially losing their parliamentary majority looming over their heads. But by the time the last votes were tallied, it had become clear that no such thing would happen.
April 2008: First Ever Tool Helps Hospitals Assure That Their Computerized Prescribing Systems Are Effective
With the recently released 2008 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, The Leapfrog Group becomes the first health care quality organization to add a way for hospitals to be certain that their computerized medication prescribing systems are actually catching common, serious errors.
April 2008: Docs urged to disclose errors to patients
'Sorry' isn't a word overheard very often in the wards of Canada's hospitals, says the head of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), Philip Hassen. But it should be. A former hospital CEO, Mr Hassen has often seen patients injured by adverse events litigate simply because they weren't properly informed by doctors about what happened. So, on March 18, the CPSI launched the first-ever set of national guidelines instructing physicians on how to properly talk to patients and their families about adverse events.
April 2008: British Columbia’s Health Authorities Promote Patient-focused Innovation
British Columbia’s two largest health authorities, Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health, will partner in a $75-million Lower Mainland Innovation and Integration Fund to encourage new patient-focused funding models that will support patient access – a government initiative announced in the 2008 throne speech.
April 2008: Children Make More Than One Million Visits a Year to Ontario Emergency Departments
Children made up one-quarter of all visitors to Ontario emergency rooms in 2005-06, a newly-released report shows. This represents more than one million visits made by about 685,000 children, according to a new analysis by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
April 2008: First Nationwide Climate Change Survey of Public Health Departments Shows Lack of Resources for Dealing with Health Challenge
Climate change is a concern to most local public health directors but few have resources to tackle the problem, according to a national survey conducted by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and George Mason University.
April 2008: Prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Presented to Mercy Health System (PDF)
Mercy Health System was honored with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in separate ceremonies with President George W. Bush and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez. The award, given by the US Department of Commerce, is the United States’ highest Presidential honor for quality and organizational performance excellence.
April 2008: New Zealand Delivers Personalized and Affordable, High Quality Medical Care for North American 'Medical Tourists'
New Zealand emerges as one of the most affordable options for Americans and Canadians seeking medical care and treatment in a first world environment where English is the primary language, reports Medtral New Zealand, a health care organization based in New Zealand.
April 2008: Health Services Are Failing Women: York U Report (PDF)
A report released by researchers at York and Carleton universities highlights critical deficits in women’s equal access to health services.
The report, “Contradictions: Health Equity and Women’s Health Services in Toronto,” documents changes to women’s health services in Toronto from 1990 – 2007, focusing on the barriers to accessing health services that women face as a result of current methods of financing, organizing and delivering health care.
April 2008: Dr. Ian Stiell, uOttawa, Reports on a Paramedic Study on The Critical Role of Basic Life Support
Patients with major traumatic injuries fare just as well if they are given Basic Life Support (BLS) by paramedics than if they are given Advanced Life Support (ALS), according to the Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) study. The results, published in the April 22, 2008 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, also suggest that BLS is better than ALS for a subset of patients with the most severe injuries.
April 2008: Credit Valley Webmaster Honoured For Excellence in Health Care Communications (PDF)
The Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA) is pleased to announce that The Credit Valley Hospital has been awarded a first place Hygeia Award in the website category for the hospital website at www.cvh.on.ca.
April 2008: Credit Valley Media Services Producer Honoured For Excellence in Health Care Communications (PDF)
The Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA) is pleased to announce that The Credit Valley Hospital has been awarded a first place Hygeia Award in the Multimedia category for its animated/live action paediatric pre-surgery video, “Kids in the Hospital: Vivi and Her Operation”. Media Services Producer, Arthur Uyeyama oversaw the development and implementation of the production and received the first place award.
April 2008: Mutation in human gene helps protect against fatal malaria (PDF)
New research suggests that not everyone who is bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito develops life threatening health problems according to scientists at the University of Toronto.
April 2008: Cancer cells spread by releasing "bubbles", according to an MUHC study (PDF)
A new fundamental mechanism of how tumour cells communicate has just been discovered by the team of Dr. Janusz Rak at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in collaboration with Dr Guha from the University of Toronto.
April 2008: International Medical Graduates Get Boost From British Columbia (PDF)
Health Minister George Abbott announced a program that will help internationally educated physicians better navigate the health system.
April 2008: The Alberta government launches aggressive action plan to make public health system more efficient
The Alberta government will take action on a wide range of initiatives aimed at system reform to improve access to health services and make the province’s health care system more efficient and effective.
April 2008: Empowering consumers with their health records - Canada to take a close look at PHRs (PDF)
As the Internet has enabled consumers to manage important aspects of their personal lives from the relative comfort of their home, it is no surprise that Canadians are becoming increasingly intrigued by the prospect of being able to view and manage their health information using emerging personal health
records (PHR) technologies.
April 2008: Three Canadians given prestigious Gairdner awards
The Gairdner Foundation has awarded the 2008 Gairdner Awards for medical research to three CIHR-funded researchers. Among the awardees are Dr. Nahum Sonenberg, Dr. Samuel Weiss and Dr. Alan Bernstein.
April 2008: Government Of Canada Announces Next Important Steps To Improve Drinking Water In First Nations Communities
The Government of Canada announced the next steps in its plan to improve the delivery of clean, safe drinking water in First Nations communities. The announcement builds on the significant progress made since the Government first launched its Plan of Action in March 2006, which has resulted in 108 of the total 193 First Nation water systems being removed from a high risk category.
April 2008: World-class HITS course now available in Canada
Canadian healthcare workers now have a premier resource – the Health Informatics Training System (HITS) online course – to help them understand the basics of information and communications technology in healthcare and its contribution to administrative and clinical best practice. HITS is all about understanding information and technology to support better care.
April 2008: New Aboriginal Focussed Hospital for Sioux Lookout
Ontario has given the official go ahead to Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) to move its new hospital construction project forward. Calls for construction contract bids will soon get underway.
April 2008: Hospital Funding Boost for Toronto Central LHIN Hospitals
More surgeries, lower wait times and faster access to Emergency Department care are being targeted with a $111.3 million boost for Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) hospitals -
a 3.5 per cent increase over last year. This total includes a base funding increase for all hospitals and additional post-construction operating and wait times funding.
April 2008: Dr. Peter Walker to develop medical school proposal at York
Peter Walker, the former Dean of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, has been named a Special Advisor to York University President Mamdouh Shoukri to generate a comprehensive proposal toward establishing a medical school at York.
April 2008: McGill scientist named one of world’s best
Distinguished McGill University researcher Dr. Nahum Sonenberg’s outstanding contributions to the field of medical science have been recognized with the Gairdner International Award, one of the most prestigious awards in all of science.
April 2008: Bayshore Home Health awarded funding from OMH to support project aimed at improving Nurses' access to information resources
Bayshore Home Health has been awarded funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to participate in a pilot project that will provide 60 computer tablets to its nurses who are
delivering care to clients of the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health
Integration Network (LHIN).
April 2008: Partnership To Rebuild BC Children's Hospital
BC Premier Gordon Campbell joined mining executive Don Lindsay today to announce plans to rebuild BC Children's Hospital. Lindsay, who is President and CEO of BC-based Teck Cominco Ltd., participated in the announcement as Chair of the Campaign for BC Children, a $200-million fundraising initiative launched today by BC Children's Hospital Foundation to support the construction of a new Acute Care Centre.
April 2008: Funding Boost For Ontario Hospitals
New beds, more surgeries, and lower wait times are being targeted with a $667.2 million funding boost for Ontario hospitals - a 4.9 per cent increase over last year.
This investment includes increases in base funding to all hospitals as well as $295 million in targeted funding to help Ontario hospitals deliver shorter wait times and improved access to quality health care.
April 2008: Long-term Care Facilities Access Services Through Telehealth
A pilot project is connecting three long-term care facilities through the province's Telehealth network to improve Nova Scotians' access to health-care services, announced Health Minister Chris d'Entremont.
April 2008: B.C. introduces law governing access, privacy of e-records
British Columbians will soon be able to use their computers to view their health records, Health Minister George Abbott said Thursday after introducing legislation governing access and privacy for electronic health information databases.
British Columbia became the first province in Canada to create a legislative framework with specific provisions to address access and protection of electronic health information.
April 2008: Health Canada and NAHO Launch Innovative Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Web Site
The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, was joined by the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) CEO Dr. Paulette Tremblay to unveil a new Web site to help combat suicide among Aboriginal youth. Called the Honouring Life Network, the site is targeted at both Aboriginal youth and suicide prevention workers in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
April 2008: CADTH welcomes Federal Government response to Standing Committee on Health report on the Common Drug Review
The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) gratefully acknowledges the Government of Canada's support and recognition of the vital role of the Common Drug Review (CDR) in the health care system contained in its response to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health's report on the CDR.
April 2008: Experts sound alarm on drug-approval plan
The federal government moved to meet intense pressure to get new drugs on the market faster while maintaining rigorous safety requirements, but health experts warned that Canadians could be exposed to medicines that are approved too quickly to ensure safety. Under sweeping new changes, drug companies only have to prove that benefit of product outweighs the harm.
April 2008: ICUs begin to adopt patient safety checklists
Following the lead of pilots who follow a point-by-point checklist before they take off, hospitals are developing ICU checklists to reduce the number of mistakes they make when treating critically ill patients.
April 2008: Health statistics a public right
There are few institutions in a community more important than its hospitals. For the most part, Canadians get the best of care when they enter their hospital. But sometimes, things go wrong. When they do, we, as patients and members of the public, should have free and easy access to such information.
In Ontario, unfortunately, hospitals are exempt from freedom of information laws, making them one of the few public institutions exempt from such scrutiny.
April 2008: The clock is ticking: climate change will cost us our health if we don't act now, says medical community
The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) today released a research review that examines the direct and indirect effects of climate change on the health of Canadians, and warns about the onslaught of impending health problems that climate change brings. The report is titled "Addressing the Health Effects of Climate Change: Family Physicians Are Key".
April 2008: New Report Looks at ALC in Rehab (PDF)
A report from the GTA Rehab Network extends the picture of Alternate Level of Care (ALC) beyond acute care and into rehabilitation hospitals with new 2008 survey data.
The survey found that four percent of occupied rehab beds and 14.5 percent of complex continuing care beds used for Low Tolerance Long Duration (LTLD) rehab are occupied by patients who are waiting for an alternate level of care. The report also found that there is no standardized definition of ALC for rehabilitation, significantly limiting the tracking o data across the system.
April 2008: Senate Subcommittee Issues Two Reports on Persistent Health Disparities in Canada
The Senate Subcommittee on Population Health has released its third and fourth interim reports on its study of the determinants of health. Building on its findings of the international community’s approach to population health, the Subcommittee has furthered its study by outlining the existing federal, provincial and territorial approaches to population health strategy, and turned an eye to its final report in an issues an options paper.
April 2008: New interventions to improve patient safety: National campaign expands reach to other healthcare settings
Four new interventions to improve patient safety will be launched at a National Conference in Winnipeg today, as part of the Safer Healthcare Now! (SHN) campaign and its partner campaign in Quebec - Together, Let's Improve Healthcare Safety. The SHN campaign was initially launched in April 2005, with six interventions to reduce death and injury to patients in acute-care settings. Two of the four new interventions will focus on residents in facilities providing long-term care and two pilot projects will be undertaken specific to reducing potential adverse drug events in home care and paediatric settings.
April 2008: The Mental Health Commission of Canada supports pediatric mental health report
The Honourable Michael Kirby, Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) expressed his support today for the new recommendations on pediatric mental health put forward in the Reaching for the Top report on children's health and wellness in Canada.
April 2008: MUHC cardiologist played instrumental role in identifying key predictor for cardiovascular disease
The American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology today recognized the key importance of an additional predictor of cardiovascular disease- a protein called apolipoprotein B (apoB). In a statement in the April edition of the scientific journal Diabetes Care, the two major American healthcare organizations recommend patients' levels of apoB should henceforth be considered the key index of the adequacy of LDL lowering therapy. Until now, the level of LDL-cholesterol has been used for this purpose.
April 2008: Technology Provider CDW Canada Promotes Mary AnnYule to General Manager (PDF)
CDW Canada, a leading provider of technology solutions for Canadian organizations in the private and public sector, today announced the appointment and promotion of Mary Ann Yule to General Manager. In this role, Yule is responsible for driving business growth and national brand recognition for CDW Canada through the development and execution of strategic business initiatives.
March 2008: New report examines the factors that affect acute care hospitalization costs
A new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) looks at the average costs of a wide range of treatments and procedures performed during acute care hospital stays for typical patients, and some of the reasons these costs can vary from patient to patient.
March 2008: UOIT Faculty of Health Sciences announces significant government funding as it launches new research unit
Group will focus on improved health sciences education, simulation teachingand health-care collaboration and partnerships
March 2008: Collaborative research database to benefit complementary and alternative medicine
The McGill University Health Centre Research Institute and the University of Calgary in collaboration with Centennial College are launching the first-ever searchable database of outcome measures intended for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers - the IN-CAM Outcomes Database. This innovative initiative promises to improve the quality and the range of CAM research that will lead to more effective treatments in the future.
March 2008: Think America's healthcare system is the world's best? Think again
It is hard to fathom how un-American the U.S. healthcare system has become.
March 2008: Manitoba signs on for province-wide use of COACH Privacy Guidelines
Canada has moved another step closer to the broad and consistent application of best practices in the collection, use and disclosure of sensitive personal health information through a new three-year agreement between COACH: Canada’s Health Informatics Association and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Manitoba eHealth. This agreement enables the use and distribution of the COACH Guidelines for the Protection of Health Information across the entire Manitoba provincial health care system.
March 2008: Cells from the Research Institute of the MUHC on the road to China
The diabetes epidemic is devastating many areas of the world. In China, approximately 20 million people suffer from the disease - and the number keeps growing. To meet this massive health challenge, the Chinese government is encouraging researchers from all over the world to collaborate with Chinese scientists in the development of effective diabetes therapies.
March 2008: U of T Research Finds Glycine Could Be Key to REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder
There is new promise on the horizon for those who suffer from REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD) according to researchers at the University of Toronto.
March 2008: Rouge Valley approves deficit elimination plan (PDF)
Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) will maintain its two 24/7/365 emergency departments, key hospital services and volumes, and complete its three construction projects as it prepares to meet balanced budget legislation.
March 2008: Agfa HealthCare chosen to drive New Brunswick e-Health Program
Diagnostic imaging repository powered by Agfa HealthCare gives healthcare providers secure access to vital patient information, regardless of location
March 2008: The Cost of Acute Care Hospital Stays by Medical Condition in Canada: 2004-2005
This report on the cost of acute care hospital stays by medical condition uses Canadian administrative data to answer the key questions related to total hospital costs for acute care inpatients.
March 2008: Sentinel Events: New JCI Book Helps Hospitals Learn Strategies for Preventing Them
A health care organization’s first aim is to do no harm. However, when a sentinel event (an unexpected event involving death or serious physical injury) or adverse event (an unanticipated, undesirable, or potentially dangerous occurrence in a health care organization) occurs, an opportunity to learn and prevent future recurrences— without blaming those caregivers involved with the error—presents itself.
March 2008: Bridgepoint Makes Healthy Decisions with BI
SAS, the leader in business intelligence and predictive analytics, announced today that Bridgepoint Health, Canada’s first health care organization dedicated solely to the prevention and management of Complex Chronic Disease, has chosen its business intelligence software to help transform the way managers solve problems and make more informed decisions about the patients they serve.
March 2008: Guidelines aim to cut medical errors
The first-ever national guidelines to help hospitals and health care professionals disclose medical errors to patients and their families are being rolled out today by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.
March 2008: Senator addresses patient safety
Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City), Chair of the Senate Health Committee, is pictured here addressing North Shore- LIJ's recent "Partnering for Patient Safety" conference. The program coincided with National Patient Safety Awareness Week in March and focused on fostering open communication and trust between healthcare providers and the public.
March 2008: Far ahead in implementing electronic medical records
Information technology is transforming the healthcare industry across national and geographic borders. HealthTech Wire talked to Chip Means, editor of Healthcare IT News Europe, about the differences between the European and US healthcare markets | | | |
RSS Feeds