By Livio Di Matteo access to health care, budgets, Canada, Canada Health Transfer, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, global budgets, Health care costs and spending, Health policy, health promotion
A version of this commentary appeared in the Hill Times, Huffington Post, and the Canadian Healthcare Network The last few years have seen some dramatic changes to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), which in 2017-18 will total $37.150 billion — no small figure. The Harper era saw the move to a full per capita funding formula without […]
By Michelle Kho aging, aging population, critically ill, exercise, Fitness, frailty, health promotion, hospital stays, therapeutic bicycles
In-bed cycling in critical care units could be a way to improve patient health and save money A version of this commentary appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, the Huffington Post and Vancouver Province Frail and critically ill patients can safely bike in the intensive care unit, even early in their ICU stay. These are the […]
By Livio Di Matteo access to health care, budgets, Canada, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, global budgets, Health care costs and spending, Health policy, health promotion
The recent negotiations between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario Government highlight the complex relationship between physicians and health spending.
Many patients with chronic health conditions also have mental health issues that go undiagnosed and untreated
By Paul Kurdyak and Sanjeev Sockalingam Canada, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, Choosing wisely, dépression, education, Health care costs, health care inequities, health promotion, inefficiency, Mental health, mental health strategy, mental illness, poverty
Our health system often divides mental health from physical health into distinct silos of care and treatment, yet no such mind-body duality exists in actual patients.
By Jan Hux Canada, children, children's health, diabetes, diabetic child, drugs, education, epidemic, health promotion, pre-diabetes, public school system, public schools, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes
Summer is a time to put thoughts of school aside, but some families are already worrying about September. For parents of kids with diabetes, the beginning of each new school year brings not only the usual preparations, but also fears for their child’s health and safety.
By Paul Kurdyak and Sanjeev Sockalingam Canada, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, Choosing wisely, dépression, education, Health care costs, health care inequities, health promotion, inefficiency, Mental health, mental health strategy, mental illness, poverty
In any developed country, politicians and clinicians are struggling to improve quality of care while reducing costs of healthcare systems.
By Livio Di Matteo and Greg Marchildon access to health care, activity-based funding, budgets, Canada, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, global budgets, Health care costs and spending, Health policy, health promotion
Canadian economists received a pleasant surprise this year: expenditure growth on public healthcare in Canada finally appears to be slowing down. However, it is unclear if this slowdown is the result of explicit success in sustainably bending the cost-curve or more short-term cost-cutting in response to slower economic growth or future federal health transfers.
By John Millar and Mélanie Meloche-Holubowski calories, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, front-of-packaging logos, health, Health Canada, health promotion, menu labels, New Years Resolutions, nutrition, nutrition facts table, Nutritional label, product labels, serving sizes, standardized labelling
As January comes to an end, those who vowed to eat better in 2015 have probably already given up. Not very surprising, considering that most people grossly underestimate the amount of calories they consume, and underestimate their fat, salt and sugar consumption, even after consulting nutrition labels.
By Joel Lexchin and Barbara Mintzes advertsising, Canadian health care, Canadian healthcare system, drugs, Health Canada, health promotion, Lipitor ad, pharmaceutical ads, Pharmaceutical advertising, Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical policies in Canada, Pharmaceutical policy, prescription drug, promoting drugs, Viagra ad
A handsome man struts over to the office water cooler with a smirk on his face. When his colleagues ask about his weekend, he replies enthusiastically, with audio muted. A large blue pill appears with the tagline, “Viagra, Ask Your Doctor.” Vibrant, energetic older people are shown swimming, bowling and having a good time. With a twinkle in their eye, they suggest the viewer “ask your doctor” about Celebrex.
By Jan Hux Canada, daily food intake, diabetes, drugs, education, epidemic, first nations, genetics, health promotion, North Karelia, nutrition, Obesity, Obesity prevention, physical fitness, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, walkability, walkable neighbourhood, weight reduction
Journalist H.L. Mencken wrote that “for every complex problem there is a solution that is clear, simple and wrong.” That observation aptly describes a prevailing attitude toward type 2 diabetes, which characterizes diabetes as a problem that could clearly be fixed if people would simply move more and eat less.