Healthcare

Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: New hospital program helps Toronto’s homeless, cuts ambulance offload times

Stand-alone clinic provides space for people to recover from intoxication

Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Dr. Eiko Waida, a pediatric physician at VJH, says a second CT scanner is needed to reduce wait times and improve health care. (VJH Foundation photo)
Dr. Eiko Waida, a pediatric physician at VJH, says a second CT scanner is needed to reduce wait times and improve health care. (VJH Foundation photo)
Physician assistants are valued members of the health-care system in many provinces in Canada, but not in B.C. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

Physician assistants improve health care in provinces that recognize them; B.C. doesn’t

‘It’s a waste of a resource. I could see hundreds of patients right in this area…’

Physician assistants are valued members of the health-care system in many provinces in Canada, but not in B.C. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
Briana Greer (left) in Terrace with her mother, Sheila Myshrall, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. (Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Terrace Standard)
Anyone wishing to donate would need to call Vancouver General Hospital and mention Sheila Myshrall’s name. (Black Press Media file photo)

Daughter hopes for ‘Christmas miracle’ as B.C. mom’s kidney fails

Briana Greer hopes to save mom on B.C. kidney waiting list

Briana Greer (left) in Terrace with her mother, Sheila Myshrall, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. (Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Terrace Standard)
Anyone wishing to donate would need to call Vancouver General Hospital and mention Sheila Myshrall’s name. (Black Press Media file photo)
FILE - British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on April 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

‘Major breach’ of B.C. health-care data could happen without anyone noticing: report

Vulnerabilities at PHSA have existed uncorrected since 2019, says info and privacy commissioner

FILE - British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on April 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Preethi Krishnan, right, holds her daughter Sudha, as her husband, Ashok Narasimhan, holds twin sister Shraddha in this undated handout photo. The couple took comfort in seeing their premature babies in hospital in between daily visits, thanks to cameras installed at the infants’ bedsides at Richmond Hospital. (Contributed to Canadian Press by Preethi Krishnan)

Cameras at babies’ bedsides in B.C. neonatal intensive care unit comfort parents

‘It was not an easy thing, just to leave them and come home, then sleep and go again’

Preethi Krishnan, right, holds her daughter Sudha, as her husband, Ashok Narasimhan, holds twin sister Shraddha in this undated handout photo. The couple took comfort in seeing their premature babies in hospital in between daily visits, thanks to cameras installed at the infants’ bedsides at Richmond Hospital. (Contributed to Canadian Press by Preethi Krishnan)
Physician assistants are valued members of other provinces’ healthcare systems, but the B.C. government does not recognize their qualifications. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

Military and university-trained physician assistants rejected by B.C.’s health system

They are ready and willing, but due to provincial policies, these healthcare workers are not able

Physician assistants are valued members of other provinces’ healthcare systems, but the B.C. government does not recognize their qualifications. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
Registered nurse Lee-Anne Williams, centre, confers with colleagues in the intensive care unit at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: How one Canadian pediatric hospital’s ICU was saved from near collapse

The ICU – currently filled mostly by children – has been over capacity for the last month

Registered nurse Lee-Anne Williams, centre, confers with colleagues in the intensive care unit at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
FILE-First Nations Health Authority deputy chief medical officer Dr. Nel Wieman speaks during a press conference at B.C. Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Cultural safety standard will force accountability in B.C. health care for Indigenous peoples

New guide comes alongside findings of widespread anti-Indigenous racism

  • Dec 12, 2022
FILE-First Nations Health Authority deputy chief medical officer Dr. Nel Wieman speaks during a press conference at B.C. Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Aa patient receives an influenza vaccine in Mesquite, Texas, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. At least five children died in British Columbia from influenza last month alone, a rise that comes as an early season of respiratory illnesses adds strain to the beleaguered health-care system.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/LM Otero

Children’s deaths from influenza up in B.C., with five mortalities last month

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, an average of five to six kids died per flu season across Canada

Aa patient receives an influenza vaccine in Mesquite, Texas, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. At least five children died in British Columbia from influenza last month alone, a rise that comes as an early season of respiratory illnesses adds strain to the beleaguered health-care system.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/LM Otero
St. Paul’s hospital in Vancouver is shown on April 29, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. doctors ratify new agreement that includes pay increase, more rural funding

3-year agreement includes better after-hours pay, more rural funding, shift toward primary care

St. Paul’s hospital in Vancouver is shown on April 29, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Daily hospital visits continue to increase in B.C. as cases of respiratory illness surge among kids. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

B.C. hospital visits up about 200 cases a day amid influenza surge

Province one third of the way through its flu season, Dr. Bonnie Henry says

Daily hospital visits continue to increase in B.C. as cases of respiratory illness surge among kids. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
(Kimberley Kaseweter, PhD./ Submitted)

Healthcare workers with psychopathic tendencies less willing to help patients in pain: UBCO study

Psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy and manipulative or antisocial behaviour

(Kimberley Kaseweter, PhD./ Submitted)
(File photo: Tom Zytaruk)

Promised new SFU Surrey medical school to be ready by 2026, B.C. announces

Province announced new injection of up to $4.9 million on Nov. 28

(File photo: Tom Zytaruk)
B.C. Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced changes Nov. 27 to how internationally-trained doctors can practice in B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. opens doors to more internationally-trained doctors with new changes

Province tripling spots in licensing program, expediting process for U.S. physicians

B.C. Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced changes Nov. 27 to how internationally-trained doctors can practice in B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
West Kelowna Fire Service has responded to nearly 1,500 medical calls so far in 2022. (Black Press file photo)

West Kelowna Fire Service answering the call more often due to B.C. ambulance woes

‘There is absolutely no question we are doing more medical calls than we ever have’

West Kelowna Fire Service has responded to nearly 1,500 medical calls so far in 2022. (Black Press file photo)
Vancouver naturopath Dr. Jordan Atkinson has been suspended and fined, after he admitted to failing to fully document one patient’s medical records. (Credit: Pixabay/DarkoStojanovic)

Vancouver naturopath suspended after patient says he failed to detect their tumor

Dr. Jordan Atkinson was treating his patient for hemorrhoids at the time

Vancouver naturopath Dr. Jordan Atkinson has been suspended and fined, after he admitted to failing to fully document one patient’s medical records. (Credit: Pixabay/DarkoStojanovic)
FILE - A sign requiring masks seen on a storefront in February 2022. Four groups in B.C. are calling on the province to re-introduce a mask mandate, in an open letter published Nov. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Should B.C. reintroduce mask mandate? Groups pen open letter to province

Province says it’s not considering it at this time

FILE - A sign requiring masks seen on a storefront in February 2022. Four groups in B.C. are calling on the province to re-introduce a mask mandate, in an open letter published Nov. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
FILE - The Amazon logo is displayed on a screen at the Nasdaq MarketSite, July 27, 2018. Amazon is stepping back into virtual care with a new service that uses secure messaging to connect patients with doctors for help with nearly two dozen conditions. The retail giant said Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, it will launch Amazon Clinic in 32 states to provide medication refills and care for conditions like allergies, erectile disfunction, hair loss, and urinary tract infections. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Amazon plans new virtual care offering based on messaging

Amazon is stepping back into virtual care with new services including Amazon pharmacy

FILE - The Amazon logo is displayed on a screen at the Nasdaq MarketSite, July 27, 2018. Amazon is stepping back into virtual care with a new service that uses secure messaging to connect patients with doctors for help with nearly two dozen conditions. The retail giant said Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, it will launch Amazon Clinic in 32 states to provide medication refills and care for conditions like allergies, erectile disfunction, hair loss, and urinary tract infections. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
Frank Duralia, 82, waited in a hospital bed at the Boundary District Hospital in Grand Forks with a broken hip for 59 hours before an ambulance transported him to Trail for surgery. (Credit: Marion Duralia)

‘Excruciating pain’: B.C. man waited 59 hours with broken hip for ambulance transfer

Rural hospital lost its in-patient services in March due to a staffing shortage

Frank Duralia, 82, waited in a hospital bed at the Boundary District Hospital in Grand Forks with a broken hip for 59 hours before an ambulance transported him to Trail for surgery. (Credit: Marion Duralia)