Discussions

In the late 1970s—faced with their income declining against inflation—pockets of physicians were extra-billing patients directly for money beyond what they received from provincial health plans.

The fact that the government has given homeopathic remedies product numbers does not give pharmacists a moral obligation to sell them.

Exercise is good for you. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Stop smoking. Drink less alcohol. Such messages abound in public health campaigns and there is a firm belief that they will ultimately change behaviour. This is based on the assumption that individuals are motivated to change behaviours to reduce their individual health risks. But according to a study by Statistics Canada, this is not the case.

The Russian specialist engineer (who can fix the plane to take the team home) is not due to Punta Arenas until Saturday… Apparently he has to be really small so he can fit in the engine—I kid you not—to repair the part. So even if the situation is perfect and he repairs the plane Saturday (Jan. 19), they test it, and the weather holds, the soonest we can get in will be Sunday. But in truth, no one is expecting it to go that smoothly.

Union Glacier is having an unexpected wind storm, with winds at 40 knots per hour and gusting higher. The clouds are stunning because of the high winds. These are called lenticular clouds. They look like a painter took a big thick brush, dabbed it in white paint and then just dabbed at the sky. People are really whooping it up and enjoying the incredibly windy day. There are a lot of kites in the air and some are actually practising their kite skiing. It is totally wild here.

Canada Health Infoway has established a pan-Canadian Clinician Peer Support Network Program. The initiative brings together natural leaders – physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care providers – to work closely with their peers, helping them achieve clinical value through effective use of health information and communication technology.

Although heart transplant recipient Dale Shippam is the most remarkable ambassador for organ donation and an inspiration to us all, my personal motivation for this trip changed on Dec. 16, 2012.