Author | Lightnews

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Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 4d

Wrote a thing canadahealthwatch.ca/newsletter/2...

Health promises walked back in run-up to Carney’s first budget

The federal Health Minister said it’s “impossible” to release the $4B promised for health projects, for now.

canadahealthwatch.ca

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 4d

@cmadocs.bsky.social had left the World Medical Association 7 years ago after alleging the WMA had plagiarized a speech by the CMA president.

Canadian Medical Association @cmadocs.bsky.social · 4d

The CMA has rejoined the World Medical Association giving physicians a voice on global health issues - from AI in health care to medical aid in conflict zones.
Learn more about the CMA's role at the WMA 👇

CMA rejoins World Medical Association: Two CMA past presidents to lead Canadian delegation

At its General Assembly in Porto, Portugal, earlier this month, the CMA was officially ratified as a member of the World Medical Association (WMA), giving Canada’s physicians a voice on global issues from AI in health care to medical aid in conflict zones.

bit.ly

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Swapnil Hiremath 🍁🇨🇦 @hswapnil.medsky.social · 6d

A more sensible take in the CBC apple.news/Av1E3jdIHR6C... (with no byline)

Is it effective?
When someone is diagnosed with dementia, a common fear is losing the ability to stay independent, said Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatrician and clinician scientist at Sinai Health and the University Health Network in Toronto.
"Right now, it takes about 18 months before you might notice some sort of significant difference," Sinha said.
It's estimated 750,000 Canadians live with dementia and about 500,000 of them have a diagnosis, said Sinha. By the time a lot of people receive a formal diagnosis, they may no longer be good candidates for this medication, he said.

Sinha said he thinks more research is needed to answer whether lecanemab's benefits are worth the $26,000 US it costs in other countries. He questioned whether the results would be noticeable enough to allow patients to stay independent.
"It's a positive development that there's another medication that's been approved and it's available, but it's not necessarily a medication that would be the most practical one for me to prescribe or recommend for the majority of my patients."

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Swapnil Hiremath 🍁🇨🇦 @hswapnil.medsky.social · 6d

Surprisingly rah-rah report in the lencanemab approval in @ottawacitizen.com from @egpayne.bsky.social

ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n...

It’s really not clear what its benefits are (apart from the $$$) eg see icer.org/news-insight... or @dereklowe.bsky.social www.science.org/content/blog...

Approval of new Alzheimer's drug in Canada called historic

The drug, Lecanemab, could be available to some Ottawa patients within months. But it is not yet covered by provincial drug plans.

ottawacitizen.com

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 12d

AI and your health: Plain Talk
Blog summarizing two sessions dealing with patient involvement in the fast-moving implementation of AI in healthcare
prich5757.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/a...

AI and your health: Plain talk

In the headlong rush to use artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, patients can, should and must be involved. That was the unmistakable conclusion to be drawn from two sessions held on the sa…

prich5757.wordpress.com

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 12d

"What AI is going to do is keep myself and more of my colleagues in practice longer," Dr. Chandi Chandrasena,
Chief Medical Officer at @ontariomd.bsky.social speaking a public forum on AI in healthcare in Ottawa.

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 12d

AI is the only thing that will be able to transform emergency care in Ontario hospitals: Bold contention from Dr. Venkatesh Thiruganasambandamoorthy, an emergency physician at @ottawahospital.on.ca speaking at a public forum on AI and healthcare in Ottawa.

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 13d

"We can’t really believe we are taking care of a population of patients when we only see them once or twice a year. Health happens outside of visits” @drdannysands.bsky.social, a US primary care physician and pioneer of participatory medicine.

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The Onion @theonion.com · 15d

Katy Perry Releases New Single About Superiority Of Canadian Manufacturing

MONTECITO, CA—Signaling a new chapter in her career, pop star Katy Perry released a new single Monday about the superiority of Canadian manufacturing. “When I learned about the strength of Canadian au...

theonion.com

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 19d

AI tools that provide health information to patients are only accurate 60%-80% of the time: Dr. Elizabeth Borycki, Director of the Global Laboratory for Digital Health Innovation at @uvic.ca speaking at #HealthWorkforceConnects

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 19d

"Health care worker safety is a moral and strategic imperative when we look at costs to the system (and it) directly impacts patient care," Michael McMillan, President and CEO, Health Employers Association of British Columbia at #HealthWorkforceConnects

Screen capture of Michael McMillan addressing Health Workforce Canada conference

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 19d

Balancing the imperative to provide care with the need to protect the health workforce is one of the key issues being addressed at a workshop at the Health Workforce Canada symposium this morning #HealthWorkforceConnects

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 20d

No easy fix for Canada's health workforce challenges
prich5757.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/n...

No easy fix for Canada’s health workforce challenges

Juggling numbers is doomed to failure as the sole solution when it comes to dealing with the shortages in the number of physicians, nurses and other health workers in Canada. That was the implicati…

prich5757.wordpress.com

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 21d

Results of this year's @cmadocs.bsky.social Physician Health Survey show things have improved since 2021 but "doctors are still struggling with excessive workloads, exhaustion and burnout — leading some to reduce clinical hours or consider leaving practice altogether."
www.cma.ca/latest-stori...

From pressure to progress: Results from the CMA’s 2025 National Physician Health Survey

The 2025 National Physician Health Survey shows that Canadian physicians experience mental health challenges and burnout.

www.cma.ca

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 23d

@cmadocs.bsky.social has rejoined @medwma.bsky.social seven years after quitting the association following allegations the WMA plagiarized a CMA speech. The decision was made at the recently completed WMA General Assembly in Porto.

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · 24d

Fascinating little exhibit if you are interested in medieval Flemish art. At the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto

Photo of poster at entrance to Flemish art display at the ROM.

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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 27d

Lessons on dying well from the father of palliative care. The best way to honour Dr. Balfour Mount’s legacy is by making palliative care available to all Canadians, by @picardonhealth.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... via @theglobeandmail.com

Opinion: Lessons on dying well from the father of palliative care

The best way to honour Dr. Balfour Mount’s legacy is by making palliative care available to all Canadians

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Robb Barnes 🇨🇦 @robb-barnes.bsky.social · Oct 2

At @cape-acme.bsky.social we're sometimes asked, Why don't doctors stay in their lane?

The answer: health is about more than health care.

Planetary health is public health, which is why the first National Day of Action on Planetary Health is happening Oct. 6.

healthydebate.ca/2025/10/topi...

Planetary health is public health - Healthy Debate

Ignoring planetary health would be a gross dereliction of duty by the public health profession.

healthydebate.ca

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Oct 1

When every word is a hand-crafted gem, cutting is never easy.

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Reposted by Pat Rich

🇨🇦Joe Vipond🇨🇦 @jvipondmd.bsky.social · Sep 25

I need to say a few words about Darren.
He was, in many ways, the doctor all doctors needed to be. Compassionate, caring, an advocate and a poet. We were all privliged to have him in our world.
And we are poorer for his departure from it.
Wherever you are, I hope there are paddles and pedals.

Darren Markland Obituary | Edmonton Journal Remembering

View Darren Markland's complete obituary, share memories, and explore 17 tribute posts from the community.

edmontonjournal.remembering.ca

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Sep 19

Essential that physicians don't lose their capacity for critical thinking when they work in an AI-enhanced environment: @arjalali.bsky.social speaking at @ontariomd.bsky.social conference #

Photo of Dr
Ali Jalali at OntarioMD conference

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Sep 19

In opening remarks at second day of @ontariomd.bsky.social conference, @ontariosdoctors.bsky.social CEO Kimberly Moran talks about good news from recent arbitration award but no comment on recently announced government plans to expand scope of practice for optometrists, pharmacists and others

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Sep 18

@ontariomd.bsky.social conference: Unusual breakfast, usual debate
prich5757.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/o...

OntarioMD conference: Unusual breakfast, usual debate

The breakfast might have been highly unusual but the discussion about the lack of interoperability of health data at this year’s OntarioMD fall conference was depressingly familiar. The more than 5…

prich5757.wordpress.com

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Sep 18

"“It is way, way past time that we built a health system where primary care is the foundation” @janephilpott.bsky.social speaking at #dhc2025 conference from @ontariomd.bsky.social "The sad reality is not everybody in Ontario has access to primary care"

Photo of Dr. Jane Philpott speaking at OntarioMD conference

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Pat Rich @pathealth.bsky.social · Sep 18

"Putting patients before paperwork is the true value of technology" @ontariomedical.bsky.social president Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman #dhc2025

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