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British Columbia
VANCOUVER —Rix
is for kids University
of British Columbia clinical professor emeritus of pathology
and entrepreneur Dr Donald Rix recently donated $4 million
dollars to the university, the majority of which is
earmarked to help cash-strapped med students. Dr Rix's
generous act was triggered by a recent expansion of
UBC's medical undergraduate programme. "I hope these
funds allow more students to pursue a medical education,"
said the altruistic doc. "That way, we can produce enough
doctors so everyone in this province has access to quality
health care." TJ
Alberta
EDMONTON —
Healthy as a rodeo
horse According to the Canadian Institute of
Health Information (CIHI), Alberta is Canada's most
salubrious province when it comes to stroke and heart
attack mortality rates. The report, part of CIHI's annual
health report, included an additional section on health
indicators for 71 health regions across the country.
Alberta was found to have the best overall in-hospital
survival rates for heart attacks and strokes, based
on a 30 day stay. Alberta's heart attack in-hospital
mortality rate is 10.2, compared to the national average
of 11.4. Alberta's 16.9 stroke mortality rate wallops
the national average of 18.6. GE
Saskatchewan
REGINA —
Support workers
prepare to walk Doctors and nurses may soon be
going it alone if members of the 2,700 strong Health
and Sciences Association of Saskatchewan decide to walk
off the job — 75% of members voted in favour of
job action. Among its grievances, the group cites wages,
recruitment, employee retention, and a desire for shorter
waiting lists. "Nobody wants to have a strike," said
association president Chris Driel. "People work in healthcare
because they want to help people." Saskatchewanian MDs
may be experiencing a sense of déjà vu;
in 2002 the same union walked off the job for almost
a month. TJ
Manitoba
WINNIPEG —
Doctor factory
After feeling the heat from everyone from grassroots
groups to physicians to the opposition, Manitoba Health
Minister Tim Sale has announced a new scheme to train
and recruit more doctors. Following the lead of bigger
provinces like British Columbia, Manitoba will expand
the University of Manitoba's medical school enrolment
capacity by 15 places to 100 in total. Additionally,
Minister Sale promises five yearly grants of $15,000
a year for doctors working in urban Manitoba, and five
grants of $25,000 for working in rural Manitoba. LD
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Ontario
TORONTO —Let's
talk about two-tiered healthcare, baby Ontario
Health and Long-Term Care Minister and acting chairman
of the provincial and territorial health ministers group
George Smitherman is arranging a teleconference with
his opposites across the country to hash out the recent
Supreme Court ruling that overturned a ban on private
health insurance in Quebec. Minister Smitherman acknowledged
that the ruling shows the dangers of letting waiting
times get too long and said that's why he's going to
continue concentrating on reducing Ontario's waiting
lists. JJM
TORONTO
— Pricey
reforms Aptly-named Ontario PC leader John Tory
and long time critic of what he calls the McGuinty government's
"throwing money at doctors" approach to healthcare,
has attacked a leaked Cabinet report about the new Local
Integrated Health Networks (LIHNs). The report says
the LIHNs, which replace the former District Health
Councils (DHCs), will end up costing the province $169
million to introduce. Health and Long-Term Care Minister
George Smitherman defended his reforms and said the
report's numbers don't add up. He puts the tally at
a more modest $48 million. JJM
Hot
Spot
Quebec
QUEBEC —
Making waves In
a groundbreaking decision that has some portending the
end of Canada's treasured medicare system, the Supreme
Court of Canada has overruled a Quebec law that prohibited
some private insurance for care in medical clinics and
doctor's offices covered by the national health system.
Why? The Supreme Court said Quebec's prohibition violated
the province's charter of rights by threatening the
lives of patients. With private clinics sprouting up
all over Canada, most analysts agree that the decision
can't but have major repercussions for the rest of the
country. DB
Contributors:
Hector Andrews, Simon Biggar, Donna Byers, Lance Davies,
Geoff Everett, Thane Jenkins, Julie J. Mercier, Deana
Stokes Sullivan, Brent Woodford, and Henrietta Yan.
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