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Quebec
The healing power
of cinema
MONTREAL —
Drs Tom Hutchinson and Balfour Mount of McGill's
faculty of medicine have come up with a unique approach
to palliative care. The gentlemen host a series of films
for patients, the general public and health professionals
that address coping with and transcending terminal illness.
"The films all deal with aspects of suffering and healing,"
Dr Hutchinson, director of the program, told the Montreal
Gazette. Dr Mount noticed his terminal patients'
quality of life seemed to improve as their death grew
more imminent. In discussing this mysterious phenomenon
with Dr Hutchinson, the pair was propelled to start
the innovative program. DB
Nova
Scotia
No room at the clinic
HALIFAX —
A survey conducted by the non-profit Action Atlantic
found that GPs in Nova Scotia are overwhelmed with thousands
of chronic pain sufferers, and have nowhere in the system
to send them. The Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences
Centre in Halifax requires a surreal five-year wait
on new patients in its pain clinic. ''We still see urgent
referrals, " said anesthesiologist Dr Ian Beauprie to
the Canadian Press, "but the poor fellow with the bad
back or failed back surgery, he's waiting on the forever
list now.'' Nova Scotia Health Minister Angus MacIsaac
admitted he wasn't surprised by the survey's findings,
reminding the public he committed $300,000 of last year's
budget to an action plan addressing the issue.
New
Brunswick
MD wins public
office by landslide
ST JOHN —
In a riding long-held by former NDP leader Elizabeth
Weir, Liberal candidate Dr Ed Doherty won the St John
Harbour by-election in grand and convincing fashion.
The ophthalmologist easily crushed Bernard Lord's handpicked
candidate Michelle Hooton, who finished a distant second.
Dr Doherty, 56, is a popular figure in the port city
and has practised medicine for 30 years. His political
aims will focus on developing St John's magnificent
but shamefully neglected waterfront, providing affordable
housing for all and improving the quality of childcare.
SB
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Prince
Edward Island
Time running out
for ED
CHARLOTTETOWN
— It could be argued that Health Minister
Chester Gillan has one of the most thankless jobs imaginable.
He's been on the healthcare hotseat lately, having been
unable to find replacements for two ED docs who left
Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital during the
cold and flu season. As if that weren't enough, the
ED in Souris is also short two physicians and has already
shut down a whopping 25 times in the past year. Now
he's considering closing the unit for good, Mr Gillan
told an angry crowd of Island protesters. PL
Hot
Spot
Newfoundland
Idol urges youth
to stay clean
ST JOHN'S —
The Newfoundland government has launched a new addictions
awareness campaign to educate youth about drugs, alcohol
abuse and problem gambling. The official launch took
place at Empire Theatres during Addictions Awareness
Week, where youth came out to hear a video message from
the official campaign spokesman, Canadian Idol runner-up
Rex Goudie from the Newfoundland community of Burling-ton.
Health Minister John Ottenheimer said Mr Goudie is an
appropriate spokesman because he represents what someone
can accomplish when they "stay real" and make the right
choices. DSS
The
Territories
Docs running on
empty
WHITEHORSE —
Yukon Medical As—sociation president Dr Wayne McNicol
said he receives calls every day from residents desperate
for a family doctor. Meanwhile doctors are overworked,
logging Olympian hours putting them at risk for burnout,
addiction, and even suicide. Dr McNicol told the Yukon
Star offering incentives to young doctors such as
debt relief, financial assistance with setting up their
offices and other financial incentives to stay in the
territory could help the situation. While Premier Dennis
Fentie acknowledged there's a problem, he could offer
no details regarding a plan of action when queried.
HY
Contributors: Hector Andrews, Simon
Biggar, Donna Byers, Lance Davies, Geoff Everett, Thane
Jenkins, Paige Lee, Julie J Mercier, Deana Stokes Sullivan,
and Henrietta Yan.
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