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British Columbia
VICTORIA
— Nursing
BC back to health The provincial government is
adding an additional $3.5 million to its nursing strategy.
The money will be used for recruitment, retention and
education of nurses, and brings the total amount spent
on these strategies since August 2001 to $62.5 million.
This year an additional 321 places in nursing schools
will be added, bringing the total number since 2001
to 2,134. JKG
DELTA
— Gently
does it Premier Gordon Campbell opened the doors
on the newly redeveloped residential care facility called
Delta View Life Enrichment Centre. The $30 million public/private
partnership is a redevelopment of the Ladner Private
Hospital and will provide care to 210 residents, 157
of which are funded by Fraser Health Authority. Delta
View's owners say their aim is to provide enriched quality
of life through their 'Gentlecare' philosophy, which
includes controlling residents' stimuli and creating
a homely environment. JKG
Alberta
EDMONTON
— Tories
hedge healthcare bets Health Minister Gary Mar
has assured Albertans that Ralph Klein's Tories have
no plans to radically change the province's healthcare
system. The much-anticipated post-election announcement
of radical healthcare reforms, meant to be unveiled
June 30, failed to materialize. Mr Mar did announce
significant new spending of approximately $700 million
for capital projects and other health operating costs,
and accelerated introduction of full-service primary
care centres. Hearings are planned this autumn to discuss
other longterm reforms. GH
RED
DEER — Dodgy
dosing death An investigation has been launched
into the death of a 69-year-old man at the Red Deer
Regional Hospital in early June after he was given the
wrong painkiller. Bill Emrich, from the Bowden area,
died after he received a strong narcotic, hydromorphone,
instead of morphine after being admitted to emergency
because of a chest injury. GH
Saskatchewan
REGINA
— Electing
to wait Patients in Saskatchewan face the longest
waiting times for elective surgery in the country, according
to findings from StatsCan. The results showed that 29%
of patients wait more than three months for non-emergency
procedures like hip or knee replacements. A provincial
health department spokesperson said the reason for this
could be that Saskatchewan has higher rates of obesity
and arthritis and does more hip and knee replacements
than the other provinces, which tend to offer therapy
instead of surgery. CS
SASKATOON
— Make
that a really long weekend Taking their cue from
other major Canadian cities, Saskatoon went smoke free
on Canada Day. It's now illegal to light up in any public
place, including bars, restaurants, private clubs, patios
connected to a bar or restaurant, bingo halls and public
parks during festivals. In January a provincial law
will follow suit, banning smoking in all public places
across Saskatchewan. CS
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Manitoba
WINNIPEG
— Impatience
is a (Manitoban) virtue Seems that Manitobans
are a little crankier than the rest of the country when
it comes to waiting times. Results from a recent StatsCan
study showed that one in three Manitobans surveyed felt
they waited too long for certain medical procedures,
like MRIs, CAT scans and angiographies, even though
the three-week wait was on par with the rest of country.
CS
Ontario
TORONTO
— Grits
squeeze blood from stony-faced Ontarians Dalton
McGuinty's controversial health premiums went into effect
on July 1. The newly imposed premium has been highly
contentious, but is expected to raise about $1.6 billion
in revenue this year. Based on income, Ontario residents
will pay between $60 and $900 per year for healthcare
access. PB
TORONTO
— Hospitals
to play stool pigeon? If passed, a law proposed
by Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister
Monte Kwinter would oblige hospitals to alert police
when they admit patients with gunshot wounds —
making Ontario hospitals the only ones in Canada obliged
to do so. Toronto police and the Canadian Medical Association
Journal have criticized the policy, but the Ontario
Medical Association has endorsed it. PB
Quebec
MONTREAL
— Guilty
by non-admission Dr Linda Cloutier has been found
guilty of turning away a dying patient while on duty
at the Centre de la Mauricie in Shawinigan. In June
2002, Dr Cloutier refused to admit Claude Dufresne because
she said the emergency room was closed. Mr Dufresene
later died of cardiac arrest en route to a hospital
in Trois-RiviÅres. The Quebec College of Physicians
and Surgeons has recommended that Dr Cloutier be suspended
for a month. CS
MONTREAL
— Please
don't go Montreal came out swinging at a recent
Denver, Colorado, meeting of the Shriners Board of Trustees,
asking that the Shriners Children's Hospital to stay
put. The charity is thinking of upping sticks and moving
the facility to London, Ontario, because they're fed
up with the Quebec government's lallygagging over plans
to build a number of superhospitals in Montreal. The
city of Ottawa also sent a delegation to Colorado to
make a pitch. CS
Contributors:
Paula Baker, Gail Helgason, Jacqui Clydesdale, Jane George, Jason K Gondziola,, Bill
McGuire, Brian Hoyle, Deanna Stokes-Sullivan, Carla
Sparks
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