Discussions

Medical extortion? Breaking down the barriers
A large part of my medical practice involves men’s sexual health. There is a small grouping of men who come in with an agenda and are rigid in their expectations of what I should do for them. They are generally obsessive and their concerns are unusually intense and urgent (to them). They can be demanding and threatening.
Poll: How much do you charge for lawyer’s letters?
Take our weekly physician poll and see what you colleagues say about this topic.

Physician tips: How not to get yourself sued

I’ve been sued just once in 49 years, during which time I’ve been involved in over 700,000 patient interactions. Am I smart? Not particularly. Am I lucky? Yes. Am I well organized? Yes.
Addressing the global antiviral deficit

In the rush to acquire vaccines, Canada overlooked the need to simultaneously create an antiviral development strategy. We need to make up for lost time.
The Swiss cheese holes

It was our sixth code in a week. This is unusually high at our small community hospital. Sometimes the ‘holes ’ lineup and things go very wrong.
Virtual care in Canada: An update from organized medicine

The CMA, the Royal College and CFPC: Much work to be done to get virtual care operating properly in Canadian healthcare.
The grow op

Even when stuck in a pandemic, human beings find ways to progress.
I’m an addiction researcher and therapist. Here’s why promoting sober ‘dry months’ bothers me

On the surface, “dry” months are great—individuals set a personal goal to abstain from drinking, are publicly encouraged to achieve it and raise funds for a charity. It can be seen as supportive and positive, and many individuals tout the health benefits they experience as a result.
The double-edged sword of primary care reform in Quebec, redux

Quebec made some good decisions about primary care IT but bureaucratic meddling has led to uneven access to FPs, argues Dr. Mark Roper.
Talking with patients about complementary alternative medicine

Currently, in the field of fertility treatment, there is very little high-quality scientific evidence to support the benefit of most alternative medicine. But that doesn't mean my patients aren't trying many different treatments.