Discussions

Virtual care opens up a new world of opportunities for patient care, but it also raises issues that need our consideration, including the legal aspects of virtual care delivery and how to keep confidential patient data and messaging secure.

Wrath can be defined as uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage and even hatred. It often reveals itself in the wish to seek vengeance. For physicians, this deadly sin strikes closer to the bone than might be obvious on plain x-rays. Feelings of wrath can manifest in different ways, including impatience, hateful misanthropy, revenge and self-destructive behaviour, such as drug abuse or suicide.

As healthcare providers, are we taught to follow our intuition or gut feeling? Or are we taught to be methodical, sensible and have justification for every single one of our actions? When is it okay to follow our intuition? Does it matter when it comes to judging the demeanor of a patient given their physical presentation versus being skeptical about adherence in a patient for a life-saving medication? What if the situation entailed picking up on non-verbal social cues of your patient’s partner alluding to abuse, oppression, or vulnerability? When is it too far to follow your gut feeling as a healthcare professional?

The healthcare information technology landscape in Canada is evolving rapidly as it tries to balance the need to respond effectively and urgently to the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to manage challenges already placing immense pressure on the Canadian healthcare system.

Online bookings are now being offered as an alternative to walk-ins at clinics in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver. Clearly, Vancouver Coastal Health needs to do a good job scheduling thousands of appointments, especially since the latest report by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control shows that the total number of COVID-19 cases among B.C. healthcare workers rose to 3,624 from 1,442 when I last reported the figure six weeks ago.

As we mourn the loss of lives and livelihoods, so much is different. But 2020 didn't change absolutely everything. This past year also saw an outdated healthcare system continuing to rely on the fax machine, even for urgent matters. Some clinics continued to ask for their form to be used for all consultation requests, even if all of the information was included in the original request letter. And doctors continued to receive all manner of medico-legal paperwork.

Specificity saves lives. Specialization matters. This pandemic has revealed many cracks in our systems of patient care. It's certainly laying bare the lack of knowledge about mental illness, but we can correct that by having experts in various fields speak to this.