UPDATE: This is an image documenting payments made by a senior who had been on the Ontario Seniors Drug Co-pay Program in 2017 and 2018 and then was cut from it effective August 1, 2019. When asked about this situation by the media, staff of Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott falsely claimed no one […]
From the Toronto Star’s May Warren’s interview with Kathleen Finlay — June 2019 I’ve been pushing for greater transparency at all levels of health care for some time — everything from hospital safety ratings and medical error disclosure to a national data bank for disciplinary actions/decisions involving professional misconduct and, importantly, sexual abuse of […]
(Newest from The Huffington Post) Delivering healing care to patients and families in the aftermath of medical errors, and their emotional impacts, ought to be a core function of every provider, too. A recent Canadian study for all provinces except Quebec reported that one in 18 hospitalized patients experienced avoidable medical errors in 2014 – […]
Making organizations like the CMPA rich should not be the goal, or result, of government policy. Protecting patients should be. Canadians who experience medical harm at the hands of the healthcare system they pay for are often chagrined to learn that, if they pursue their legal remedies in court, they are also footing the bill […]
The Center for Patient Protection has heard from many families across Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain about their horrible hospital experiences. Almost none ever received an apology. It could have made such a difference, and at little cost to the healthcare providers and professionals involved. Published in The Huffington Post
The shocking murders of eight elderly nursing home residents, allegedly by a nurse, shows serious shortcomings in the system designed to safeguard patients, including professional oversight by Ontario’s College of Nurses. October 27, 2016 There are many issues arising from the shocking news this week that saw Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a registered nurse, charged with first-degree murder […]
(Published in The Huffington Post) On a late Sunday night one recent long weekend, I was contacted by a family who was distressed over the treatment their elderly father was receiving in the hospital. I operate an online outreach clinic for patients and families through The Center for Patient Protection. It has helped thousands over […]
(Published in The Huffington Post) International Suicide Prevention Day came and went last week. But it’s hard to know whether most hospitals noticed it, or how well they are doing in combating self-harm by their patients. How hospitals handle mental health issues can have serious consequences. One winter night in 2004, Cynthia Oster, 44, slammed her rented […]
(Published in The Huffington Post) Research shows age often a decisive factor in care decisions A new Canadian study shows that age is a critical factor in the kind of treatment patients receive. According to the research, which involved patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries, “patients over 70 years of age experienced considerable delays between admission […]
(Published in The Huffington Post) The 50th anniversary this year of the Medicare and Medicaid systems in the United States has predictably prompted a good deal of reflection and even some celebration. They were milestones of healthcare advancement in that country to be sure. But much less reflection seems to happen with the Canadian system, […]