Christina Spencer's blog

Like climate change, the relentless worldwide spread of noncommunicable diseases offers an opportunity for low-, middle-, and high-income countries to join forces in addressing a major global challenge that threatens health and economies alike. A recent report from the World Health Organization1 identified six risk factors associated with noncommunicable diseases as the leading global risk factors for death: high blood pressure, tobacco use, high blood glucose levels, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, and high cholesterol levels.

Roy Green will interview Sholom Glouberman on the future of Canada's healthcare system and why patients will play a huge role..  don't miss it!

Sept 3rd - Local Toronto time: 2:25 PM on Talk Radio AM640

Click here for a list of radio stations carrying the program.

ANAHAD O'CONNOR -- A new study has a message for doctors and nurses who fail to wash their hands: Don’t think about yourself. Think about your patients.

St. John's, NL (August 22, 2011) --- The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health announced Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), a transformative research initiative that places patients at the centre of health care.

Find more information here, or read the Backgrounder

Accepting nominations for physicians and hospital-based specialists in Sarnia-Lambton!

Click here to learn more about the initiative.

Nominate now!

ANDRÉ PICARD -- The time has come for a “patient health charter” that clearly spells out the state’s obligation to deliver timely, quality health care – one with a complaint mechanism that provides redress when medicare fails to live up to expectations.

That is the message that emerges from a new public-opinion survey commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association.

TARA PARKER-POPE -- The physician blogger known as Dr. D, from the “Ask an M.D.” blog, writes about doctor and patient issues “from the doctor side of the equation,” as he puts it. But after recently suffering a severe leg break, he wrote about medical care from the patient’s point of view.

His conclusion: Being the patient is the hardest job in medicine.

"Having a medical procedure performed is hardly ever a great experience."

"During today's MRI, I had an epiphany. Very little about all this gives me a modicum of power or dignity. The kind-sounding technicians reminded me to stay still, very still. The less motion meant a better film. Though it was tough, I enjoyed the challenge."