Christina Spencer's blog

Public outrage was mounting over dozens of deaths and illnesses linked to superbug C. difficile, and politicians and health officials were under fire for failing to act sooner to contain deadly outbreaks.

That was back in 2008, when hospitals across Ontario were either struggling to contain the spread of the superbug or manage the fallout from recent disease outbreaks. But it could just as easily be today, as at least seven hospitals across the province continue to battle C. difficile outbreaks.

“When it comes to infection control, it requires the efforts of everyone involved in the hospital,” Ms. Matthews said. “It’s very important that people – no matter how healthy they are – they take a moment and just wash their hands as they enter the hospital. Because this is an infection that is spread, and a visitor can spread it just as easily as anyone else.”

Visit the Central East CCAC website to watch some "CCAC clients speak in their own words of their own care journey and how the CCAC has connected them to quality care."

Photo credit: CCAC website.

Jessie Gruman, PhD - Members of the American public are frequently surveyed about their trust in various professionals. Doctors and nurses usually wind up near the top of the list, especially when compared to lawyers, hairdressers and politicians. Trust in professionals is important to us: they possess expertise we lack but need, to solve problems ranging from the serious (illness) to the relatively trivial (appearance).

"I am NOT illness. We must remind ourselves to see the man before the cane."

- Erella Ganon

The aim of comparative effectiveness research (CER) is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of health care and to help patients, health care professionals, and purchasers make informed decisions. CER is moving forward, with recently defined priorities and a newly funded Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which we hope will survive congressional cost cutting.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is inviting feedback from the profession, the public and other stakeholders on its revised Non-Allopathic (Non-Conventional) Therapies in Medical Practice draft policy.

All of the feedback received will be reviewed by the Working Group, the College’s Executive Committee and Council before making any decisions about what is included in the final version of the policy. Deadline to provide comment is September 1, 2011.

The Patients' Association of Canada is just six months old and already it's recognizing two doctors who provide exceptional care here in Windsor with Patients' Choice awards.

"We think these events are really significant because patients nominate and choose doctors who are especially patient friendly," said Dr. Sholom Glouberman, who presented the awards Monday night.