Latest news with #familydoctors
National Post
12-07-2025
- Health
- National Post
Lawrence Krauss: Free medical care shouldn't mean no medical care
Article content I recognize that medical care is harder to maintain in smaller and more rural communities. But the situation in P.E.I. has reached dangerous levels. I wrote a year ago about the problems with staffing emergency rooms at hospitals in this province. Because of a shortage of doctors, those who staff these facilities have schedules that resemble those of early medical residents. But on-call requirements are often unacceptable to established physicians. As a result, it is extremely difficult to recruit senior physicians to the province to alleviate the current shortage. Article content We are moving away from P.E.I. this year, in part due to the medical shortage here. We are moving to a somewhat more urban environment on Vancouver Island, and are hoping that, because of the relatively large number of retired couples on the island, there may be a larger number of family doctors to accommodate them. Article content But, in our case there is another reason to live there. It is just a short ferry ride to Port Townsend, Wash. Having worked in the U.S. for my entire adult career, I have Medicare coverage, which covers about 80 per cent of the cost of medical procedures. In the case of catastrophic illness, the residual expense can be large, which is why individuals in the U.S. who can afford it purchase private health care. But in my case, I plan to be able to schedule routine procedures in Washington State if I need them and find they are not available at home. Article content Article content The irony of returning to the U.S. for medical care, when that was one of the factors that led to our leaving that country, is not lost on me. I believe in government-financed health care as a right for citizens. Clearly however, the system in Canada as it is currently set up isn't working. My wife once lived in Australia, which also has a government health plan. She was able to pay into an additional plan to access some physicians directly, if necessary. Clearly such a private option removes the burden from the public system and also allows doctors supplemental income. Something like that seems like a good option for Canada, especially in rural areas, which are currently underserved. Article content Finally, at a time when there is such concern about immigration, it is important to recognize that there are well-qualified physicians from around the world who would be happy to relocate to Canada if they were easily able to do so. Federal and provincial governments should consider fast-tracking permanent residence status for such sorely needed professionals. Article content When I left the U.S., I heard horror stories about Canadian health care. I tend to view these as apocryphal. For urgent cases, both from my own experience and those of friends, the country appears to allow individuals to generally get access to necessary expertise in a relatively timely way, without bankrupting them. But the cost to individuals, and the country, of not universally providing more routine preventative health care is great. Something needs to be done to fix a system that appears to be broken. Article content
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. doctors sound alarm about proposed patient targets
Family doctors are pushing back on new patient targets being introduced by P.E.I. Maria Sarrouh reports on what measures are fuelling the friction.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
ADVERTISEMENT Atlantic Watch N.S. recruiting doctors from Lebanon. Nova Scotia's premier announced an agreement to bring family doctors to the province from Lebanon.
Atlantic Watch Nova Scotia's premier announced an agreement to bring family doctors to the province from Lebanon.
CBC
25-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Nova Scotia signs agreements with Lebanese universities to bring more doctors to province
The Nova Scotia government has signed agreements with two universities in Lebanon to bring family doctors to the province. Premier Tim Houston announced today that a five-year memorandum of agreement with the Lebanese American University in Beirut commits the university to sending 10 ready-to-practise physicians to Nova Scotia. Two doctors from the university are expected to arrive in Nova Scotia during each year of the agreement. The province plans to spend $5 million during the life of the agreement to cover the cost of medical school residency positions, as well as licensing exams and immigration and relocation expenses. In return, the participating doctors will be required to sign an agreement that requires them to work in Nova Scotia for three years. Meanwhile, the premier confirmed that two doctors from the other university — the American University of Beirut — are already practising in Nova Scotia and another two are on the way.
The Independent
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Mounjaro weight loss jabs now available from GPs
The NHS in England is set to begin a mass rollout of the anti-obesity drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) on Monday, with GPs allowed to prescribe it for the first time. The initiative is expected to reach approximately 220,000 severely obese people with multiple health complications across England over the next three years. Eligibility for the drug includes a body mass index (BMI) over 40 and at least four other obesity-linked health problems, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Leading family doctors have raised concerns about the additional workload and training implications for GPs associated with the new rollout. Pharmacy experts anticipate potential pressure on drug supplies and say that the medication should be part of a comprehensive weight management strategy, not a standalone solution.
