Volume 7 Number 2 In This Issue

https//doi.org/10.37964/cr24729

EDITORIAL: And…

Johny Van Aerde, MD, PhD

“And” is a powerful word for leaders in health systems. As the health care industry has evolved at an ever-accelerating pace over the last few decades, health care providers have been faced with treating more patients AND having fewer resources, with using standardized evidence-based practices AND meeting the individual patient’s needs. Physicians are expected to implement new technologies AND maintain the personal touch in patient-centred care, something that has become particularly acute with the accelerated use of virtual care.  read article

PERSPECTIVE: No person left behind: improving physician wellness in Canada

Jason Chaulk, MD

Canadian health care costs are unsustainable and are among the highest in the world. A greater focus on system-level initiatives is needed, and recognizing physician wellness as a quality indicator for health care delivery may be part of the solution. Physicians’ psychosocial health is a significant cause for concern and has been directly tied to patient outcomes. However, suicide rates among physicians are approximately 2.5 times those of the general population and burnout rates are twice those of other workforces. Investing in physician health programs (PHPs), specifically the components dealing with psychosocial issues, is one way to make medicare sustainable. Further, greater provincial government support of national guidelines for the formation of PHPs is needed.  read article

PERSPECTIVE: Leadership in medical education: call to action

Victor Do, MD

Leadership development in medical trainees is a frequent topic of discussion as we continue to grapple with better equipping physicians for the realities of “modern medicine.” Leadership is a critical competency for physicians to foster. Ironically, medical education rarely integrates leadership development into formal curricula. The conversations and formal policies around leadership development are relegated to the “hidden curriculum” of medical education.  read article

OPINION: The “gift” of COVID-19: a golden opportunity to slow down and refocus

Peter Brindley, MD

 

With far fewer distractions, we finally have what we claim we always needed: time to think, reflect, and make sense of the nonsense. The problem is we have equal amounts of time to fall into despair. I tend to experience both optimism and despair, in equal amounts, often on the same day. read article

Principle-driven virtual care practice to ensure quality and accessibility

Kendall Ho, MD, Ken Harris, MD, and Toni Leamon

COVID-19 has accelerated the use of telehealth or virtual care (VC) as an alternative form of health care delivery. Clearly, VC provides unprecedented convenience and timeliness for patients seeking care from their health professionals. As a result, a substantial increase in telehealth providers is occurring, and the Canadian government is investing millions to support digital health care treatments and telehealth services.  read article

Developing physician leaders: why, whether, and how good?

James K. Stoller, MD, MS

The challenges of providing high-quality, seamless access, and value in health care require great leadership; these needs are compounded by crises like the coronavirus pandemic. In the context that physicians often lead both in titled and informal leadership roles and that evidence associates effective hospital performance with physician leadership, leadership skills are widely needed by doctors. Yet, leadership competencies are not traditionally taught in medical school or during graduate medical training. read article

BOOK REVIEW Handbook of Person-Centered Mental Health Care

Reviewed by Marilyn Baetz, MD

Person-centred care is authentic, compassionate, and built on respect toward individuals with various health problems. read review

BOOK REVIEW Bringing Leadership to Life in Health: LEADS in a Caring Environment

Reviewed by Johny Van Aerde, MD, PhD

The first edition of this book focused on the evidence and research methods used to develop the LEADS framework. For those unfamiliar with the framework, LEADS is an acronym for the five domains of physician leadership: L for Lead self, E for Engage others, A for Achieve results, D for Develop coalitions, and S for Systems transformation. read article