Healthcare

B.C. health minister Adrian Dix calls on Ottawa to improve its health care offer, while echoing the conciliatory tone of Premier David Eby. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

‘I’m not going to be negative, but they have to do better’: Dix on federal health offer

Health care minister Adrian Dix calls on feds to improve offer of $600 million to B.C.

B.C. health minister Adrian Dix calls on Ottawa to improve its health care offer, while echoing the conciliatory tone of Premier David Eby. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Official Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon of the B.C. Liberals said B.C. health care system is getting worse after the release of a study that shows British Columbians waited 79 minutes to a see walk-in-clinic doctor. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. has the 2nd worst wait times for walk-in clinics across Canada: Survey

B.C. residents waited 79 minutes to see a walk-in physician in 2022

Official Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon of the B.C. Liberals said B.C. health care system is getting worse after the release of a study that shows British Columbians waited 79 minutes to a see walk-in-clinic doctor. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
People working in long-term care have filed the most approved COVID-19 compensation claims to WorkSafeBC since 2020, out of all the different work sectors in B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

More than 15,000 COVID compensation claims approved for B.C. workers since 2020

Vast majority of claims to WorkSafeBC come from health-care sector

People working in long-term care have filed the most approved COVID-19 compensation claims to WorkSafeBC since 2020, out of all the different work sectors in B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
An assistant nursing professor at the University of New Brunswick says there is a crisis-level shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners in the country. A nurse tends to a patient at the Bluewater Health Hospital in Sarnia, Ont., on Wednesday, Jan, 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

As sexual assault rates rise, provinces face shortages of specially trained nurses

Many forensic nurse positions are only offered casually, making it unrealistic for many to take on

An assistant nursing professor at the University of New Brunswick says there is a crisis-level shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners in the country. A nurse tends to a patient at the Bluewater Health Hospital in Sarnia, Ont., on Wednesday, Jan, 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Parents of two-year-old Gracie Ackley said her condition steadily worsened while they spent hours waiting for assistance at the Langley Memorial Hospital ER on Jan. 26. (Ackley family - used with permission)

Parents say they waited hours for help at B.C. ER while their daughter’s condition worsened

‘What is wrong with our health care system?’ mom asks

Parents of two-year-old Gracie Ackley said her condition steadily worsened while they spent hours waiting for assistance at the Langley Memorial Hospital ER on Jan. 26. (Ackley family - used with permission)
Moms Stop the Harm advocates and supporters march from Centennial Square to the Ministry of Health building in Victoria on April 14, 2022, the sixth anniversary of B.C. declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Chief coroner prescribes ‘urgency’ as B.C. records 2,272 toxic drug deaths in 2022

Experts call for holistic action, call response so far a failure

Moms Stop the Harm advocates and supporters march from Centennial Square to the Ministry of Health building in Victoria on April 14, 2022, the sixth anniversary of B.C. declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Training of surgeons in Canada has taken a heavy knock from the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some doctors say their clinical education has been delayed again in recent months as many hospitals across the country cancelled elective procedures to keep up with emergency care. A surgery is performed in the operating room in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Doctors say surgical training, delayed by the pandemic, continues to be affected

A delay on surgeries has meant a delay on surgery trainees getting the hands on experience they need

Training of surgeons in Canada has taken a heavy knock from the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some doctors say their clinical education has been delayed again in recent months as many hospitals across the country cancelled elective procedures to keep up with emergency care. A surgery is performed in the operating room in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Peace Arch Hospital doctor Amir Behboudi, front, with puppeteer and ventriloquist Kellie Haines, Magrau and UBC medical student Tsz Shing (Brandon) Ng pose with Beyond Your Eye Productions’ Carmen Klotz left, and Sharron Bates during a video filming session. (contributed photo)

Making the ER less scary for kids: B.C. doctor enlists help of puppeteer

Videos featuring ventriloquist and colourful puppet Magrau are free for any hospital to use

Peace Arch Hospital doctor Amir Behboudi, front, with puppeteer and ventriloquist Kellie Haines, Magrau and UBC medical student Tsz Shing (Brandon) Ng pose with Beyond Your Eye Productions’ Carmen Klotz left, and Sharron Bates during a video filming session. (contributed photo)
A team of experts have released a highly anticipated set of standards to prevent the spread of infection in Canada’s long-term care homes. A man looks out the window at the Camilla Care Community centre overlooking crosses marking the deaths of multiple people that occured during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mississauga, Ont., on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Liberals mum on bill to codify standards in long-term care, despite new guidelines

Pandemic-fed crisis in long-term care prompted a feds to promise safety legislation in such settings

A team of experts have released a highly anticipated set of standards to prevent the spread of infection in Canada’s long-term care homes. A man looks out the window at the Camilla Care Community centre overlooking crosses marking the deaths of multiple people that occured during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mississauga, Ont., on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Burnaby massage therapist Najia Xu agreed to a five-day suspension and financial penalty, after she admitted to using her phone sometimes during sessions. (Unsplash photo)

Burnaby massage therapist reprimanded for using phone mid-treatment

Najia Xu checked her phone for as long as 5 minutes while massaging a client with her other hand

Burnaby massage therapist Najia Xu agreed to a five-day suspension and financial penalty, after she admitted to using her phone sometimes during sessions. (Unsplash photo)
A B.C. Ambulance Service paramedic moves a stretcher outside an ambulance at Royal Columbia Hospital, in New Westminster on Nov. 29, 2020. The paramedics union has reached a tentative new agreement with BCEHS and the province as of Jan. 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. paramedics union, province agree on tentative new contract

Members will decide whether to ratify it or not over coming weeks

A B.C. Ambulance Service paramedic moves a stretcher outside an ambulance at Royal Columbia Hospital, in New Westminster on Nov. 29, 2020. The paramedics union has reached a tentative new agreement with BCEHS and the province as of Jan. 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Addilyn Emelia Radomske Booth, 23 months old, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 29. (GoFundMe)

‘She was doing fine’: Kelowna toddler dies suddenly just days after Christmas

Fundraiser started for family of Addy, who would have turned 2 in February

  • Jan 4, 2023
Addilyn Emelia Radomske Booth, 23 months old, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 29. (GoFundMe)
A lab technician prepares a prescription at a pharmacy in Quebec City, Thursday, March 8, 2012. In a year when pharmacists have stickhandled children’s drug shortages and an extra-busy flu shot season, you’d think they might balk at the news in Ontario and B.C. that their prescriptive powers are being expanded. Yet those in the field say the added responsibilities may make their jobs more fulfilling — so long as the changes are accompanied with appropriate funding. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

‘Big year’ for pharmacists with new prescriptive powers, drug shortages: association

B.C. pharmacists will be allowed to make some prescriptions beginning in spring 2023

A lab technician prepares a prescription at a pharmacy in Quebec City, Thursday, March 8, 2012. In a year when pharmacists have stickhandled children’s drug shortages and an extra-busy flu shot season, you’d think they might balk at the news in Ontario and B.C. that their prescriptive powers are being expanded. Yet those in the field say the added responsibilities may make their jobs more fulfilling — so long as the changes are accompanied with appropriate funding. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: New hospital program helps Toronto’s homeless, cuts ambulance offload times

Stand-alone clinic provides space for people to recover from intoxication

Dr. Andrew Boozary, a primary care physician and the Executive Director of Population Health and Social Medicine at the University Health Network (UHN) its photographed at a Stabilization & Connection site designed to help people who are unhoused, in Toronto, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Physician assistants are valued members of the health-care system in many provinces in Canada, but not in B.C. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

Physician assistants improve health care in provinces that recognize them; B.C. doesn’t

‘It’s a waste of a resource. I could see hundreds of patients right in this area…’

Physician assistants are valued members of the health-care system in many provinces in Canada, but not in B.C. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
Briana Greer (left) in Terrace with her mother, Sheila Myshrall, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. (Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Terrace Standard) Anyone wishing to donate would need to call Vancouver General Hospital and mention Sheila Myshrall’s name. (Black Press Media file photo)

Daughter hopes for ‘Christmas miracle’ as B.C. mom’s kidney fails

Briana Greer hopes to save mom on B.C. kidney waiting list

Briana Greer (left) in Terrace with her mother, Sheila Myshrall, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. (Michael Bramadat-Willcock/Terrace Standard) Anyone wishing to donate would need to call Vancouver General Hospital and mention Sheila Myshrall’s name. (Black Press Media file photo)
FILE - British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on April 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

‘Major breach’ of B.C. health-care data could happen without anyone noticing: report

Vulnerabilities at PHSA have existed uncorrected since 2019, says info and privacy commissioner

FILE - British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on April 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Preethi Krishnan, right, holds her daughter Sudha, as her husband, Ashok Narasimhan, holds twin sister Shraddha in this undated handout photo. The couple took comfort in seeing their premature babies in hospital in between daily visits, thanks to cameras installed at the infants’ bedsides at Richmond Hospital. (Contributed to Canadian Press by Preethi Krishnan)

Cameras at babies’ bedsides in B.C. neonatal intensive care unit comfort parents

‘It was not an easy thing, just to leave them and come home, then sleep and go again’

Preethi Krishnan, right, holds her daughter Sudha, as her husband, Ashok Narasimhan, holds twin sister Shraddha in this undated handout photo. The couple took comfort in seeing their premature babies in hospital in between daily visits, thanks to cameras installed at the infants’ bedsides at Richmond Hospital. (Contributed to Canadian Press by Preethi Krishnan)
Physician assistants are valued members of other provinces’ healthcare systems, but the B.C. government does not recognize their qualifications. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

Military and university-trained physician assistants rejected by B.C.’s health system

They are ready and willing, but due to provincial policies, these healthcare workers are not able

Physician assistants are valued members of other provinces’ healthcare systems, but the B.C. government does not recognize their qualifications. ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
Registered nurse Lee-Anne Williams, centre, confers with colleagues in the intensive care unit at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

VIDEO: How one Canadian pediatric hospital’s ICU was saved from near collapse

The ICU – currently filled mostly by children – has been over capacity for the last month

Registered nurse Lee-Anne Williams, centre, confers with colleagues in the intensive care unit at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young