What’s so Special About Northern Medicine?

Everyone is special, some more than others.

Need trumps merit in our socialized healthcare system. So naturally, we all compete to be the most needy. It’s in our best interest.

Appearing needy maximizes the chance of getting funding. Strength invites scrutiny or funding cuts.

Is the whole thing a sham?

Should all stakeholders get identical gifts?

Despite cynicism about interests and special favours, small towns have unique needs. Northern medicine is truly special. The big issues are, for the most part, the same as everywhere else:

Funding cuts cause decreased access to care.

Overcrowded hospitals leave patients in hallways.

Lack of long-term care beds exacerbates hospital crowding.

Bad management makes everyone suffer.

The issues are identical. The impact is unique. Continue reading “What’s so Special About Northern Medicine?”

Absurd Change

Absurd change is a high-risk procedure: A doctor gets frustrated with her clinic, hospital or LHIN.

She decides to fix it. She attends all the right meetings. She writes letters and calls important people.

After 6 months, she quits in frustration.

She then shares her experience at medical staff meetings: The system was too corrupt. No one wanted to change. No one would listen.

Farson and Crichton wrote a great little book called, Management of the Absurd. Chapters include: “Big changes are easier to make than small ones”, and “Planning is an ineffective way to bring about change”.

After many attempts, false starts and unexpected successes, I offer the following absurd advice to fight for change.

Absurd Change

Experts say, “Start with a vision”. They are right, but we misinterpret what they mean in two ways. Continue reading “Absurd Change”

Simply Overwhelmed

Dr. Lynsey Bartlett made national news when she let 100 patients go last week.  CTV reported it as 200.

She was charting until midnight, spending 1/3 of her day with complex mental health patients and could not afford to hire more staff to help out.

She was simply overwhelmed.

Many docs do what Bartlett did, but they go quietly. They trim office hours or join larger groups.

Patients wait longer for next-available appointments. But no one sees it in the news. Access changes like the tide, quiet and slow.

The tide has shifted, in Ontario. Continue reading “Simply Overwhelmed”