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Having worked for 40 years as a family physician in BC, when I heard the media announcements recently: that on April 3 vaccine mandates will be lifted on BC public service government workers but not on health care workers until it can become a permanent condition of work in health care, and that we may see only combined vaccines in the fall; it struck me that it’s time we had a real chat. This can’t wait.
2016-10-05 Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
Please read the OpEd by a BC family doctor that while Health Minister Adrian Dix uses findings of the Cayton report to defend the rapid introduction of Bill 36, the HPOA, he refuses to comment on the contradictory content in the report and snubs the issues raised by the Doctors of BC.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver BC - August 11, 2021.
No one can deny the importance of BC societies to communities large and small throughout the province, assisting all kinds of people as charitable and not for profit societies, including associations that represent occupations and professions.
The I Ching, or Book Of Changes, is an ancient Chinese book. While there are many translations, the German translation by Richard Wilhelm rendered into English by Cary F. Baynes (1950) has become a well respected classic. The book includes a foreword by CG Jung, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who has elsewhere described using the I Ching in his psychiatric practice from time to time. An electronic version of the text related to the hexagrams (the oracle), from the first part of the translation, can be viewed online or downloaded using the link below.
A new one hour documentary by Aaron Gunn, "Waiting To Die - Canada's Health Care Crisis" was released yesterday (August 14, 2023) and in less than one day had more than 23,000 views and more than 700 comments from people sharing their own experiences and thoughts.
Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC - May 20, 2022
2016-08-22 Dr Z. Essak, MD - Vancouver, BC
Is this still the right way to give injections, or are some of us just old fashioned, insisting on pulling back first to avoid injecting into a blood vessel? After seeing so many video clips on the news of vaccine injections being given without pulling back it may come as a relief to see this one from Global TV National news on November 26, 2021.News Items
Requirements to be Deputy Registrar at College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSBC) – Is something different?
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Z. Essak, MD – Vancouver, BC – 2015 Apr 23
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC is looking to hire a new Deputy Registrar with the deadline for applications of April 30, 2015 fast approaching.
Is there something different about the experience required in this job posting – “a career opportunity in medical regulation”?
The proven experience and qualifications all candidates should have begins with, "minimum 10 years of senior administrative experience in a complex health-related organization (e.g. regulator, health authority, association, etc.)"
Also the requirements, while including "medical degree preferred", are open to others with "master of business/health administration or law degree also accepted".
Is this a sign of changes or a shift underway at the College (CPSBC)?
Rick Mercer's 2013 Rant - Scientists Muzzled Again
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This is one of my favorite Rick's Rants. In less than 2 minutes he lays it all out. Beginning with the problem for scientists then in the middle he turns it up a notch, "Get over yourselves. It's not like scientists are the only ones being told to shut up. No, it's everyone." Then after some fine examples he ends with a polite, "Thank you for not talking." A great entertaining and thought provoking rant.
are you sure you want to drive this car ?
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You are done driving your bicycle, as you have successfully completed your race car driving school.
You decide that it is time to buy a car and put your training to use, driving people around, to feed your family, pay your student loans, mortgage etc …
You go to the only car dealerships available, all state owned dealerships, and you have no choice as they have a state sanctioned monopoly.
Has the BC Medical Association been stolen from the members?
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Doctors and members of the BC Medical Association (Doctors Of BC) are asking what is happening at the helm of the BCMA? Some are saying they think the new CEO Allan Seckel is not good for the Association and a sign that bad things are happening to the Association.
Who is Allan Seckel? How did he get to be the BCMA CEO? What is he doing as the CEO? And what is the BCMA Board doing?
Disagreement is central to progress
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It's never too late to change the world !
In this TED talks video Margaret Heffernan demonstrates "that disagreement is central to progress, that the best partners aren't echo chambers and how great businesses allow people to disagree".
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree.html
JN Mahy MD FRCSC
Dr Karpiak on Bill Good CKNW - Bureaucracy in health care is not sustainable
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Dr Dennis Karpiak, Internist and former BCMA Board Director from the Interior of BC speaking on the Bill Good Show CKNW radio 980 on July 10, 2012.
"It's become increasingly more difficult to sustain a practice in this province."
"The BCMA 20 years ago formed the Regionalization committee that predicted the rise of bureaucracy and a decline in patient care funding."
"Currently you can walk through any hospital and you'll see more administration offices than patient rooms."
Listen to the whole interview.
Burnout and Resilience
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Vancouver BC - Oct 19, 2011.
A talk on burnout in doctors at a recent conference in Vancouver provided good information and stimulated further exploration.
During questions the speaker said the prevalence of burnout in doctors is 20 percent and tends to occur in pockets or clusters.
The talk focused on burnout resulting from lack of recognition while caring for others. Although burnout can also result from lack of recognition from colleagues and co-workers, lack of resources, and degree of bureaucracy.
Burnout can also occur in other aspects of our lives besides our work.
Good news from the talk is research shows that when individuals examined their level of burnout and attended to the risk of burnout they were not only able to reduce their current risk but their future risk of burnout continued to remain less and even improved further over time.
Health issues for adults born with cerebral palsy
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What happens to children born with cerebral palsy when they become adults?
In one case an individual born with cerebral palsy when they were an adult in their early 30’s had progressive deterioration of function involving their affected upper limb.
The individual was reviewed by their orthopedic surgeon who suggested botox injections for spasms and possibly some cosmetic improvement to the upper extremity although not optimistic for functional improvement.
The 3D defence; Deny, Delay, Destroy.
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Book Review
The book, "Corporate Personality Disorder, Surviving & Saving Sick Organizations" by Eli Sopow, PhD draws heavily on medical practice examples and describes how "at the core of the Organizational Family Tree is the Triangle of Trust, which combines authority, responsibility, and accountability through a harmonious balance of communications, cooperation, and connectivity to others." He offers critical success factors for each of these six factors.
