Health Treatment Concerns

Daughter saves mother, 80, left by doctors to starve

2009-10-13T16:25:00.007-04:00

Alive nine months after medics ruled she had only days to live, withdrew her antibiotics and denied her artificial feeding. The former school matron had been placed on a controversial care plan intended to ease the last days of dying patients.

The daughter of an 80-year-old woman from East Sussex
has criticised doctors for using treatment guidelines
which she says left her mother to die.

The NHS introduces euthanasia by stealth

Surviving Hospitals‽

Wouldn't a Patient Advocate committed to pro-actively guiding patients and their family members through the medical maze be a blessing, here in Ontario?

Bill C-384 to be Debated in House of Commons
A bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Canada
Advocacy Alert

Sample Letter
to express opposition to Bill C-384.
to a Member of Parliament
Click Here

Health Colleges Are Self-Regulated‽

2009-09-29T21:11:00.003-04:00

The best quality care for the people of Ontario
by the doctors of Ontario

An example of the current ethical self-regulation?

Local Health Integration Network seeks input

2009-09-04T07:09:00.005-04:00

If you care about how health care is provided,

a provincial agency wants to hear from you.

The South East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), which manages health care in the region, is seeking public input on its latest approach.

Reaching for Excellence,

the South East's draft IHSP

is now available for comment

After hundreds of conversations with area residents and health service providers, the South East LHIN has released its Draft Integrated Health Services Plan (2010/11 - 2012/13). The LHIN is seeking public feedback on the draft priorities until Sept. 23.

Surviving Hospitals‽

Hospitals routinely decide who dies

A 'comedy of errors'

2009-08-01T09:46:00.002-04:00

"....the family's concerns were properly addressed by the patient relations office."

Things haven't changed much?

"One wrong (medication) could kill her. I know that she's complicated but on top of her dying, I shouldn't be afraid of them doing something to her."

Paranoid?

Nurses Association director
'saddened'
by story
August 6, 2009

Wikipedia

Ontario jumps into health row

2009-07-29T13:15:00.003-04:00

Province fights court challenge
from woman used in U.S. ad
assailing Canada's public system

Appropriate communication
with potential patients
can also limit health care expenses‽

Not All
Socialist(?)
Countries are Alike

Thousands of Alberta health records copied

2009-07-09T09:17:00.001-04:00

Online Accessibility Of Health Records.
What! Me Worry‽

Canada's swine flu shame

2009-06-30T08:17:00.003-04:00

The Canadian government's failure
to protect indigenous communities
is a sign of deep-rooted discrimination

"Discrimination", I don't think so!
This old phrase is apt,
"see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"?

Actually this condition is too prevalent worldwide!

Help all of us towards a death with dignity

2009-06-09T07:52:00.002-04:00

In reality, is this what we should expect to be too common a practice?

Elderly patients were left in "drug-induced comas"
after being overprescribed painkillers and sedatives,
a disciplinary panel heard today.

Ontario is prepared for Swine Flu Threat ! ?

2009-04-27T09:20:00.010-04:00

The World Health Organisation has confirmed
that swine flu continues to spread
at a pace of 1000 new infections per day.
Friday, May 22, 2009

I wonder if these perceived threats are helpful?

If an individual misinterprets information, and this will have serious life threatening implications on that individual's health and life, wouldn't an ethical health provider at least make an attempt to ensure that the cause for the misinterpretation was effectively explained?

Is it ethical to repeatedly aggravate, instead of minimizing, the concern?

Is it reasonable to assume that, without an attempt to clear up the cause for the "misinterpretation", there effectively is not any misinterpretation?

The following letters may provide some clarification.

November 9, 2001, letter, Attention: Hospital Chief Executive Office

and

April 14, 2003, letter Attention: The Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Health (Ontario)

Epidemic and Pandemic Alert
and Response (EPR)

Call for ‘Robbie’s Law’ for medical mistakes

2009-04-17T11:59:00.005-04:00

"Make it a legal requirement to inform patients, or their next of kin, if there has been an error or incident in a patient’s healthcare which has, or may, cause harm."

THE CASE FOR A

‘LEGAL DUTY OF CANDOUR' IN HEALTHCARE:

"ROBBIE'S LAW"

Support Robbie's Law

Self regulation in the "HEALTH PROFESSIONS?"

2009-04-16T07:32:00.019-04:00

.
.
A nurse who secretly filmed to reveal the neglect of elderly patients at a hospital has been found guilty of misconduct at a disciplinary hearing.

I tried to put things right and get standards improved. I prepared a report, but no one took on board what I was saying.

Anger as nurse who exposed ill-treatment of elderly is struck off

Nursing council must review this case
The Guardian, Saturday 18 April 2009

You don't blow the whistle on colleagues
and they don't on you.

Harold Shipman travesty, an example!?

Dr Reynolds, who was a partner in the Brooke practice opposite to Shipman's Market Street surgery, risked her career by triggering the first police investigation into the Hyde doctor in March 1998.

Is this another example of the value of "self regulation"?
GMC DEFEATED IN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT JUDICIAL REVIEW

Wouldn't this be nice?
Maybe the tooth fairy really exists!

Doctors 'must root out bad care'

"We need to create a culture where doctors are obliged to challenge each other.
It is not happening everywhere at the moment.
There is a silence among professionals.

Time to make a noise in support of the whistleblowers
Friday 24 April 2009

Here's an interesting book on thr topic.

Medical self-regulation
Crisis and Change

Royal College of Nursing
launches whistleblower hotline
after poll reveals victimisation fears
Sunday 10 May 2009

Fair Notice

2009-03-27T19:11:00.000-04:00

"An important change in how organ and tissue donation decisions are registered in Ontario.

Now, when you register or renew your health card at a ServiceOntario Office, you will be advised that only a “YES” to organ and tissue donation is being collected and stored in the OHIP database."

Is this a leap towards
"Presumed Consent",

or maybe the (a)
Reverse-onus provision?

Have you registered a decision of “No” or
“Undecided” regarding organ and tissue donation?

Organ donor 'reassurance' urged
24 February 2009

Are the perceived ethics of the "harvesters"
a small part of the problem?

Did Hospital Kill Teen For His Organs?
March 16, 2009

Patient with Down's syndrome starves in hospital

2009-03-27T11:22:00.001-04:00

"The NHS must condemn the death of a vulnerable patient who starved to death in hospital after 26 days without being properly fed"

NHS starts inquiry into deaths of
patients with learning difficulties
Monday 19 January 2009

Vulnerable deaths inquiry set up
January 19, 2009

Investigation reveals appalling neglect by NHS
of people with learning disabilities
March 24, 2009
• Report says appropriate care was not provided
• Cases include man who starved in hospital

Will 'shocking' care be addressed?
March 26, 2009

We have met with and apologised.........
March 27, 2009
Problem solved?

Target-driven Culture In Healthcare - Food For Thought

2009-03-19T22:03:00.004-04:00

'A hospital is able to tick all the boxes,
yet still utterly fail patients'

The system for hospitals to report errors
in the care of patients should be mandatory,
a patients' group says.

Obama and e-health records: can he really?

2009-03-18T08:32:00.003-04:00

US president Barack Obama wants to ensure every American has an electronic health record by 2014.

Intensive care errors 'frequent'

2009-03-13T07:21:00.002-04:00

One fifth of patients in intensive care
are subjected to errors with their medication,
a study has found.

Errors in administration of parenteral drugs
in intensive care units:
multinational prospective study
Published 12 March 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b814
BMJ 2009;338:b814

Medical Records

2009-03-09T07:04:00.007-04:00

Bows to pressure over data sharing?

Believable‽

Campaigning for common sense rights can be successful.
Occasionally, at least.
Maybe, it might turn out to be an illusion though.

Consent preferences for research uses
of information in
electronic medical records

Trust

2009-03-06T09:24:00.002-05:00

Many hospitals 'not reporting errors'

"Reporting nothing
will not mean
you are good,"

Failings at children's hospital
put patients at risk, says watchdog

Trust

2009-03-05T17:03:00.001-05:00

Assisted suicide becomes legal in Washington on Thursday

“Cover-up” by doctors!?

2009-02-25T11:06:00.013-05:00

Robbie Powell
NHS
BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Action against Medical Accidents
(AvMA)

A CHARITY yesterday won its bid to challenge
the General Medical Council’s decision
not to investigate the death of a 10-year-old boy.

The General Medical Council (GMC)
faces a judicial review over claims it failed
to investigate a boy's death nearly 19 years ago.

Alleged forging of medical records

GMC faces legal challenge over “liar’s charter”
23rd, February 2009

Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) News

2009-02-24T12:52:00.001-05:00

Medical Records

2009-02-16T09:08:00.009-05:00

Officals say the proposed legislation on data sharing is essential to the delivery of better public services and not a threat to patient confidentiality

Confidentiality has come with the territory for medical practitioners since the inception of the trade. "All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession", the original Hippocratic oath decreed, "I will keep secret and will never reveal."

What!
Me Worry!?‽

Unwieldy plan now is to share medical and social care data‽
17 February 2009
Now is the time to worry!

MPHS is a Beta site

Will common sense prevail?
3 March 2009

Thousands of Alberta health records copied

Online Accessibility Of Health Records. What! Me Worry‽

2009-02-16T07:20:00.011-05:00

'Death' doctor faces extradition

2009-02-08T10:45:00.005-05:00

A doctor charged over the death of a patient faces extradition to Britain after she was arrested in the US.

Doctor guilty of patient ma nslaughter
Friday 6 February 2009
An NHS doctor who injected an intensive care patient with adrenaline against the advice of three colleagues was today convicted of manslaughter.

Compare to Canada's "Standard!?‽".

Epinephrine also referred to as adrenaline

NHS is 'institutionally ageist'

2009-01-28T11:37:00.001-05:00

"Many geriatricians think ageism is rife in NHS, poll suggests
Nearly half blame institutional ageism for poor treatment of older patients"

Aren't we fortunate that Canada is such a caring Country?
So respectful of its citizens whether they be young or old
or any age in between?