Gaps in care remain for Canadians with chronic disease

What: Disparities in Primary Health Care Experiences Among Canadians With Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions

OTTAWA, March 6, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Despite a tendency to report overall satisfaction with their primary health care, Canadians living with chronic diseases may not be receiving all the care they need. A new report released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reveals that while most people with selected chronic conditions—including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease—reported having a primary health care provider, one in five had not seen a care provider in the past 12 months. One in eight reported visiting emergency departments for a condition they perceived as being treatable by their primary health care provider.

Disparities in Primary Health Care Experiences Among Canadians With Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions uncovers barriers and challenges that exist for two groups in particular.

...Lower-income individuals were less likely to report that their primary health care physician involved them in clinical decisions (47% versus 66% of those with higher incomes).

...Women were less likely than men to report receiving all four recommended tests for chronic disease monitoring (46% versus 56%) or to have medication side effects explained (56% versus 65%).

An estimated 6.8 million Canadians age 20 to 74 are affected by these chronic conditions, which result in an estimated 95,000 hospitalizations and almost 13,000 deaths annually. Addressing the gaps in care highlighted in this report could lead to more appropriate care and to a more efficient health care system.

About CIHI

Established in 1994, CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that provides essential information on Canada’s health system and the health of Canadians. Funded by federal, provincial and territorial governments, CIHI is guided by a Board of Directors made up of health leaders across the country. Our vision is to improve Canada’s health system and the well-being of Canadians by being a leading source of unbiased, credible and comparable information that will enable health leaders to make better-informed decisions.

Incredible Lion Photos Taken With High-Tech Remote Control Camera

© William Burrard-Lucas

from TreeHugger.com
by Jaymi Heimbuch Technology / Gadgets


Photography is a high-tech industry, especially when photographers try to figure out ways to get closer to dangerous animals without putting themselves in harm's way. Conservation photographer Will Burrard-Lucas has created a high-tech solution that has helped get him amazing images that would otherwise be impossible -- such as lions feasting or Komodo dragons flicking their tongues at the lens. Most recently Burrard-Lucas has made modifications to their "BeetleCam" that provide photographers with even more flexibility for getting images, and these incredible photos of lions show off what is possible.

Brothers Will and Matt devised the BeetleCam in 2009 in order to get close-up photos of African wildlife. It is essentially a remote-controlled car with a DSLR mounted to the top. But after an unfortunate encounter with a lion, it was clear the BeetleCam needed to be armored up. After a few design tweaks, this new version of the BeetleCam is just what the brothers had hoped for, and they took it back out to try it with lions -- and this time they were able to capture winning images.

Will Burrard-Lucas states,

"I have now created a 3rd generation of BeetleCam which has evolved to take into account our experiences from previous trips."

The newest iteration of the BeetleCam can be equipped with flashes, the top can adjust remotely to move the angle of the camera, and you can even zoom or use liveview from a distance.

As for the lions, they provide a bit of adventure as they're modeling for photos. Burrard-Lucas states of a run-in with four cubs,

"They intuitively recognised the front of BeetleCam and would try to circle around to attack it from behind. They also grew bolder whenever BeetleCam retreated, swiping at it with their oversized paws. We were just getting the hang of this new game when disaster struck; BeetleCam’s front left wheel hadn’t been tightened properly and it worked its way off! The cubs instantly seemed to recognise that the buggy was in distress and they closed in...The cubs ran off with it and proceeded to have a highly raucous game as they tried to steal it off each other. We had to wait for over an hour and a half before we were finally able to retrieve the saliva-sodden tire! To our amazement, it had a few punctures but was otherwise undamaged. We slotted it back onto BeetleCam and we were ready to go again!"

That's quite a testament to how much abuse the BeetleCam can take and still be ready to roll for more images.

"Over the course of the next few days, we were able to gain new understanding and respect for the lions we were photographing. We were always mindful that we didn’t want to harass them or intrude on their lives. However, we came to appreciate that lions are incredibly curious cats and full of the bravado that comes from being the Masai Mara’s top predator. This resulted in plenty more raucous games with the youngsters and some wonderful encounters with older individuals, who treated BeetleCam with nonchalant disdain, deliberately ignoring it as it manoeuvred around them," says Burrard-Lucas.

It's a great way to show how a little high-tech tool can be a win-win situation for humans and animals -- we can see some of the most incredible images of wild animals from ground-level angles, and we can do so without disturbing the animals (or just giving them a temporary toy...). It's a fantastic tool for conservation photographers who want to keep space between themselves and their subjects.

Here is a video from the BeetleCam's adventure with the lions:



... view more amazing photos at TreeHugger.com

Most Ontarians would go to their pharmacist for immunizations, survey shows

Data backs Drummond report recommendations for expanded scope of pharmacy practice

TORONTO, March 2, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Almost two-thirds of Ontarians (61 per cent) say they would go to their pharmacist for administration of drugs by injection and inhalation, including immunization, if they knew pharmacists had the appropriate training and were authorized by the government to do so, according to findings from a new Ipsos-Reid survey commissioned by the Ontario Pharmacists' Association (OPA).

During Pharmacist Awareness Week, March 4-11, OPA is urging the province to act on recommendations made in the recently-released Drummond Report, including implementing "changes to the Pharmacy Act to enable an expanded scope of pharmacy practice" and "regulations to permit pharmacists to administer routine injections and inhalations, including immunization."

"Permitting pharmacists to administer routine immunizations is an excellent opportunity to improve Ontario's low vaccination rates while increasing vaccine access," said Darryl Moore, chair of OPA. "Pharmacists in other provinces already have this added responsibility, and have stepped up to help public health authorities to administer vaccines for annual influenza protection. We believe this is a key contribution we can also make in Ontario."

Currently, all 50 U.S. states as well as the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick have authorized trained pharmacists to administer injections, and the result has been increased vaccination rates. In Ontario, hundreds of pharmacists have already completed OPA's Injection and Immunization Certificate Program since its launch last June, in anticipation of the authority to provide these new services.

"By expanding the role of pharmacists and making better use of their expertise, skills and accessibility, we can help improve patient care; take pressure off family physicians, emergency departments and walk in clinics; reduce wait times and hospital stays; and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Ontario's health care system," said Moore. "The Ontario Pharmacists' Association is committed to working with other health care providers and the government to provide the best possible care in the most cost-effective ways."

Ontarians also support allowing pharmacists to treat minor ailments

In addition to immunizations, almost nine in 10 Ontarians (88 per cent) say they would go to their pharmacist for appropriate medications or advice for minor ailments such as dermatitis, psoriasis, cold sores and athlete's foot, if they knew that their pharmacist had appropriate training and was authorized by the government to do so.

"Pharmacists are already capable of assessing and treating many minor ailments. If they are authorized to do so through an expanded scope of practice, patients would receive the care they need, faster; and physicians would have more time to deal with more serious medical conditions," says Moore. "As health care needs increase and become more complex, these services will become even more critical, especially for patients who don't have a physician, such as those in rural or remote areas where the pharmacist may be the only health care provider they see."

According to the survey data, the biggest motivation driving Ontarians to be "more likely" to go to their pharmacist rather than a walk-in clinic or doctor's office for support on minor ailments is convenience: they wouldn't have to make an appointment (77 per cent); wouldn't have to wait in a doctor's waiting room (76 per cent); could visit a pharmacy on evenings and weekends (76 per cent); and their pharmacist would communicate his or her activities to the doctor (75 per cent).

Pharmacists in Ontario are highly regarded and increasingly recognized as the medication management experts of the health care team. They have an in-depth knowledge of hundreds of medications, and are one of the most accessible health care providers, working closely with other health care professionals, patients, and caregivers to advise on potential side effects, interactions, and any necessary adjustments to medications.

"We urge the government to adopt the recommendations in the Drummond report and allow expanded responsibilities for Ontario's pharmacists," said Moore. "Given the increasing numbers of medications, the aging population and the growing list of pharmaceuticals, pharmacists are key to ensuring safe, cost-effective drug therapy for Ontarians."

About the survey

The survey results were based on an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted between December 20 and 21, 2011, on behalf of the Ontario Pharmacists' Association. For this survey, a sample of 803 adults from Ipsos' online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100 per cent response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Ontario Pharmacists' Association

The Ontario Pharmacists' Association is the professional association that represents the views and interests of more than 13,600 pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training across the province. The Association works to inspire excellence in the profession and practice of pharmacy, and to promote wellness for patients. For more information, visit www.opatoday.com.

The Value of Electronic Health Records Extends Far Beyond Patient Care

Embedding Privacy, by Design, Not by Chance

TORONTO, March 2, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Embedding and implementing Privacy by Design (PbD) into electronic health record (EHR) systems being built across Canada will enable us to benefit from the wealth of health information stored on these systems, while protecting patient privacy, according to a new paper released today at the Toronto Board of Trade.

"By incorporating the principles of Privacy by Design into the EHR environment, you can accommodate both individual privacy and access to health information for purposes that benefit society as a whole, such as research purposes — a win-win scenario," said Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

The paper, entitled Embedding Privacy Into the Design of Electronic Health Records to Enable Multiple Functionalities - Win/Win is co-authored by Dr. Ann Cavoukian, and Richard C. Alvarez, President & CEO, Canada Health Infoway. It argues that the current practice of using health information for a range of authorized purposes should continue in the EHR environment, but that this must be done in a way that respects individual rights to privacy while benefitting the health system for all Canadians.

"In addition to their value in direct patient care, information from electronic health records can be used to strengthen public health and other health care decisions," said Alvarez. "When privacy is considered and built in at the outset, it is possible to imagine having accurate population-based information to help predict and prevent waves of infectious disease, to evaluate the safety of different medicines, or to proactively manage diabetes and other chronic conditions."

The paper emphasizes that the use of health information for purposes that go beyond the direct care of a person, such as research and health system planning, is not a new undertaking. It has long been used for such purposes with safeguards in place to protect the privacy of Canadians, including privacy legislation and policies, as well as privacy oversight bodies to monitor compliance.

The paper describes how EHRs will make it easier, faster and less expensive to leverage health information for a range of these types of enormously beneficial purposes. While privacy challenges may arise, the paper describes some tools and guidance available to help resolve those challenges, such as the principles of Privacy by Design, the Infoway-sponsored paper Privacy and EHR Information Flows in Canada: Common Understandings of the Pan-Canadian Health Information Privacy Group, and the practice of routine de-identification of information as a key first step in reducing any associated privacy risks.

"The default approach should be that information is strongly de-identified when used for purposes that extend beyond the delivery of healthcare," said Commissioner Cavoukian.

Research indicates that Canadians have a degree of comfort with using EHR information for such purposes, as long as privacy and security protections are in place. The paper underscores the need for transparency in the way EHR information is managed and safeguarded.

"While key elements are already in place to allow for privacy-protective use of EHR information for public health and other purposes beyond direct patient care," added Alvarez, "there are still issues that need to be considered as we move forward. Identifying these issues was one of the purposes of producing this paper."

About the IPC

The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by and reports to the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner's mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which applies to both public and private sector health information custodians. The Commissioner's mandate includes educating the public about access and privacy issues.

About Canada Health Infoway

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of information and communications technology projects in Canada. Fully respecting patient confidentiality, these secure systems will provide clinicians and patients with the information they need to better support safe care decisions and manage their own health. Accessing this vital information quickly will help foster a more modern and sustainable health care system for all Canadians.

Poll says: Canadian drivers continue to use cell phones while behind the wheel

OTTAWA, February 23, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - In a new Road Safety Monitor (RSM) poll by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) it was found that more than a third (36.3%) of Canadian drivers admitted to using their cell phones while behind the wheel in the last seven days, up from 20.5% in 2001. The report, based on a public opinion poll conducted in September 2011, investigates trends in cell phone use while driving over the last decade.

One explanation for the increase from 2001 to 2011 in the number of Canadians who admit to using their cell phones while driving is the increased accessibility and affordability of cell phones and the popularization of hands-free devices and accessories. However, any time spent focused on non-driving related tasks while behind the wheel puts drivers and other road users at risk.

"Available research generally estimates that driver distraction is a factor in 20% - 30% of road crashes," explains Robyn Robertson, TIRF President and CEO. "Self-reported data from our survey showed that over a quarter of all survey respondents had to brake or steer to avoid being in a collision because they were distracted by something inside or outside their vehicle in the last month. Taking your eyes and attention off the road for even a few seconds can increase crash risk."

Despite the increase in the number of Canadians in 2011 admitting to using their cell phones while driving compared to the number in 2001, more drivers are admitting to using their phones for shorter periods of time. A majority of drivers (65.2%) who reported using their cell phone while driving said that they used it for 10 minutes or less in the past week. In 2001, only a little more than half (57.5%) of the 20.5% of those who used their cell phone while driving said they used their device for 10 minutes or less in the past week. Consistent with this increase, there has been a decrease in those using their cell phones for more than 30 minutes in the past week.

"In 2001, almost 20% of respondents who said they had used their cell phone had used it for more than thirty minutes the previous week," explains Ms. Robertson. "It is encouraging to see this shift and that drivers are becoming more conscientious about restricting cell phone use. Now we need to see increases in the number of people not using their phone at all while driving."

Thanks to public polls, observational studies and laboratory testing, researchers know much more about distracted driving than we did in 2001. However there are still many aspects of the problem that institutes like TIRF would like to examine further. These include the influence of new provincial laws, the effectiveness of various education efforts, and the collection of more detailed collision data. As a co-host with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) of the Driven to Distraction Conference on March 1st in Toronto, TIRF hopes to identify opportunities to start to fill these knowledge gaps with the help of enforcement, government, industry, and community groups.

"In 2005, TIRF and CAA held their first international conference on distracted driving. Since then research has continued to inform our understanding of the problem," notes Robertson. "More importantly, governments, industry and community groups have been very active in implementing a variety of educational, prevention and enforcement strategies. The upcoming conference is the perfect venue to bring together all parties and share their experiences on the implementation of strategies in the last five years."

About the poll. These results are based on the Road Safety Monitor (RSM), an annual public opinion poll developed and conducted by TIRF. A total of 1,208 Canadians completed the poll in September and October of 2011. Results can be considered accurate within plus or minus 2.8%, 19 times out of 20. This report was made possible by financial support from Transport Canada and the Brewers Association of Canada.

A copy of the full report is available at www.tirf.ca.

About TIRF. Established in 1964, TIRF's mission is to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries. As a national, independent, charitable road safety research institute, TIRF designs, promotes, and implements effective programs and policies, based on sound research. TIRF is a registered charity and depends on grants, contracts, and donations to provide services for the public. Visit them online at www.tirf.ca.

For more information on the Driven to Distraction Conference, conference registration and webcast, please visit www.distracteddriving.ca.

Canadian Cancer Society Applauds New $40 Million Federal Government Caregiver Tax Credit

An Important First Step To Relieve Financial Burden on Families of Gravely Ill Patients

TORONTO, February 23, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canadian Cancer Society and other Canadian organizations came together today to applaud the federal government for its new Family Caregiver Tax Credit. The tax credit, which came into effect on January 1, allows family caregivers taking care of an ill family member to claim an enhanced amount for a dependant under one of the existing dependency-related tax credits.

The new tax credit could translate into as much as $300 per family for 2012.

The Canadian Cancer Society has been advocating on behalf of caregivers for more than 10 years and in fact launched a campaign during the last federal election to remind all politicians of this issue.

"The Canadian government has taken an important first step towards supporting family caregivers, the invisible backbone of Canada's healthcare system," says Dan Demers, Director, Public Issues, Canadian Cancer Society. "Family caregivers give so much to support their loved ones and it's unacceptable that they also have to deal with financial difficulties at such a difficult time".

Better support for family caregivers is an urgent issue because the country's population is aging, and increasingly Canadians will be caring for loved ones who have cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. A 2007 survey showed that 23% of Canadians had cared for a family member or close friend with a serious health problem in the previous year.

"This is very welcome news for families with an ill family member," says Lori Synes-Taraba, who cared for her infant son Brock at home while he went through cancer treatments (Brock is now 14 and doing well). "It's a very stressful and emotional time for families that is made even worse if money is running out."

Nadine Henningsen, President, Canadian Caregiver Coalition, says:

"We are pleased to see the federal government maintaining its commitment to family caregivers by mitigating their financial burden through this program. The intensity and length of care-giving can be significant, with 60 per cent of caregivers providing care for more than three years. Additionally, 41 per cent of Canadians use personal savings to support themselves when caring for loved ones and 22 per cent of these individuals miss one or more months of work."

Other organizations supporting the new tax credit include the Canadian Caregiver Coalition, the ALS Society of Canada, the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society.

For more information about the Canadian Cancer Society's commitment to caregivers and information on the caregiver tax credit, visit cancer.ca.

The Canadian Cancer Society fights cancer by doing everything we can to prevent cancer, save lives and support people living with cancer. Join the fight! Go to fightback.ca to find out how you can help. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888 939-3333.

The Canadian Caregiver Coalition is a diverse group of 40 national and provincial organizations from across Canada that works collaboratively to represent and promote the needs and interests of family caregivers with all levels of government, and the community. The vision of the Canadian Caregiver Coalition is a Canada that recognizes and respects the integral role of family caregivers in society and supports this role with the understanding that it is not a substitute for public responsibility in health and social care. ccc-ccan/ca.

One million legal judgments now freely available in a searchable Canadian database

OTTAWA, February 17, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - There are now one million Canadian court and tribunal decisions freely available over the internet, courtesy of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII). It has taken 12 years for this comprehensive online legal resource to reach the one million mark, a total that includes judgments from more than 200 legal sources.

The one millionth judgment loaded into the CanLII database was a judgement from the Supreme Court of Canada.

CanLII is an initiative of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the national umbrella group for Canada's 14 regulators of Canada's 100,000 lawyers and 3,500 Quebec notaries in the public interest. It was launched in 2000 on a test basis to provide efficient and free access to the growing number of judicial decisions and legislative documents available on the internet.

In 2001, the Federation established CanLII as an ongoing, not-for-profit service to support the legal profession's research needs while providing the public with permanent, open and free access to the legal heritage of all Canadian jurisdictions. Now guided by a skilled independent Board of Directors, CanLII has recently released a document establishing its strategic priorities for 2012 to 2014. Under its new plan, CanLII continues the original mission established by the Federation but will also pursue content and technological enrichment for the benefit of its professional and public users.

According to Colin Lachance, President and CEO of CanLII,

"reaching the million mark has involved adding both new and historical judgments to the database". Mr. Lachance adds, "CanLII now grows by more than 120,000 judgments a year, approximately 20 per cent of which are older cases that add depth to our collection."

With an average of 25,000 individual users visiting the site daily, CanLII is clearly achieving the objective of making the law available to an interested public.

"Adding these historical judgments has only been possible because of the generous support and participation of various provincial law foundations, and courts and tribunals across the country" the CanLII President says. "Challenges remain in light of the evolving needs of the legal profession, and the growing public interest in access to legal information as a means of promoting access to justice. We anticipate establishing wider alliances over the coming years with groups and institutions focused on promoting understanding of the law."

The CanLII database is maintained under a services agreement by Lexum Inc., a private Montreal-based company that started out as the LexUM data laboratory of the Université de Montréal. Lexum, a leading Canadian legal technologies provider and publisher of the Supreme Court of Canada judgments since 1992, has been there since the beginning.

"This project started with less than 300 judgments" says Daniel Poulin, President of Lexum Inc. and holder of the Legal Information Chair of the Law Faculty of the Université de Montréal. "We have been looking forward to celebrating this milestone for a long time."

The President of the Federation, John Hunter, Q.C., says from the beginning CanLII existed for the purpose of making Canadian law freely available via the internet.

"CanLII is a non-profit organization created by the Federation and Canada's law societies and it is funded by all members of the legal profession through their law society dues", Mr. Hunter noted.

Through the past 12 years, CanLII has also benefited from crucial contributions from federal, provincial and territorial governments and their official publishers who have all made their legislative texts available.

Access to the CanLII service is available at www.canlii.org, or through the web site of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada www.flsc.ca.