A virtual ED is typically staffed by emergency doctors, nurses and support staff who can assess patients’ symptoms, provide medical advice, and direct care to the right place.
Tim Tenbensel, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The Māori Health Authority is gone, but a law remains that puts primary focus on reducing health inequities – meaning the government may struggle to bridge the gap between rhetoric and policy priority.
The influenza virus, which causes seasonal flu, is back at its usual rate after a hiatus due to health measures.
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The current triple epidemic of respiratory viruses is affecting all age groups, prompting comparisons with the pre-COVID-19 era.
Doctors have struggled to find the balance between effective pain management and the very real addiction risks that come with prescription pain medication.
BackyardProduction/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Undertreated pain can result in unnecessary suffering and a greater likelihood of long-term chronic pain.
The results of a new study highlight just how difficult, and potentially fatal, the pandemic has been for children and adolescents.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The rate of suicide attempts in children and adolescents increased by 22 per cent during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic.
When ambulances are delayed at overcrowded hospitals because they can’t offload patients, it means they can’t respond to emergency calls and people wait longer for paramedics to arrive.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Ambulance response times have not always met targets, but the alarming new pinch point in our health-care system is that there are no ambulances at all available to respond to calls.
RSV is the leading cause for hospital stays in infants in developed countries.
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As visits to emergency departments surge — and in some cases overwhelm hospitals — here are answers to frequently asked questions about Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Because of the difficulty in managing their care, patients with COPD have hospitalization rates 63 per cent higher than the general population, as well as 85 per cent more emergency department visits and 48 per cent more ambulatory care visits.
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Innovation in primary care for COPD patients has the potential to alleviate a significant strain on the health system by reducing emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Until the government acknowledges the critical role family physicians have in population health and on easing the burden on acute hospital care, pressures will only be relieved temporarily.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A strong primary care system keeps patients away from emergency departments and helps patients self-manage illnesses. But Ontario’s plan to ease pressure on emergency rooms ignores family medicine.
Delirium is a preventable condition often caused by hospital practices.
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Delirium doesn’t just harm vulnerable seniors. It prolongs hospital stays, ties up beds and clogs emergency rooms. Mandating senior-friendly hospital care protects patients and the health-care system.
Adding more beds won’t fix emergency department pressures. Neither will one-size-fits-all processes. But improving patient flow and addressing staff shortages might.
Paramedics and ambulances spill out of the Emergency ramp at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Almost half of patients have poor understanding of their emergency department visit. Being aware of how the emergency department works can give patients the tools to have a smoother experience.
Michael Musker, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The COVID pandemic has increased the strain on an already troubled mental health system in South Australia. Now, the state’s outgoing mental health boss is calling for accountability and change.
We’re likely to see more ‘fever clinics’ opening as coronavirus transmission takes hold in the community. But what are they? And do you need a fever to attend one?
Running, jumping, tackling, not to mention handling the ball, means Aussie Rules players risk injuries to their hands and wrists serious enough to send them to the emergency department.
Walpiri Transient Camp, Katherine: Western medicine can’t be expected to work for disadvantaged Indigenous Australians unless housing and social disadvantage are also addressed.
Simon Quilty, Australian National University e Lisa Wood, The University of Western Australia
A safe home, a working fridge and access to transport are all needed before western medicine has a chance of working in the long term. But a new way of providing care can help.
What rights do you have when discussing medical treatments or test results with your doctor?
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SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne