by medicaltechont | Feb 12, 2017 | Cancer, Toronto
Liver cancer is to blame for more than a thousand deaths every year in Ontario — and most of these occur in the Greater Toronto Area. In fact, the epidemic level of liver cancer in this city often goes unrecognized, as it’s diluted by provincial and national statistics.
So what is it about Toronto that makes it such a hot spot for this type of cancer?
Most of the cases occur in patients with chronic liver disease, typically due to chronic blood-borne infections with the hepatitis B or C viruses.
The transmission of hepatitis B occurs mainly from mother to child and is prevalent in several regions of the world. Immigrants from East Asian and African communities are at an especially elevated risk of carrying hepatitis B, and of developing liver cancer. Hepatitis C is found throughout the world and mainly spread through sharing and inadequate sterilization of needles and syringes. Those who’ve been exposed to infected blood are also at a higher risk — and adults born between 1945 and 1975 are much more likely to have been exposed to hepatitis C. Both infections are silent, with no symptoms until it is too late.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2017/02/06/doctors-notes-why-toronto-is-a-liver-cancer-hot-spot.html
by medicaltechont | Feb 4, 2017 | Uncategorized
Health care is now as close as the nearest online device.
Maple, billed as Canada’s “first 24/7 virtual doctor’s office,” was officially launched in Ontario earlier this week. The online platform connects patients to licensed physicians in minutes and allows them to consult with the doctor in real time.
“Maple is like the Uber for Canadian doctors and Canadian patients,” said Dr. Brett Belchetz, Maple CEO and an Ontario emergency room physician. “It’s a way for Canadian patients, with the touch of a button on a web-based application, to have the ability to be connected to a Canadian doctor with a matter of minutes for an online consultation that takes place via instant message video or audio chat, through which they can receive a full diagnosis, prescriptions if necessary, sick notes and full forms of care.”
Read more online at http://www.thesudburystar.com/2017/02/01/the-virtual-doctor-is-in
by medicaltechont | Jan 28, 2017 | Electronic Medical Records
QUESTION: I’ve had the same family doctor for 20 years and I do like her. But my medical records are still on paper and my doctor has no plans to convert to an electronic system. That makes me wonder how up-to-date she is with other medical advances. What could be the hold-up?
Click here to read the answer or more on the subject.
http://health.sunnybrook.ca/navigator/doctors-specialists-electronic-health-records/
by medicaltechont | Dec 5, 2016 | e-Health, Ontario MD, OntarioMD, Technology
TORONTO — Health Minister Eric Hoskins says he’ll act on a recommendation to give patients access to their electronic medical records as the province updates the mandate of eHealth Ontario.
The Liberal government’s privatization czar, Ed Clark, recommended eHealth’s role be refocused more on service delivery, and said patients should be able to interact with their own personal health information.
“We must bring patients into the system and give them access to their own information, and in doing so we must continue to focus on security and privacy of patient health records,” he said. “There’s no reason why you couldn’t build an app to connect into that (eHealth system of electronic medical records).”
Read more at http://www.bnn.ca/ontario-will-not-sell-ehealth-assets-as-ed-clark-says-agency-worth-5-7b-1.613980
by medicaltechont | Oct 24, 2016 | eHealth
TORONTO – The Liberal government is scrambling to get a valuation of eHealth Ontario before the auditor general releases what is expected to be a damning report on the controversial electronic health agency.
Read more at http://www.canhealth.com/blog/two-evaluations-of-ehealth-under-way/
