Jon Meddings
@JMeddings
Past Dean, Cumming School of Medicine; Gastroenterologist, Avid photographer in no particular order. Opinions are mine.
I'm sure someone will say - well of course, everyone will be dropping. So lets look at Manitoba as an example of a different government style... 2021 2.17 2023 2.15 2025 2.32 A positive trend - unlike AB...
Congratulations. We've also reached a new population high... Our current MD/1,000 ratio is 2.46. In 2023 we had 2.49... In 2021 we had 2.61... So, yup, the strategy is delivering results. The lowest # of MD's per capita in years...
Good column. It *is* bad luck that our measles rate is as high as it is. But that doesn't excuse our leaders from their vilification of either vaccines or the health system. There are things they could do to fix both - they just aren't, and that is what irritates many of us.
Alberta's measles epidemic is the worst in Canada, but other provinces have equally low vaccination rates and escape epidemic only by dumb luck. Column. calgaryherald.com/opinion/column… #ableg #abhealth #abpoli #cdnpoli #Measles #yyc #yeg
A good article. Our system still works well for emergent care. What is missing in action is day to day, primary care. This is a problem primarily related to numbers of MD's (as well as making that job appealing). Those issues are simply due to government ineptitude.
My newest @nationalpost piece, on our health care experience in PEI. nationalpost.com/opinion/free-m…
I agree with Dr. Day here. Every type of funding for hospitals has perverse outcomes but block funding (which we use most often) has the most. Funding activity is likely the least harmful, provided we define "activity" properly. Something AB has done right recently.
This would not happen if public hospitals were funded on a per patient encounter basis. Canada is unique amongst developed countries in using block funding/ global budgets as a method of funding hospitals. Every patient represents a cost item! globalnews.ca/news/11303435/…
Said it before but, it would be trivial for government to provide regular data on ER closures for an app. An app that could easily provide GPS directions to the nearest and *open* ER in case of emergency. If gov's won't keep them open they should at the least do this
This is the issue I take. It isn't going to be easy to solve our ER crisis but could we at least not have families driving in the wrong direction to arrive at a closed ER. An increased degree of transparency wrt reporting closures would be nice and potentially lifesaving.
And Paul is quite correct. You would think that one of the easiest things to do would be to assemble a group of demographic and healthcare experts - and have them come up with a workforce plan. Strategies to implement. Why isn't GoA doing this?
This👇 Govt knows that our doc to population is going in wrong direction… Meanwhile AB has NO (nada, zero, zip, zilch) provincial workforce plan! 4 Agencies running around w their heads cut off, totally uncoordinated and spending ALL ENERGY on simply creating their existence.
Congratulations. We've also reached a new population high... Our current MD/1,000 ratio is 2.46. In 2023 we had 2.49... In 2021 we had 2.61... So, yup, the strategy is delivering results. The lowest # of MD's per capita in years...
Alberta has reached an all-time high of 12,327 registered physicians — up 204 from last quarter and 571 year-over-year. Growth across all zones, including rural areas, shows our recruitment and retention efforts are delivering results!
Congratulations Canada! Although, surely, this must exclude AB?? (joking, just joking....). Good job Canada - this is a great public health success.
Congratulations, Canada 🇨🇦 — well deserved! Top 10 Most Educated OECD Countries in 2024 (% of adults aged 25-64 with tertiary education) 1. 🇨🇦 Canada - 63.3% 2. 🇯🇵 Japan - 56% 3. 🇮🇪 Ireland - 55.3% 4. 🇰🇷 South Korea - 54.5% 5. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg - 51.3% 6. 🇦🇺 Australia -…
Well worth your time to read this thread. We are going to be in trouble...
EDM Zone avg LWBS is actually 16% for ALL of its EDs and objectively getting worse. Three of the ED's have LWBS numbers over 20%, and as overcrowding gets worse all of them could be over 1 in 4 leaving without care. Why?🧵 1/11 buff.ly/p7emun3
Read more from @Bjwrz - he knows of what he speaks...
Pay more for less care on average (awesome for the wealthy, terrible for those left behind). Alberta needs to do much better but the solution is not the US system. We need #InformedReform that takes the best of multiple systems to rebuild a model that works for everyone!
The cycle of private healthcare. It is now one of the biggest industries in the US. The outlier, first world country with the worst life expectancy. Perhaps privatization is a failed experiment?
The US healthcare economy takeover nytimes.com/interactive/20…
And this is what the sane are saying in America. America - that bastion of private healthcare that a small proportion of Albertans seemingly yearn for.
Some people think our country’s health problems come down to a lack of awareness about nutrition and wellness. But the reality is far more urgent — and far more systemic. The real drivers of health inequity aren’t about whether someone knows quinoa is healthier than fries.…
Well this will rile up the anti-vaxxers. But it is likely true: vaccines *have* done more to improve health than any other intervention. Thank goodness they don’t read @TheLancet …
🗨️ “Vaccines have done more to improve public health than any other medical intervention.” A Viewpoint focuses on cancer vaccines and the future of immunotherapy—analysing trials, different vaccine approaches, and how the next generation of cancer vaccines can help improve…
Well at least one political party recognizes the issue...
If this UCP government has brought anything to our health care system over the last two years, it’s been unending chaos. cbc.ca/news/canada/ca…
Around the world and here too. The higher the concentration of anti-vaxxers the more children suffer. Measles is completely and safely preventable. It kills every year and even if it doesn't kill/maim you it is no fun to have.
Alberta has over 1,200 measles cases and Danielle Smith has no plan to address it. 🤨 This is a preventable disease. Albertans need a government that will provide education, protection, and support to keep them and their loved ones safe.
A Summer of Chaos, Closures & Measles: Alberta Government is Missing in Action on Health Care. @FriendsMedicare friendsofmedicare.org/ab_government_…
But I thought we'd been told that our h/c problems are the result of a poor structure and too many managers?? And here, they're saying our real issue is a lack of people. Who would have guessed. Alberta falls behind rest of Canada in key numbers ctvnews.ca/calgary/articl…
This has to be one of the most depressing times for healthcare. Worse than the Klein years - and they were terrible. Sheer governmental incompetence. Can anyone point to one thing that has improved under this government in health?
4 Ministries, 4 Agencies, burgeoning numbers of separate orgs, 7 corridors, 14 advisory councils, 100s of clinical service providers... AND ABSOLUTELY NO Integrated Operational Control of any of these entities. NONE NADA "Chaos" is being kind... buff.ly/VvOLqjk
This all truly smells. I would support any other party who was: 1. fiscally responsible 2. socially liberal 3. full of people with integrity, intelligence and a passion for responsibly leading us to a better place
On Oct 6, 2022, Danielle Smith became Premier. Less than two months later, on Dec 1, her office ordered AHS to purchase $70M in a sole-sourced contract for non-domestic Tylenol: $10M – in Admin Fees $10M – for Useless Product $40 - 50M – still Unaccounted For J&J – the original…