jjablkowski's blog

On 23 January 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the US. Dr Blackwell was born in England in 1821. When she was 11 years old, her parents and the family of four boys and five girls moved to America. Her father ensured that his daughters and sons were well educated. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many changes have been made to British Columbia’s health care system, including an evolution of the way undergraduate and postgraduate medical education is conducted through online lectures. Modules focused on equity-based approaches to palliative care should be integrated into this educational framework.[1] An equity-based approach to palliative care considers the needs of Indigenous people, immigrants, and people of all social and cultural backgrounds. 

In 2017 Pixie was an 8-year-old, well-padded, disciplined, loving therapy dog; a Shih Tzu Cairn Terrier mix who would visit us each week for about an hour. It became a ritual: my wife’s caregivers and I would arrange chairs so Pixie and her master could sit next to Bess, my wife, who was then in the haze of her dementia. It took her a few minutes to recognize her pet visitor. We were all excited to rub Pixie’s tummy and she usually responded by putting her head on Bess’s arm or in her lap.

British Columbia stands at a critical impasse; innovative and coordinated approaches are needed to address the public health emergency resulting from the proliferation of a toxic street drug supply. Of the overdose fatalities in BC, approximately 15% to 20% are youth under 30 years of age.[1] In response to the growing rate of overdose events and opioid diagnoses among youth, the province has implemented several measures, including youth-based outpatient and supportive recovery programs.

Canada’s opioid crisis and rapidly aging population pose challenges that have stretched our health care system to its limits. To meet these challenges, and to be ready for new obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to innovate. In Vancouver, we hope that the new St. Paul’s Hospital will be a catalyst for innovation and help us prepare for the future.