April

I was in a family practice office for 24 years until I became a Burnaby hospitalist 3 years ago. As I see it there are various reasons for the hospitalist program [see BCMJ 2003;45:391–394 and 2004; 46:7–9].

For two days in February, Canada’s first ministers met in Vancouver to discuss common concerns and develop strategies to deal with the bad news indicators that kept leaking out of Ottawa’s back rooms. This was advertised as a meeting with a “broad brush stroke” agenda, but apparently little other than federal transfer payment reductions and the probable impact that the announced reductions would have on publicly funded medical care were discussed.

I wish I had more equanimity. Apart from the annoying daily practice issues, I (and many others) feel the effects of bigger irritants, such as contract negotiations and the way we are portrayed by our paymaster. I am envious of those who, surrounded by demanding people and frustrating situations, can sail serenely on and do their job without rancor or preoccupation.

Sexual abuse—the term generates a myriad of responses, and few of us can hear it without having some type of emotional reaction. For physicians, the response may include feelings of confusion and trepidation; for families, the reaction often goes much deeper. This is in large part because the vast majority of perpetrators of sexual abuse against children are family members or friends. The emotional devastation and turmoil that ensue can be catastrophic.