July

I have been meaning to write for some time now to say how excellent I think the BCMJ cover art is. Really superb. Of course, there are lots of other things I love about the BCMJ as well! Well done.
—Doug McGhee, MD
Victoria

Collective impact: It is a new and effective process for change. It is a commitment by a multidisciplinary team with a common agenda to solve complex, large-scale issues.

The power of collective impact lies in the heightened awareness that comes from looking at multiple organizations’ evaluation resources and innovations through the same big-picture lens, the rapid learning that comes from frequent feedback loops, and action that springs from a unified response among participants.[1]

“How’s my favorite patient doing today?”

“Oh, I’m fine, doctor, thanks for asking.”

“This is awkward, but I wasn’t talking about you, Mrs Smith. I was just wondering if you’d seen her.”

I love my dog. On my days off I usually plan my activities around dog-friendly destinations. Tolerance for dogs in public places such as hotels, stores, and taxicabs is quite variable, while tolerance for dogs in restaurants, theatres, and on public transit is practically nonexistent. My dog likes to accompany me on pleasant chores like visiting the hardware store.

On 6 February 2015 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Section 241 of the Criminal Code, prohibiting assistance with the death of a person, was void for a “competent adult person…who clearly consents to the termination of life” and who “has a grievous and irremediable medical condition (including an illness, disease, or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition.”[1] The ruling went on to note that “‘irremediable,’ it should be added, does not require the patient to undertake treatments t