September

I expect that this will be my last opinionated rant for the editorial pages of the BCMJ. I joined the Editorial Board back in the old days when Dr Hardyment was the editor, and I  stayed on this most enjoyable of medical committees until my retirement a year or two ago. I was called back last year to fill in for Dr Day who was busy elsewhere. Dr Day is free, now, I believe, to resume his position on the Editorial Board, and so I must say farewell once again. I feel like an aging diva who keeps having final, final farewell tours.

I read the history of the BCMJ recently and noted in 88 years of publication, first as the Vancouver Medical Association Bulletin, then as the BCMJ, there have only been six editors. JAW or Dr Jim Wilson (aka Cuddles) has been in this position for 16 years. He has made the Journal the excellent publication it is today through his intellect, drive, determination, and humor. 

A Practice Support Program (PSP) learning module de­signed to help GP practices enable patient self-management is roll­ing out successfully across the pro­vince, with 320 physicians and 232 medical office assistants having completed it or participating as of June 2008.

The module emphasizes the role of the health care team in fostering self-management, suggesting that the physician’s belief that a patient can become an active self-manager is indeed a powerful force. 

References

Car crashes kill and injure more BC kids than any other cause. Thankfully, booster seats can help put a stop to this. A properly used child safety seat lowers a child’s risk of death in a crash by 71% and the risk of serious injury by 67%.

Dr Bill Mackie is not letting his dedication to sport medicine and health promotion color his year as president. He’s set his sights on even bigger targets: the Physician Master Agreement, uniting disparate physician groups, and increasing member engagement with the BCMA.

Dr William (Bill) Mackie has been a family doctor for 31 years, and involved with the BCMA for 20 of those years. BCMJ Managing Editor Jay Draper spoke to him in June. Here are excerpts from their conversation.