October

When I enter my office examination rooms, patients are often interacting with their smart phones. My demographic (let’s call them the old-timers) are usually playing solitaire or some other game. I often ask the younger generations what they are so focused on as a way of building rapport. When they answer that they are on Snapchat or Tumblr, my blank look has the opposite effect. I figure many of you are in the same relic-from-a-bygone-age boat, so I’ve decided it’s time we educate ourselves about social media.

In Canada, the federal government’s proposed Cannabis Act aims to create a “strict legal framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis across Canada.”[1] One area of concern is the possibility that regulations on the production, sale, and use of cannabis edibles will not be part of the initial laws. The ongoing unregulated availability of cannabis edibles poses a particular risk to children who are more likely to unintentionally ingest such products.

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References

How do you quickly sort through the copious medical literature to find a few articles that will really impact your decisions? One way is to see what your colleagues thought was worth reading.

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One of the objectives of on-site audits is to determine whether physicians’ patterns of practice for individual patients are justified. In other words, is the number of services provided to a patient reasonable given their particular condition? If not, this could be perceived as overservicing your patients. 

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BC physicians are familiar with Bugs & Drugs, a comprehensive guide to antimicrobial therapy and an aid to wiser antibiotic use in front-line practice. The guide was initially available as a book, subsequently as an app, and is now available free and online to prescribers in BC and Alberta at www.bugsanddrugs.org. Both the app (which remains available at www.bugsanddrugs.ca) and online guide are continually updated and all updates are peer reviewed.  

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