November

To help physicians better prepare and to mitigate violence against them, Doctors of BC has developed a guide with information and resources that includes what to do before, during, and after a violent incident; who to reach out to; and how to assess the situation. Visit www.doctorsofbc.ca/sites/default/files/violencepreventionguideforcommunityoffices.pdf to review and download the guide.

On 9 August 2019, the world lost one of its dearest and most beloved physicians. Dr Ka Wai Angela Chan passed away in her sleep from a sudden illness at age 37. She was pregnant with her second child at the time of her passing.  

Dr Dennis Karpiak passed away in the ICU of Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, BC, on 23 February 2019 at the age of 75. It was ironic, but perhaps fitting, that he would pass away in the hospital where he had practised critical care medicine, respirology, and general internal medicine for over 30 years.

Excellence in any area is seldom achieved in the absence of competition. Two recent personal encounters have reinforced my belief that the introduction of competition is the key to improving patient care in Canadian hospitals.