2002

Introduction

Introduction

St. Paul’s Hospital’s Department of Radiology recently began offering screening CT scans of the chest or whole body to the public on a private paying basis, using the CT scanner in off hours. As a result of this private enterprise, enough funds have been raised to allow more rapid performance of MSP-funded (i.e., medically necessary) scans. Thus, the current wait for a CT scan of the chest has decreased from 6 to 8 weeks to less than 1 week.

All of us are sensitive to the passing of time and can’t help but notice the time-induced savaging of our reflected features (usually long after everyone else has noticed). From the instant we are conceived until the second we take our last gasp, our lives are governed by a measure of the velocity of our planet’s rotation on its axis. As physicians we are all vitally interested in time. There are pressures in our hospitals to place a relative value on individual lives according to the number of ticks on the biological clock.

Introduction

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common problem in the primary health care setting. The recognition of depression requires a high index of suspicion, as depression can masquerade as many different problems. Depression also commonly coexists with other medical conditions and can be a side effect of medications.