Author Archives: admin

Accessible air travel?

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Air travel can be challenging for many people. This is especially true for individuals with disabilities. Although policies may be in place to address this issue, whether or not they have truly been implemented and/or bring about the desired outcomes is another question. This is something that Marketplace investigated not long ago. What they discovered was less than reassuring.

According to a statement from Anita Anand, Minister of Transport, “‘Accessible air travel isn’t optional…It’s essential, and we expect all airlines to do their part.'” (https://www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/air-canada-promises-accessible-transit-hidden-camera-1.7369146)

Waiting for a response?

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If you have not yet heard from the medical office where you have been referred, like thousands of others, your referral may not have been processed correctly. The question now being asked is, “Why did this occur?” This is the something the Health Quality Council of Alberta is going to investigate.

A must-read story from Global News Toronto. 

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If you have not yet heard about Joshua Morven and Sarah Bright and the very special day they had thanks to members of the Vancouver General Hospital, you can read about it here.  Be warned, you may want to have some Kleenex nearby.

Has COVID been worse this summer?

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Have you been thinking that COVID seems to be worse this summer than ever before? Have you or people you know been sicker this summer than previous summers? If you answered, “Yes,” to these questions, you may find this article of interest.

Insurance won’t cover hospital bill in Florida

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Photo by <a href="/photographer/comstock-images-83747">Comstock Images</a> on <a href="/">Freeimages.com</a>
Photo by Comstock Images on Freeimages.com

Imagine that you have been on vacation in Florida. While at the airport, awaiting your flight home to Canada, you suffer a cardiac arrest. You are rushed to a local hospital where you are treated.

Prior to embarking on your holiday, you confirmed that you had the necessary medical insurance. Therefore, when you were receiving medical treatment in the Florida hospital, you believed that all costs incurred would be covered by your medical insurance. Imagine your surprise when, upon submitting the hospital bill of over $600,000, you were told something very different. “‘Oh, we’re not paying “‘

Click here to read the news story.

Public to Private to Public?

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Alberta’s medical laboratories have gone from public, to private, and back to public in less than one year. What has this back and forth action cost Albertans? This and other questions are explored in this CBC report.

Short on Time?

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Even if you are scrambling to get everything done on your To-Do List and think you cannot possibly do another thing, please consider taking a few minutes to read this article by David Climenhaga. It will be time well spent.

A hefty harvest for the Calgary Food Bank

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Tuesday, September 26th saw retirees from TransAlta harvesting what is likely to be a record-breaking yield. All of the produce will be donated to the Calgary Food Bank.

Photo from Pixabay

According to Fred Ritter, coordinator of the Get Growing Garden project, “‘It becomes more satisfying that we can play a part and help the needy folks, given the rising cost of food and so on, and folks out there struggling to put food on the table.'”

Click here to read the full story.

Amplifying the Patient’s Voice

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Martha’s Rule is a new policy that aims to give patients and the patient’s families greater voice in the the care their loved one is receiving without the fear of retribution or the like. Had this rule existed in 2021, perhaps Martha’s outcome would have been very different.

As Martha’s mother said, “‘I desperately wish that I’d felt able, with no fear of being the target of ill-temper or condescension, to ask for a second opinion from outside the liver team when I became concerned about Martha’s deterioration.’”

Click here to read about Martha’s Rule.