Good morning, Other Siders!

Happy National Cappuccino Day! ☕️ Before you froth up some fun, remember to roll back your clocks if you haven't yet - daylight saving time has just given us an extra hour to snooze or peruse! So, let's espresso ourselves with a steamy shot of healthcare insights in today's brew-tiful edition of The Other Side of Care. Get ready to latte-go of your worries and dive into the cream of the crop updates from Canada and beyond. Let's make every moment count, one sip at a time!

In today’s edition, we’re serving up:

• ✅ Data Breaches in Healthcare

• ✅ Expanding the role of Providers

• ✅ Provision of Personalized Care

• ✅ Technological Leaps in Healthcare

• ✅ Public Health Achievements

Dive in and enjoy the ride. 🚀

News that Impacts You!

⛔️ Patient Data Breach Shakes Ontario Hospitals

If you have not already heard- Ontario hospitals were been targeted in a recent ransomware attack, causing disruptions in their operations. This cyberattack impacted several hospitals, including the Health Sciences North and the North Bay Regional Health Centre. These hospitals experienced computer system outages, which affected patient care, appointments, and data access. The hospitals are working to address the situation, restore services, and investigate the extent of the breach. The attack highlights the ongoing threat of cybersecurity incidents in the healthcare sector, emphasizing the need for robust security measures to safeguard patient information and maintain uninterrupted healthcare services. 

Is privacy the price we will have to pay for going digital? 🤔 

🆕 🔇 Newfoundland and Labrador Introduces Physician Assistants

Newfoundland and Labrador have introduced a new healthcare role known as a "physician assistant" to improve patient care and address healthcare needs. Physician assistants are healthcare professionals who work under the supervision of physicians, providing a wide range of medical services. This initiative aims to enhance access to healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas, and reduce the burden on physicians. By expanding the healthcare workforce with physician assistants, the province seeks to improve patient outcomes and ensure that healthcare is readily available to its residents.

🧑‍⚕️📝 Empowering Ontario's Registered Nurses via Greater Prescribing Authority

In Ontario, a recent regulatory change now allows registered nurses to prescribe a broader range of medications to patients. This expanded prescribing authority aims to improve patient access to essential healthcare services, especially in underserved communities. Registered nurses have undergone additional training to enhance their ability to prescribe medications safely and effectively, aligning with their commitment to patient care. This change represents a significant step in addressing healthcare gaps and ensuring that patients receive timely and appropriate treatment from qualified healthcare professionals.

👩 🧬 Ontario's Personalized Approach to Women's Health

The province of Ontario is implementing changes in breast cancer screening guidelines, aiming to provide more personalized and effective care to women. These changes include introducing risk-based screening, which considers factors like family history and genetics, to tailor screening plans for individual women. The new approach intends to ensure that women at higher risk receive more frequent and comprehensive screenings, while those at lower risk can avoid unnecessary tests. This shift in breast cancer screening guidelines reflects a commitment to improving healthcare by offering a more personalized and efficient approach to early cancer detection.

“Lowering the age for regular, publicly funded breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40 will help with early detection”- Health Minister, Sylvia Jones

How do you see this shift towards early screening?

💭Let us know what you think by writing to us at [email protected]

Tools & Tech to Keep a Tab On!

📱 🖐️ Nova Scotia’s New App Puts Vital Services at Your Fingertips

A new app is poised to transform healthcare accessibility in Nova Scotia. This innovative tool is designed to help residents easily access vital health services and information. With a user-friendly interface, the app provides a gateway to a wealth of healthcare resources, from appointment booking to health records. It promises to streamline the patient experience, putting critical health information at their fingertips. This development marks a significant step in enhancing healthcare services, ensuring that Nova Scotians have the support and information they need, right in the palm of their hands.

🥊 Skip the Pain: Enhancing Safe Opioid Use for Canadian Youth

Skip, a healthcare initiative, has introduced a new project called "Youth in Pain." This initiative is focused on sharing evidence-based solutions for the medical use of opioids to treat youth experiencing pain. The project aims to address the complex issue of pain management among Canadian youth and provide valuable insights into safe and effective opioid use in a medical context. It represents a significant step toward improving the care and treatment options available to youth dealing with pain, aligning with the broader efforts to enhance healthcare practices and patient well-being.

🤝 Digital Counselling Tool Connects Patients and Physicians

"Her Choice" launched by the Canadian Breast Cancer Network and CONNECT Communications in collaboration with AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo is a new digital counseling tool designed to connect patients-physicians in the fight against HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. This innovative tool offers a range of functionalities to empower patients by facilitating communication with healthcare providers and providing access to essential information. Its features enable collaboration and informed decision-making in treatment, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes. "Her Choice" serves as a transformative and supportive tool in the ongoing battle against HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, enhancing patient engagement and promoting a patient-centered approach to healthcare in Canada.

Evolving Global Health

🇧🇩 🙌 Bangladesh Triumphs Over Kala-Azar: A Historic Victory in Public Health!

Bangladesh has achieved a significant milestone by successfully eliminating kala-azar as a public health problem. Kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies and can be fatal if left untreated. This achievement signifies a remarkable public health accomplishment in Bangladesh, reflecting the effective control and treatment measures implemented to combat the disease. It is a testament to the dedication of healthcare workers and the government's commitment to improving the health and well-being of its population.

😥 🔈️ Loneliness: Recognizing the Silent Epidemic's Growing Health Impact

The World Health Organization (WHO) is increasingly recognizing loneliness as a growing public health concern. Loneliness is not just a social issue but has significant health implications, impacting mental and physical well-being. The WHO is now researching and developing strategies to address this "epidemic of loneliness" and identify effective treatments and interventions. This acknowledgment underscores the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological needs of individuals to improve overall health and well-being.

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