Tag: Health

  • Province Improves and Expands Access to Naloxone, Opioid Treatment and Counselling

    Province Improves and Expands Access to Naloxone, Opioid Treatment and Counselling

    Beginning this Friday, Albertans will be able to get take-home naloxone kits free-of-charge from community pharmacies without a prescription. The province is also providing $3 million to Alberta Health Services to support the Opioid Dependency Treatment Plan Strategy, a three-year project that will expand counselling services and access to suboxone and methadone treatment in several…

  • Fight the Deadly Opioid Epidemic at its Roots

    Fight the Deadly Opioid Epidemic at its Roots

    A firewall has to be built between pharmaceutical companies and physician training programs By Alan Cassels, Expert Advisor, EvidenceNetwork.ca VICTORIA, B.C. / Troy Media/ – We are in the midst of a deadly drug epidemic so severe and widespread that few people in North America will remain untouched by it. A dramatic change in how physicians are…

  • UPDATE: Gastrointestinal illness among Fort McMurray evacuees

    UPDATE: Gastrointestinal illness among Fort McMurray evacuees

    May 12, 2016 EDMONTON – Alberta Health Services (AHS) is responding to an increase in patients experiencing symptoms consistent with viral gastroenteritis at various evacuation/reception centres, around Alberta. Zones impacted, as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, are listed below. Though this is not unexpected, given the large numbers of people who are using and…

  • Healthy Tips from Pharmasave: It’s in the Water!

    Healthy Tips from Pharmasave: It’s in the Water!

    When you’re camping, it’s tempting to drink water straight from pristine-looking lakes and streams – but don’t do it! Microscopic single-celled parasites can cause illnesses in humans if ingested. Here are 2 common waterborne diseases that could ruin your week: Cryptosporidiosis (crip-toh-spore-id-ee-oh-sis) is caused by Cryptosporidium (crip-toh-spore-id-ee-um). The symptoms include diarrhea, headache, nausea, and stomach…

  • Wounded Warriors Canada Donates $300,000 to Couples-Based PTSD Program

    Wounded Warriors Canada Donates $300,000 to Couples-Based PTSD Program

    OTTAWA, May 5, 2016 /CNW/ – Wounded Warriors Canada is proud to announce a $300,000 donation to COPE (Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday), an innovative program for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder designed to support ill and injured currently serving and retired Canadian Armed Forces members, First Responders and their families. COPE was founded by LCol (retired) Chris Linford and his wife Kathryn. Chris…

  • Prostate Cancer DNA Test Uses Small Blood Sample, Predicts Response to Drug

    Prostate Cancer DNA Test Uses Small Blood Sample, Predicts Response to Drug

    May 4, 2016 – Breakthrough holds promise for precision and personalized therapies for different cancers. New tools developed at the Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) are substantially advancing the possibility of offering precise, personalized therapies to effectively treat treatment-resistant prostate cancer, also known as metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Detailed in a recently published paper in…

  • Mental Health and Homelessness in Canada

    Mental Health and Homelessness in Canada

    By Ambar Aleman, Homeless Hub As part of the Canadian Mental Health Association 65th Mental Health Week running from May 2nd-8th, this blog covers some of the latest findings about the connection between mental health and homelessness. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Week is “GET LOUD”, encouraging people to speak up against mental illness…

  • It’s Cool to Work Safely in the Heat

    It’s Cool to Work Safely in the Heat

    The first heat wave of the year means those who work outdoors should take precautions to avoid health risks. Employers and workers should be aware of the early signs of heat stress and treat it right away: headache dizziness and fatigue dehydration heavy sweating muscle cramps changes to breathing and pulse rate. These symptoms can…

  • AHS Weekly Wellness News: Unmasking Men’s Mental Health

    AHS Weekly Wellness News: Unmasking Men’s Mental Health

    Overall, women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a mental illness. Part of the reason for this is that men only make about two thirds as many doctor visits as women do. And when men do see a doctor, they are often reluctant to talk about what’s really bothering them,…

  • Canada Facing an Epidemic of Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment

    Patients need to be empowered to ask about the risks caused by some tests and treatments, and whether they are really necessary By Wendy Levinson, Expert Advisor, EvidenceNetwork.ca TORONTO, Ont. / Troy Media/ – If you knew that virtually the entire medical community was talking about an issue causing risk and harm to patients across…

  • New Direction for Labs Will Improve Patient Care

    New Direction for Labs Will Improve Patient Care

    The government is taking immediate steps to respond to a Health Quality Council of Alberta report calling for quick action to improve diagnostic lab services. “This report shows planning under the former government did not consider the full range of options for delivering lab services, but it also outlines how we can strengthen our current…

  • Caregivers Take a Tour in Dementia Patients’ Shoes

    Caregivers Take a Tour in Dementia Patients’ Shoes

    A virtual dementia tour gave staff at the Barrhead Continuing Care Centre new insights into the challenges facing many residents Story by Sara Warr Alberta Health Services (AHS) staff at the Barrhead Continuing Care Centre have a newfound appreciation for some of the challenges facing some of the residents they care for after taking part…

  • Why Universal Screening for Autism is a Good Idea

    Why Universal Screening for Autism is a Good Idea

    We don’t want to see Canadian children reach school age before being identified as having autism By Laurie Mawlam, Executive Director of Autism Canada BOTHWELL, Ont. / Troy Media/ – Over the years, Autism Canada has talked to thousands of parents and there has been a similar refrain. Early diagnosis didn’t happen for their children because too…

  • Alberta Announces Provincewide Fire Ban

    Alberta Announces Provincewide Fire Ban

    Additional measures to reduce fire risk Effective immediately, the province is applying a fire ban across Alberta. All fire permits are suspended and no new fire permits will be issued. All open fires, including campfires and charcoal briquettes, are prohibited. The use of incendiary targets is also banned. These targets explode when shot with a…

  • Alberta Health Services: The Facts About Sick Days for Non-Union Employees

    Alberta Health Services: The Facts About Sick Days for Non-Union Employees

    Recent news stories regarding sick leave for AHS non-union employees are missing important facts and present an inaccurate picture of the situation at AHS. Here are the facts: On average, AHS’ non-union employees report 6.5 sick days a year. In 2015, 40 per cent of non-union employees took no sick leave at all. A five-year…