Source:

Statins could benefit everyone over 50, study suggests

Reference:

The Lancet: The effects of lowering LDL cholesterol with statin therapy in people at low risk of vascular disease

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120517/cholesterol-statins-heart-study-lancet-120517/#ixzz1vGP1rttf

Related articles:

1. Putting brain training to the test
2. Magic water? More likely calorie reduction
3. US Government reduces recommended limit of fluoride in water supply

We discuss my reasons for posting this and how patient access to care and their doctor will suffer

Related articles:

1. How Good is Canadian Health Care? An International Comparison of Health Care Systems
2. Health Council of Canada’s report on health care
3. France’s health care system

Source:

Back pain relief may taper off

Reference:

The prognosis of acute and persistent low-back pain: a meta-analysis

No related posts.

For those of you that are not physicians on this list, you WILL lose your doctor if this stuff goes through. When you read the section on negation, this means that your doctor will have to pay for ALL of your emergency room and walk-in clinic visits from their base income. This does amount to at minimum $50 to 100 K per year. We are to be held accountable for our patients decisions to exercise their right to seek medical care. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I am not kidding when I say that I will not be able to practice medicine and provide comprehensive care for my patients. This will shut my practice down and I will have nowhere to practice. Again, I am not overstating the gravity of the malicious intent of this government to scapegoat us. If we are to do anything, we will require your help to pass this email and document around to everyone you know. McGuinty will not negotiate with us and now that he has used his extraordinary legislative authority, he will be emboldened to do it again if there is nary a word of protest from the public. Post this on any social media you have available. This is set to come to pass next April. Your access to care is threatened more than it has ever been.

Many thanks for your support.

Barry Dworkin

NB: The cuts are not 6.9%. Please see below for a quick summary.

We will now be facing a minimum 23% wage cut by 2016. The facts are indisputable. The Ministry of Health has imposed a freeze on the pool physician compensation for the next 4 years. They can spin it any way they want. I have done the math. This will mean a 23% decrease for all of us as a collective group. The effect on each of us will have a slight variation as each specialty and family practice fees will be cut differently over 4 years.
EFFECT OF NEW MD’s

We are expected to absorb all the costs of new doctors and foreign graduates for the next 4 years. There are NET 700 new MD’s joining our ranks every year after taking into account retiring MD’s and MD’s leaving Ontario. There are currently 26,000 MD’s in Ontario. 700 X 4 = 2,800. This means there will be roughly 10.7% new MD’s by 2016. We will have to absorb these new MD’s so our average individual pay by 2016 will be cut by 10.7% to absorb this cost.

EFFECT OF GROWING POPULATION IN ONTARIO

“The annual rate of growth of Ontario’s population is projected to slow gradually over the projection period, starting at 1.2 per cent in 2010-11 and moderating to 1.0 per cent by 2035-36.”

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/demographics/projections/

A 1.2% population growth rate per year means roughly a 4.8 or 5% increase of population over the next 4 years. We are also expected to absorb the resulting 5% increase in Healthcare costs associated with the 5% increase in population. This does not even factor in the increasing healthcare costs of an aging population.

EFFECT OF INFLATION

The consumer price index in Ontario last year was 1.9%.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/cpis01a-eng.htm

This is the measure of inflation. This means the cost of your office expenses and living expenses will be rising 1.9%. Because your wages are frozen you will be taking an average roughly 1.9% wage cut per year based on inflation alone. Over 4 years this means approximately 7.6%.

Let us add all this up

I am using simple math and did not compound the effect of the growing population and the effect of inflation over 4 years.

10.7% (effect of new MD’s) + 4.8% (effect of growing population) + 7.6% (effect of inflation) = 23.1%

By 2016, Our collective salary will go down by over 23.1%.

Related articles:

1. How much does it cost to run a family practice? The answers Premier McGuinty won’t tell you because he doesn’t know
2. Trust, teens and the family doc
3. The betterment of the family

Dr Barry Dworkin joins Rob Snow to take calls on medical matters from the CFRA Nation.

Today:What is an EMG?, medications for psoriasis, angina and low blood pressure, and the extra 5 minutes a day home care announcement from the McGuinty Government.

Related articles:

1. Afternoon Edition – Wednesday House Call April 11, 2012
2. Afternoon Edition – Wednesday House Call May 2, 2012
3. Afternoon Edition – Wednesday House Call February 15, 2012

Related articles:

1. Why the H1N1 vaccine program continues despite the decline in infection rates
2. The Maplesoft Centre opens in Ottawa
3. Special edition of Sunday House Call with Dr. Gilbert Ross of the American Council on Science and Health

Source:

Fat hits your waistline fast, study says

Reference:

Physical Activity and Exercise in the Regulation of Human Adipose Tissue Physiology

Related articles:

1. More fries with your salt?
2. Studies try to elucidate the metabolic changes associated with exercise and health benefits
3. Consumers’ healthier food choices slowly changing marketing and food offerings at fast-food restaurants

Mark Sutcliffe is joined by Dr. Barry Dworkin, who is speaking out against the Ontario government slashing several hundred fees paid to doctors and its attempt to cut doctors’ pay. A discussion of the real costs to run a family practice and how looming cuts have the potential to turn back years of progress improving patient access to care.

Related articles:

1. Death of family practice in Ontario coming to you soon
2. OMA response to government increasing the scope of practice of health professionals
3. Late night with John Counsell: Losing Family Doctors thanks to McGuinty’s health care decisions

Source:

Free flu shot program missing kids under two, study finds

Reference:

Low Rates of Influenza Immunization in Young Children Under Ontario’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program

No related posts.

Topics include pain management for reflex sympathetic dystrophy, dupytren’s contractures, gallstones management options, age when adolescents stop growing, low platelet levels in context of carpal tunnel surgery repair, diabetic neuropathy, and risk of colonoscopy.-

Related articles:

1. Sunday House Call, #383, February 5, 2012
2. Sunday House Call, #396, May 6, 2012
3. Sunday House Call, #382, January 29, 2012