CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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To identify factors associated with the location of death (home or hospital) of patients referred to a palliative care home support team. ⋯ Patients' preference as to place of death, level of caregiver support and entitlement to private shift nursing were significantly associated with patients' dying at home. The determination of these factors should be part of every palliative care assessment. Patients and their families should be informed about available home support services.
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In Canada hospital beds have been reduced in number, and there is increased fiscal pressure for patients with advanced terminal illness to be cared for in their own homes until death. In this issue (see pages 361 to 367) Drs. Ian R. ⋯ The findings of McWhinney and colleagues point to the existence of a two-tiered health care system in which those who have access to private duty nursing are able to stay at home to die. Their study also raises three key questions that must be addressed in the assessment of patient preferences as to place of death: Should family members be included in the assessment? How should preferences be measured? and What is an appropriate time frame for such an assessment? Although McWhinney and colleagues identify characteristics of care associated with place of death and underline the need for careful assessment of patient preferences regarding place of death, further research is needed to build on these findings. In the current context of health care reform, we need to examine more closely the type and intensity of services needed to support patients and their families in the final stages of a terminal illness.
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Negative comments made recently about use of the term "chair" instead of "chairman," and the continuing shortage of women at decision-making levels of organized medicine are ample evidence that the work of the CMA's Gender Issues Committee (GIC) is not done, says the committee chair, Dr. May Cohen. At its fall meeting, the GIC said the CMA should actively promote greater representation by women physicians on its political and expert committees; a target of at least 25% membership within the next 2 to 5 years was suggested. The committee discussed other measures the CMA should consider in its attempts to become more representative of Canada's physician population.
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In the future, regulatory agencies may authorize the switch of more drugs from prescription-only to over-the-counter status. This could have the double effect of reducing the number of doctor visits and cutting drug costs. Although some physicians worry about the escape of reasonably potent drugs from medical surveillance, pharmacists are assuming a more significant counselling and medication-tracking role. This article looks at the negative and positive sides of drug deregulation from the perspectives of the physician, pharmacist and patient.