Healthcare

FILE – British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix speaks before Premier John Horgan announces a new hospital would be built in Surrey, B.C., on Monday December 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. to launch 22 primary care networks to provide team-based health care

Networks aim to bring more integrated, closer-to-home care based on community needs

FILE – British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix speaks before Premier John Horgan announces a new hospital would be built in Surrey, B.C., on Monday December 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Dr. Brian Day, Medical Director of the Cambie Surgery Centre, sits for a photograph at his office in Vancouver on Aug. 31, 2016. A lawsuit that begins today in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver has the potential to fundamentally change the way Canadians access health care. Day, who operates a private surgical centre in Vancouver, is challenging B.C.’s ban on Canadians buying private insurance for medically necessary services already covered by medicare. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. Supreme Court rules against private healthcare centre, sides with province

Case was between Cambie Surgery Centre and the province

Dr. Brian Day, Medical Director of the Cambie Surgery Centre, sits for a photograph at his office in Vancouver on Aug. 31, 2016. A lawsuit that begins today in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver has the potential to fundamentally change the way Canadians access health care. Day, who operates a private surgical centre in Vancouver, is challenging B.C.’s ban on Canadians buying private insurance for medically necessary services already covered by medicare. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
BC EHS paramedics, dispatchers, and call-takers expertly handle more than 1,400 medical emergency calls a day – that’s about half a million calls annually according to BC Emergency Health Services. Photo Credit: Josh Berson

Patient care first: Why B.C. firefighters are calling for more medical training

Firefighters want more responsibility partly because they outnumber paramedics

BC EHS paramedics, dispatchers, and call-takers expertly handle more than 1,400 medical emergency calls a day – that’s about half a million calls annually according to BC Emergency Health Services. Photo Credit: Josh Berson
Employees work at the Canadian Hospital Specialities (CHS) helping take dual COVID-19 testing swab kits and separating them into two units to help with swab capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Oakville, Ont., on Monday, June 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

B.C. study finds 25% of people think health-care workers shouldn’t be out in public

One-third said they didn’t want to be anywhere near a health-care worker

Employees work at the Canadian Hospital Specialities (CHS) helping take dual COVID-19 testing swab kits and separating them into two units to help with swab capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Oakville, Ont., on Monday, June 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
FILE – British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix speaks during an announcement about a new regional cancer centre, in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, August 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. announces children’s complex care transition facility in Vancouver

Dix says centre will be the first facility in Canada providing a comprehensive range of supports

FILE – British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix speaks during an announcement about a new regional cancer centre, in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, August 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Who cares for the caregivers? Mental health supports for front line workers

Who cares for the caregivers? Mental health supports for front line workers

New peer support program connects healthcare workers with someone who understands

  • Aug 10, 2020
Who cares for the caregivers? Mental health supports for front line workers
FILE - In this May 24, 2019, file photo a vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a pop-up cannabis market in Los Angeles. Despite pandemic conditions that made normal signature-gathering almost impossible, activists in the nation’s capital say they have enough signatures for a November ballot initiative that would decriminalize natural psychedelics such as mescaline and psilocybin mushrooms. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

Canada approves psilocybin for compassionate use in four patients

The four Canadians are believed to be the first known patients to legally use psilocybin

  • Aug 6, 2020
FILE - In this May 24, 2019, file photo a vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a pop-up cannabis market in Los Angeles. Despite pandemic conditions that made normal signature-gathering almost impossible, activists in the nation’s capital say they have enough signatures for a November ballot initiative that would decriminalize natural psychedelics such as mescaline and psilocybin mushrooms. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
Langley Lodge, a long-term care facility opened in 1974, is located in the centre of Langley City on 204th Street. It was the focus of an outbreak with a lose of two dozen residents related to COVID. The outbreak has been declared over. (Langley Advance Times files)

Langley Lodge’s deadly outbreak declared over

Fraser Health and long-term care home administrator confirm Friday declaration

  • Jul 3, 2020
Langley Lodge, a long-term care facility opened in 1974, is located in the centre of Langley City on 204th Street. It was the focus of an outbreak with a lose of two dozen residents related to COVID. The outbreak has been declared over. (Langley Advance Times files)
Langley Lodge Langley Lodge hopes to have the outbreak declaration lifted later next week. (Langley Advance Times files)

Canada Day serenade planned for Langley Lodge residents

As an indirect result of COVID, another elder in the long-term care home has passed away

  • Jun 26, 2020
Langley Lodge Langley Lodge hopes to have the outbreak declaration lifted later next week. (Langley Advance Times files)
FILE – A health care worker is seen outside the Emergency dept. of the Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver Monday, March 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Healthcare racism probe must go to systemic roots, not just ‘bad apples’: Indigenous doctor

Doctor says that blood alcohol guessing game is not the only incident

  • Jun 23, 2020
FILE – A health care worker is seen outside the Emergency dept. of the Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver Monday, March 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Terry Teegee, B.C. regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. First Nations leaders ‘disgusted’ by allegations of racist blood-alcohol guessing game

‘Enough is enough,’ says Regional Chief Terry Teegee

Terry Teegee, B.C. regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
(File photo)

Online options can help when men avoid doctors: UBC researchers

Free health resource can help men even if they don’t go to the doctor

  • Jun 16, 2020
(File photo)
Maple Hill Centre, at the Langley Memorial Hospital, has a COVID outbreak. (Langley Advance Times files)

New COVID outbreak reported in Lower Mainland care home

A long-term care residence at Langley Memorial Hospital initiates outbreak protocols as of Monday

Maple Hill Centre, at the Langley Memorial Hospital, has a COVID outbreak. (Langley Advance Times files)
Langley Lodge ordered to swab all residents staff, new cases discovered

Langley Lodge ordered to swab all residents staff, new cases discovered

Four new cases – two residents and two staff – have been confirmed at the long-term care home

  • May 30, 2020
Langley Lodge ordered to swab all residents staff, new cases discovered
Michelle Hunter tested positive for COVID-19 three days before her due date. (Submitted)

Pregnant B.C. woman catches COVID-19 days before giving birth

Michelle Hunter said the ordeal was like a horror movie

Michelle Hunter tested positive for COVID-19 three days before her due date. (Submitted)
In this Aug. 7, 2018 photo, a doctor performs an ultrasound scan on a pregnant woman at a hospital in Chicago. Sexual health experts across Canada are concerned the COVID-19 pandemic may be causing women to neglect their reproductive care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Teresa Crawford

Women shouldn’t risk putting off sexual health care during pandemic, experts say

Sexual health and screening for intimate partner violence is key now, according to experts

In this Aug. 7, 2018 photo, a doctor performs an ultrasound scan on a pregnant woman at a hospital in Chicago. Sexual health experts across Canada are concerned the COVID-19 pandemic may be causing women to neglect their reproductive care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Teresa Crawford
In this Nov. 1, 2005 file photo, a doctor prepares a patient for eye surgery in Chicago. Doctors say they’re becoming increasingly concerned about how they’re going to handle the swelling backlog of elective surgeries once the immediate COVID-19 threat has ebbed.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Charles Rex Arbogast

Canadian doctors fret over surgery backlog after immediate COVID-19 crisis

Some worry their elective procedures could become urgent by the time operating rooms are available

In this Nov. 1, 2005 file photo, a doctor prepares a patient for eye surgery in Chicago. Doctors say they’re becoming increasingly concerned about how they’re going to handle the swelling backlog of elective surgeries once the immediate COVID-19 threat has ebbed.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Charles Rex Arbogast
A woman hits a cow bell with a drum stick as a part of the 7pm tribute to health-care workers outside the Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, B.C. Wednesday, April 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Don’t use fireworks, bear bangers to celebrate health-care workers: RCMP

Squamish Mounties say they’ve received three complaints this past week for sounds similar to gun shots

A woman hits a cow bell with a drum stick as a part of the 7pm tribute to health-care workers outside the Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, B.C. Wednesday, April 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
A White Rock home at 1553 Cory Rd. is one of the grand-prize options in the 2020 Hometown Heroes Lottery. (Contributed photo)

Hometown Heroes Lottery prize home located in White Rock

$2.7-million package includes more than $105,000 in furnishings and electronics

A White Rock home at 1553 Cory Rd. is one of the grand-prize options in the 2020 Hometown Heroes Lottery. (Contributed photo)
Staff at Central City Medical Clinic work in their personal protective equipment. (Photo submitted)

Health clinics in Surrey, White Rock and Delta want people to know – we’re still open

Staff at clinics say they’re worried people aren’t getting care due to fear or misconceptions

Staff at Central City Medical Clinic work in their personal protective equipment. (Photo submitted)