CCFP REGIONAL TRENDING - Newsletters, Blogs and More

  Building mental Health Resilience in health care teams. Dr. C.V. Alert MB BS, DM, FCCFP. Family Physician.   The term ‘resilience’ primarily reflects the capabilities of a system to absorb and recover from disturbances . Mental health resilience is crucial for effective teamwork in healthcare, and mentally strong doctors are essential for success of any health care system. Mental health resilience is a cornerstone of effective teamwork. Doctors must be able to discuss difficult issues, such as difficult diagnoses, without fear of repercussions. Inaccurate information or hesitation in these areas can have serious consequences. This requires an appropriate health environment, which is not a hypothetical construct but must be created. Healthcare systems need to focus on both individual coping mechanisms, as well as creating a supportive work environment. Personal wellness means being physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. A healthy lifestyle helps balance ...

  Stress and Mindfulness. Dr. C.V Alert, MB BS, DM. FCCFP. Family Physician.   “The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.” Andrew Bernstein, American Philosopher.   Stress is your body and mind’s way of mobilizing you to help you respond successfully to challenges in your environment.  This stress response evolved to keep us safe and healthy. When our cave-dwelling ancestors encountered a tiger, their bodies readied for action to meet the threat. Stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine ramp up to provide energy. Breathing quickens, the heart pumps harder, the immune system gears up to be ready to respond to injury. Once the tiger is vanquished and the threat is over, the body returns to a state of rest and restoration.   Our fight-or-flight response is still protective today. There are times ...

  Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine. Many positives, some negatives, but can we benefit? Dr. C.V. Alert, MB BS, DM. FCCFP. Family Physician. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving field of computer science that aims to create machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.  AI in medicine and healthcare is rapidly transforming the field by enhancing diagnostics, treatment plans, and patient care. AI algorithms can analyze medical data to identify patterns and insights that may be missed by humans, leading to earlier and more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment strategies, and improved patient outcomes.    Here are some areas in which AI is being used to improve healthcare:   1.     Diagnosis of complex cases.   Very recently, it was announced that a new AI tool (from Microsoft) can diagnose complex illnesses more accurately than most doctors. This AI tool blen...