A communication from the CMA
Physician leaders wanted
Whether they’re veteran MDs or first-year students, the medical profession needs leaders willing to tackle the many challenges facing the health care system. Enabling potential leaders to do this is the focus of the CMA Leaders’ Forum. This year’s event, to be held in Ottawa Nov. 19-20, will feature more than 30 “hands-on” sessions, from training in business etiquette to effective delegation, public speaking and delivering messages via the media. Speakers will include Dr. Ronald Heifetz of Harvard University, the author of Leadership With No Easy Answers, who will discuss characteristics of effective leaders and participate in a panel led by award-winning journalist Paula Todd. Other speakers include Janice Stein of the Munk Centre for International Studies and John Clark, a director at the Leadership Centre of the National Health Service in the UK. The forum will be preceded by the CMA Leadership Workshop for Medical Women on Nov. 18, and followed by a Doctors in the House lobbying session on Parliament Hill Nov. 21. Registration details are available at cma.ca/leadership.
CMA magazine for patients makes debut
The CMA made its first foray into the consumer magazine market this month by launching a publication that reaches out directly to patients visiting doctors’ offices. Canadian Health, a bimonthly magazine, has been designed as both a “wellness” magazine and a tool for delivering up-to-date clinical recommendations. “We thought about this carefully,” says Publisher Steve Ball. “There are four million patient visits a week in Canada, and we believe these people will be predisposed to read about health issues while they wait to see the doctor. The way we see it, if one of the CMA’s primary goals is to educate the public, then what better time and what better place to do it?” The first issue, which started arriving in doctors’ offices Oct. 2, included articles on the immune system and steps schools can take to protect children with allergies. There are also tips for improving patient visits. Example: “The patient laundry list is legendary among doctors, but go ahead and bring it in,” says FP Robert Hauptman of St. Albert, Alta. “However, list the items in order of priority so you can deal with the top couple of issues at this appointment and book a follow-up for the others. You’ll leave feeling satisfied.” Canadian Health will also feature sections on reproductive health, child and teen health, and intelligent eating. “Canadian doctors in 2006 are not a paternalistic group that believes ‘we always know best’ and expects you to follow orders without question,” writes CMA President Colin McMillan in an editorial that explains the rationale for developing the new magazine. “We want to work in partnership with betterinformed patients to provide the best possible care.” Ball, who has a background in consumer publishing, says the potential audience is “enormous,” since Canadians make more than 200 million patient visits a year. “We think this magazine can be a communication tool for the profession. We are trying to build on the New CMA book targets heart health relationship physicians have with their patients, and to advance that relationship — this is what will separate us Why does the Japanese island of Okinawa have a from Chatelaine and the other magazines you find in coronary heart disease mortality rate of 18 deaths per waiting rooms. I’m also hoping that having the CMA 100 000 people per year, while Canada’s rate is more logo on the cover will make a difference. It will bring us than 10 times higher? a lot of credibility.” That is just one of the questions asked in a new A prototype of the magazine, which has a fivebook on cardiovascular health, 30 Minutes a Day to a physician advisory board, received positive reviews Healthy Heart, that the CMA has co-published with when it was distributed during the CMA’s annual Reader’s Digest. meeting in August. McMillan wasn’t surprised. “We The new book builds on a self-help theme, and includes a daily workbook and heart-healthy recipes wanted to develop a magazine that was informative, and exercises. entertaining to read and attractive to look at,” he says. As for the Okinawans, researchers attribute their “I think we’ve succeeded.”
success to what and how much they eat, and to their relaxed outlook on life. The bad news is that island residents under age 50 now have the highest rates for heart disease in Japan because of recent inroads made by Western diets and lifestyles. 30 Minutes a Day to a Healthy Heart is available in English in most Canadian bookstores, or by calling the CMA at 888 855-2555.
Send your letters and comments for posting online to the editors at cmanews@cma.ca or by telephone at 800 663-7336, x2700.
CMA Bulletin is produced by the CMA’s Dept. of Public Affairs Editors: Patrick Sullivan, Steve Wharry
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October 24, 2006
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