TAKE HOME MESSAGES for HEALTH CARE FIRST PRINCIPLES

1. See your family doctor regularly.
2. Listen to his/her advice.
3. You are the master of your own destiny.

There is much more to learn when you listen to our preventative care leaders. Feel free to post your comments, ideas, thoughts, and be part of the conversation.

Humbly, Dr. and Mrs. A squared

To be continued...

HEALTH CARE FIRST PRINCIPLES

"Listen to your doctor!"

The doctors on this week's show are all about cancer and preventative health care. Imagine, if you listened to your doctor how easy your life would be. I know that is a bit simplistic. But let us think through this. Stop smoking. I know it is not easy but there is no evidence that that smoking actually improves your health in any way. What about exercising more? I know it is not easy to do, but if everyone exercised 30minutes daily as recommended what kind of world would be be living in?

Okay let us talk about something harder. What about eating less meat and more vegetables? What about sleeping 7-8 hours per night? I am not going to go through all the evidence or find logical counter arguments for your excuses, just accept the advice and work toward it. These are well studied evidence based advice that will make a world of difference in everyone's life. How about getting your cancer screening tests done? Do the poop test. It's gross but it will save your life. Get your mammogram and pap test. Once again not a Kodak moment but necessary. We could go on and on. Go to the dentist regularly. Find balance in your life. Laugh more. Less salt. Wear sunscreen. Need I go on?

"Doctors are working hard to improve your health. Why are you working so hard to... It is not always about pills, surgeries, chemotherapy. Sometimes it requires good old fashioned COMMON SENSE and COMPLIANCE."

 Dr. Robin Boushey is a scientist, a surgeon, a director of research, international consultant in bowel cancer, a patient choice award winner, and a good friend. He came to our studio in between calls for abdominal trauma. He shared his vision for dealing with the exceptionally high burden of colon cancer in Ottawa. He has broken down the silos between primary care doctors, surgeons, cancer care, and community nursing. They meet regularly for best practices.

Dr. Lee Donohue is a family doctor, a primary care tour de force, past president of the Academy of Medicine Ottawa, cancer lead for our LHIN, and physician leader. She was filled with excitement and ideas to improve primary care cancer preventative strategy in Ottawa and environs. She has always been thoughtful and comprehensive in her deliberations.

Dr. David Esdaile is a family doctor, trained in medical acupuncture, public activist and past president of Physicians for a Smoke Free Canada. He has fought the battle valiantly for lowering smoking rates in Canada. And big tobacco has fought back. He has vim and vigour. Faiza and I enjoyed his agility and alacrity.

You will understand why you should see your family doctor regularly. You will follow the advice of your family doctor and gain innumerable benefits. You are the master of your own destiny.

I look forward to bringing their stories to you.
Humbly, Dr. A squared

To be continued...

TAKE HOME MESSAGES for DOCTOR PASSION RELATIONSHIPS

1. Find activities that offer you skills and challenges different from your day to day work.
2. Be human. Make mistakes.
3. If you are lucky enough to find your passion, never let it out of your life!

There is much more to learn when you listen to our passionate physicians. Feel free to post your comments, ideas, thoughts, and be part of the conversation.

Humbly, Dr. and Mrs. A squared

To be continued...

DOCTOR PASSION RELATIONSHIPS

"I am trying to play; don't confuse me with work" my apologies to Plato

This is an excellent counterpoint to the last episode. Burnout happens when things are imbalanced. Our doctors in this episode show us that finding your passion(s) and spending time pursuing it often balances your life. I have canvassed my colleagues and the list is long. There are doctors who sing, dance, play musical instruments, build Lego robots or full size cars, run, ski, sew, read, travel, go to church or mosque to pray, watch TV or jump out of planes. This is not an exhaustive list just a smattering of activities. All of the doctors I met who had hobbies, outside pursuits, or passions were more relaxed, happier, balanced, and conversant.

“Doctors do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.”my apologies to Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Dr. Ronald Weiss is a self made man. Musician for years before even contemplating medical school. Slowly and with persistence, he became a pioneer in no scalpel vasectomy (those words are music to the ears of squeamish men contemplating the path to sterility not castration). Canada's leading vasectomy doctor manages over 2000 procedures a year so he can follow his true passion - singer/songwriter/musician. And he is very good too! Within minutes of our conversation, I had lyrical pieces filled with soul and beat. He is a true gentleman. In fact, he thanked me for inviting him to the show. I enjoyed his passionate approach to music, life and love.

Dr. Eoghan O'Shea is a mentor to me. A prince among family doctors who is a well balanced and organized professor at the Civic branch of the Department of Family Medicine University of Ottawa. He treats all around him with respect and fatherly guidance. He is a strong Christian going to church regularly. He is participant in his Irish roots by playing a tin flute and dancing. He is an avid golfer. These passions enrich his life and allow him to unwind from the stressors of his professional demands. Faiza and I enjoyed his zeal for life and all things family.

You will hear performances from them.

You will understand that activities that challenge you, excite you, calm you or teach you are all empowering. You will understand that being human is making mistakes. And if you are lucky enough to find a passion that gives you happiness, you will never let it go from your life.

I look forward to bringing their stories to you.
Humbly, DR. A squared.

To be continued...

TAKE HOME MESSAGES for DOCTOR LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

1. Burnout can happen to anyone.
2. If you need help...ask.
3. There are many around who are willing to listen and will not judge you.

There is much more to learn when you listen to our doctors. Feel free to post comments, ideas, thoughts, and be part of the conversation.

Humbly, DR. and Mrs. A squared.

To be continued...   

DOCTOR LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

"No one is an island. We are all susceptible to burnout."

This is a very important episode. It deals with physician burnout but actually equalizes us all. We can all get overwhelmed, overworked, and over stressed. Then without knowing it, we are tired, angry, unsatisfied in everything we do. I have seen it happen to every strata of society. No one is immune. Our doctors speak about this condition from various perspectives. We have an internationally renowned physician wellness expert and psychiatrist treating doctors in all specialties. We have an internist working in cancer who succumbed to this condition and bravely shares her story. And we have doctor who works with those that have the least in Ottawa while at the same time setting policy and framework to protect our health care providers at The Ottawa Hospital.

Dr. Mamta Gautam started as a psychiatrist to physicians with some serendipity. Over the years she has counseled hundreds of her colleagues in all manners of mental health issues. She has helped retrain, refocus or rebalance their lives. She has given many the opportunity to return to their profession with a new awareness of proportionality. She is highly regarded as a speaker, authour, and business woman. She left Faiza and I filled with tranquility and inspiration.

Dr. Susan Aitken started in the military, climbed to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded the Order of Military Merit. In the military she did it all: going into the bush, jumping out of planes, evacuating out casualties. She moved into oncology and was involved at high level organization for Cancer Care Ontario's precursor and the province's Breast Screening Programme. She speaks candidly and unabashedly about her burnouts. She acknowledges her mistakes and offers advice for all. After adequate treatment, she returned to medicine as a coroner for the city of Ottawa. Her story is truly one of strength, then weakness; a doctor becoming the patient, then resurrecting as the mythological phoenix.

Dr. Jeff Turnbull is more than the story about physician wellness in The Ottawa Hospital. He is past president of the Canadian Medical Association, past president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, past president of the Medical Council of Canada. He is presently Chief of Staff of the Ottawa Hospital. He is the founder and medical director of the Ottawa Inner City Health Project. He is on call for the homeless in Ottawa! No wonder he is was awarded the Order of Canada. Warm, kind, approachable, friend to those with palaces and to those without homes. He is truly mindful of the value of life and how best to move the agenda forward in health care. He shares his thoughts in this episode.

You will learn that burnout can happen to anyone. If you need help, don't suffer silently. Ask for help. And you will learn that there are many around you that are willing to listen without judging.

I look forward to sharing their stories with you.
Humbly, Dr. A squared

To be continued...

TAKE HOME MESSAGES for WORKING AT GROUND ZERO

1. Support your City and yourself by looking at HEAL, stop smoking, and take transit programmes
2. Don't be afraid for a house call. More and more doctors are offering this service.
3. Treat your doctor with kindness. They give you more than you see.

There is much more to learn when you listen to our primary care practitioners. Feel free to post your comments, ideas, thoughts, and be part of the conversation.

Humbly, Dr. and Mrs. A squared.
To be continued...