Arthritis Awareness Month shines a spotlight on the millions of Canadians living with arthritis and the critical role healthcare professionals play in their care. From early detection to ongoing management, your guidance can make a lasting difference in helping patients stay active, independent, and informed.
At Orleans Family Health Clinic, we know that early detection of serious illnesses can significantly improve health outcomes. Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition, affects over 150,000 people in the UK and thousands more in Canada—but it’s often misdiagnosed or detected too late. That’s why it’s important to recognize subtle, early signs—such as changes in your handwriting.
At Orleans Family Health Clinic, we know that modern parenting often involves navigating a digital world. Many parents try their best to limit screen time around their children, but a growing body of research now suggests that our digital habits — especially our use of social media — may affect our children in more subtle and lasting ways than we realize.
The relationship between patients and healthcare providers has always been complex. In recent years, rising patient expectations—fueled by technology, online information, and consumer-driven thinking—have reshaped the way patients approach their care. On the positive side, many patients are more engaged, informed, and proactive about their health. However, this shift has also introduced new challenges, including frustration when expectations cannot be met.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has issued new guidance that every patient with cardiovascular disease should hear: vaccines are an essential part of heart health.
The five recommended vaccines for adults with heart disease are:
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Do babies and toddlers really get long-COVID? According to the RECOVER–Pediatrics cohort study, the answer is yes—but their symptoms may look quite different from those in preschoolers, school-aged children, or adolescents.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s effort to understand long-COVID across all age groups. Researchers developed age-specific indices to identify symptoms most likely to indicate long-COVID in children as young as infants.
Canadians want—and deserve—a strong, high-functioning healthcare system. Much of the conversation focuses on issues like appropriate funding, seamless electronic medical records, support for family doctors, and balanced government oversight. While these elements are essential, one critical factor often overlooked is patient accountability.
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A recent Alberta government audit has reignited the national conversation about health care reform in Canada. The review of 13 Alberta medical clinics charging membership fees found no significant evidence of patients being billed for publicly insured treatments — but it did find that patients paying for memberships are receiving more thorough and comprehensive care.
A recent investigation by the Center for Countering Digital Hate has found that AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, can provide teens with dangerous and detailed instructions on harmful activities—despite initial safety warnings.
Researchers posing as vulnerable 13-year-olds asked ChatGPT about topics like alcohol, drug use, extreme dieting, and self-harm. While the chatbot often began with cautionary statements, it frequently went on to give step-by-step plans for risky and illegal behaviors.
Fraud in research is no longer about isolated misconduct. Today, an entire industry of scientific fraud has emerged, running parallel to legitimate scholarship.
