White Coat, Black Art

CBC

CBC Radio's Dr. Brian Goldman takes listeners through the swinging doors of hospitals and doctors' offices, behind the curtain where the gurney lies.

  • 22 minutes 40 seconds
    BONUS: The Dose: What do I need to know right now about measles?

    Measles is on the rise, highlighting how a disease considered eliminated in Canada is making a comeback. Recent dramatic outbreaks are worrying people like infectious diseases specialist Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti. He explains why more people are getting measles, how it spreads, the symptoms and the long-term complications. He says getting vaccinated provides the best protection. (Originally published Mar. 6, 2025.)

    28 March 2025, 4:10 am
  • 26 minutes 44 seconds
    Measles in Canada: Where we're at and how we got here

    We're seeing the worst measles numbers in Canada in more than a decade. Dr. Ninh Tran, medical officer of health in the country's hardest hit region of southwestern Ontario, describes how they're fighting to control the spread. And University of Alberta infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger reflects on the "undead zombie of disinformation" that's helped lead us here.

    28 March 2025, 4:10 am
  • 26 minutes 41 seconds
    Meet the people who help sedate you

    A shortage of anesthesiologists in Canada often means postponed operations and procedures. But some hospitals are using anesthesia assistants (AAs) to get more patients into surgeries and routine procedures needing sedation. Dr. Brian Goldman observes AA Rob Bryan during a colonoscopy at an Ontario hospital to find out what he does. And Nova Scotia pediatric anesthesiologists Dr. Sally Bird and Dr. Mathew Kiberd say AAs have become an essential part of their anesthesia team.  

    21 March 2025, 6:10 pm
  • 26 minutes 47 seconds
    Saving elderly patients from the hazards of the ER

    It may seem counterintuitive, but hospital emergency rooms can be hazardous to the health of elderly patients. An innovative geriatric multidisciplinary ER team at St. Mary's Hospital in Montreal is getting elderly patients discharged quickly and safely, saving them from preventable harms and the hospital millions in preventable admissions.

    14 March 2025, 5:30 pm
  • 26 minutes 41 seconds
    A career, three young kids, and colorectal cancer

    A growing number of young people in Canada are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and their needs often differ from older patients. Melissa Grof​f was diagnosed at age 34, with three small kids, in the prime of her career.​​ ​She​ says she would have benefitted from more age-appropriate care. Sunnybrook's Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Clinic offers this care including support for mental health, sexual health, body image issues and family planning.

    7 March 2025, 5:10 am
  • 26 minutes 41 seconds
    What if palliative care was about living better?

    Palliative physician Dr. Samantha Winemaker says her line of work has a branding problem. Instead of thinking of it as "the Grim Reaper service" to be called in at the 11th hour, she says patients benefit from a palliative approach as soon as they're faced with a life-limiting illness. "Dr. Sammy" meets a new patient and his family for the first time - showing how her person-centered care treads the fine line between honesty and hope. 

    28 February 2025, 3:10 pm
  • 26 minutes 39 seconds
    Primary care lessons: What the Netherlands can teach us

    Dr. Tara Kiran knows primary care in Canada can be better. That's why the Toronto-based family physician and researcher went to the Netherlands, a world leader in health, to see what we can take away. What she found is a system that provides around-the-clock care and primary care teams who can see patients when they need it most. 

    21 February 2025, 6:40 pm
  • 26 minutes 41 seconds
    ENCORE: The high cost of sick notes

    Patients don't like asking for them, doctors hate writing them, and yet, some employers continue to demand notes when a worker calls in sick for a minor illness like the flu or a cold. More and more doctors and other health-care providers says that sick notes shouldn't be required for minor illnesses, tying up an already overloaded system. Some provinces have now updated their sick note policies.

    13 February 2025, 5:10 am
  • 26 minutes 39 seconds
    Primary care for all: Lessons from Denmark

    We know there are problems with our country’s health-care system, with millions of Canadians going without a family doctor or nurse practitioner. But Denmark, a country where more than 98 percent of its population is attached to a primary care provider, could have some lessons for us. We travelled to the Scandinavian country to see how the Danish system works for patients and doctors. The differences are startling.

    7 February 2025, 8:10 pm
  • 26 minutes 41 seconds
    The quest for an ADHD diagnosis in middle age

    CBC producer Adam Killick has spent his whole life believing something was wrong with him. It’s only now, in his 50s, that he’s wondering if he has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. About four to six per cent of adult Canadians have ADHD. If Adam is diagnosed, it would help him make sense of his life. If not, he's not sure what he'll do. We follow along on his quest. 

    31 January 2025, 5:10 am
  • 24 minutes 1 second
    THE DOSE: How do I know if I have undiagnosed adult ADHD?

    [Encore Presentation]: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder – or ADHD – is a common diagnosis in children. But more and more adults are also being diagnosed with ADHD. Family physician Dr. Ainslie Gray explains some of the tell-tale signs you might be living with undiagnosed ADHD, as well as some of the ways you might be unknowingly coping with the condition.

    31 January 2025, 5:10 am
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