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This week: the evolving work habits of our doctors, rising concerns about the spread of avian flu, and more big stories you won't want to miss. Let’s begin.

Last year, Ontario spent almost $1B on agency nurses and PSWs

Ontario's hospitals and long-term care (LTC) homes paid nearly $1 billion to private staffing agencies last year to address persistent staff shortages.

Why it's important: Despite claims of decreased agency usage, the latest figures suggest an escalating dependency, lending steam to calls for regulation to curb price gouging and ensure equitable, efficient care delivery across Ontario.

The steep financial outlay on agency staff is a persistent pain point in every province. Ontario’s Ministry of Health data shows a significant uptick in both the costs and hours-worked by agency nurses and PSWs. Healthcare leaders and politicians are scrutinizing the balance between immediate staffing needs and the broader impacts on public healthcare's integrity and fiscal responsibility, with some now calling to phase out the agencies entirely. Time will tell how and if provinces can strike a balance between immediate staffing needs and quality patient care.
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Avian flu spreads among dairy cows across four U.S. states

The detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in cows now extends to Idaho. This development follows reports from Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas, stoking fears of probable cow-to-cow transmission, which remain unconfirmed for now.

Why it's important: The spread of HPAI to bovine populations is concerning for many reasons, including the impacts on animals, the food supply, and of course, the potential for the virus to spread to people, possibly kicking off another pandemic.

States are already taking proactive measures with some imposing import restrictions and quarantines to prevent further spread. While cases of H5N1 virus remain extremely rare in humans, observers and experts are worried about the potential for the virus to make a more definitive species-jump. A report from a year ago details some pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to create avian flu vaccines for human use, “just in case.” One year later, and it does seem this proactive approach is increasingly being validated.
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Pandemic exerts lingering impact on school attendance

Since 2020, school districts across Canada have reported a notable and persistent rise in absences, with various contributing factors including illness, issues related to mental health, and support service shortfalls.

Why it's important: The increase in absenteeism calls for a national dialogue to address the underlying issues deterring attendance. Though it appears multifaceted, one such factor is a striking increase in the frequency of viral illnesses in recent years.

Students are missing more school than ever. Factors such as illness, including long COVID, mental health struggles, and a lack of adequate support services are contributing to increased rates of absenteeism. There are unfortunate gaps in both national data and a cohesive policy response, and a clear need exists for targeted action to support students' return to regular attendance and address the broader implications for their future well-being and academic success.
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Musk says he’ll pay legal fees for Ontario doctor in SLAPP suit controversy

Through his social media platform, X, Musk has pledged financial support to Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill, a physician known for her COVID-19 vaccine skepticism, covering her legal fees after a failed attempt to silence critics.

Why it's important:
Okay, it’s tangentially health-related. But it sure is making waves in Canadian MedTwitter.

Dr. Gill first sparked controversy by posting antivax statements opposing nearly all pandemic mitigation measures on social media throughout 2020. Her statements drew significant criticism from the medical community and media resulting in complaints against her to the CPSO. She ultimately sued 23 doctors, journalists, and news outlets in an attempt to silence them, but her claims were dismissed by the judge under anti-SLAPP law and she was ordered to pay the defendants' legal fees, a sum of $300,000. Musk's decision to fund Dr. Gill's legal bill contrasts greatly with his proclaimed dedication to supporting free speech.
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Doctors' work patterns shift towards balance over burnout

New research shows a big shift in Canadian doctors' work patterns over the last three decades, with married male physicians leading a notable reduction in work hours, challenging old narratives about the impact of more women entering medicine.

Why it's important: The trend suggests that changing dynamics within medicine, including safety-focused efforts to regulate work hours, are contributing to a more humane approach to practice. However, this shift coincides with growing challenges in patients’ access to care.

Male doctors in Canada, particularly married ones, are working much less than they did thirty years ago. This is the main driver of the overall reduction of physician work hours, contradicting what some people might have thought—that women entering medicine were the reason for doctors working fewer hours overall. The findings suggest there’s been a big change in how male doctors view their relationships to work and family life, moving away from all-work-and-no-play, to making sure they have time for both.
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Pharmacists' College now exploring legal options to address corporate pressure allegations

The Ontario College of Pharmacists said in a statement that corporate pressures on pharmacists are compromising safe and effective care.

Why it's important: When I first reported on this story in mid-February, I was sure it would have died down by now, drowned out in cycle after cycle of news. The opposite has happened, in large part due to follow-ups by The Trillium, Ottawa Citizen and CBC.

The Ontario College of Pharmacists says it's exploring legal avenues after receiving accounts from pharmacy employees about undue corporate pressures to meet quotas for billable services (including MedsChecks). The confirmation of these pressures by thousands of pharmacists adds to concerns about the integrity of patient care within chain pharmacies. As corporate objectives clash with healthcare standards, the impact on pharmacists' professional autonomy shows the urgent need for regulatory scrutiny to protect pharmacists, patients, and taxpayers.
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I hope you've found this week's selection as informative as I intended it to be. This coming week, stay tuned for a feedback survey from me. We have a lot of new readers and I’d like to get a sense of what sorts of things you’re interested in hearing about.

As always, know that your readership and support mean the world to me.
Until we meet again, take care of yourselves and each other.

Yours in health,

Nick Tsergas
National Health News Editor
Canada Healthwatch
[email protected] | canadahealthwatch.ca