Women's Post, June 2010

1. HEALTH
HEALTH MATTERS
with Dianne Carmichael
It’s your health – be absolutely sure.Your physician has four to five minutes, on average, to
review your medical file: Could something be missed?
In my columns, I like to share things I’ve For Brad, this could have been fatal. neurosurgeon was able to successfully perform
learned – ‘life lessons’ I’ve gleaned along Brad went to see his doctor when he expe- a modified surgery, specific to his condition.
the way – sometimes from personal expe- rienced an alarming numbness on one side of Without the careful, informed review com-
rience, and sometimes from the work I do. his body. An MRI revealed a spinal cord tumour pleted on Brad’s behalf, vital information that
Here’s one that is not only a life lesson, and he was referred to a Neurosurgeon. made a life-saving difference would never have
but could be a life saver. Treatment was considered straightforward come to light. And the world of entertainment
but risky: radiation followed by surgery to would have missed a shining star.
As Canadians, we are truly fortunate to have remove the tumour. There was a high risk of You see, this year Brad is fully recovered
a universal health care system – that means paralysis and even death. and focused on his passion. He is the executive
every man, woman and child has equal access Brad turned to his company’s employee producer of an award-winning, hit TV show,
to care. The downside of this wonderfully car- benefit plan which included a second opinion and enjoying life and family to the fullest. Last
ing system, however, is its toll on physician and medical consultation service. A second year, Brad was a patient who might have died.
time. As our population grows and citizens review of his entire medical history revealed Why? Because a seemingly insignificant detail
age, health care providers are faced with man- a previously overlooked detail, one that would buried in his medical records went unnoticed
aging an overburdened system. Physicians turn out to be of critical importance to Brad’s due to a lack of time.
simply have less and less time to devote to each life. A family history of hemangioma – mal- Life-saving lesson? When time is precious,
of us. In fact, recent studies suggest that phy- formed blood vessels – had been missed in the things can be overlooked. When it comes to
sicians spend, on average, just seven minutes original review. your life and your health – or that of your
with us per visit. And just four to five minutes A special imaging study was ordered as family’s – try to take every step you can to
reviewing our medical records. To put that in a result, which confirmed he did not have be absolutely sure. Help your doctor make
perspective, consider that by the time you’ve a tumour at all. In fact, radiation under the the most of your seven minutes together by
finished reading this column; your physician circumstances may have led to fatal bleed- providing him all the facts. And then be sure
will have finished reviewing your medical file. ing and was subsequently cancelled. Brad’s diagnosis and treatment are based on them.
FOR MORE ON BEST DOCTORS CANADA, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.BESTDOCTORSCANADA.COM.
DIANNE CARMICHAEL IS PRESIDENT OF BEST DOCTORS CANADA, AND A WOMEN’S POST HEALTH
COLUMNIST. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DIANNE THROUGH HER WOMEN’S POST PROFILE, AT
WOMENSPOST.CA/USERS/DCARMICH.
DIANNE’S VIDEO BIO CAN BE SEEN AT 3.ly/DCARMICHAEL.