CARG Newsletter - May 2012

The CARG Newsletter - May 2012 is now available online

Web-based diabetes management tools mostly ineffective - for now (Canada)

Researchers investigating the effectiveness, clinical usefulness, sustainability and usability of web-accessible tools for diabetes management determined that, despite their abundance, few practical web-accessible tools exist, according to a report published January 3 by the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. "Existing diabetes websites have wide variations in the quality of evidence provided and offer didactic information at high reading levels with little interactive technology, social support or problem-solving assistance," wrote lead author Catherine Yu, MD, who is affiliated with the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, and colleagues. "Similarly, although healthcare providers increasingly use online resources for patient care, the volume, breadth, editorial quality and evidence-based methodology upon which they were developed are highly variable," she continued

David Braley Cardiac Vascular and Stroke Research Institute (Canada)

Hamilton Health Sciences' main research priority is the development of a new research Institute at the Hamilton General Hospital, which will provide an additional 197,700 square feet of research space specializing in cardiac, vascular and stroke research. The David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute will focus on:

* Building clinical research capacity in thromboembolism, obesity, metabolic diseases and surgery, through both clinical trials and longitudinal cohort studies
* Knowledge integration among healthcare providers and policy makers for optimal health care delivery
* Expanding population-based studies to include genomics and proteomics

The expansion will enable strategic space allocation to enhance our collaborative environment and optimal health care model. This new infrastructure will increase our ability to continue to attract world-class, highly qualified professionals to the Hamilton region. It will also create an opportunity to mentor and train new research leaders and health practitioners

Heart surgery to sideline Newfoundland and Labrador premier for weeks (Canada)

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams will be sidelined from three to 12 weeks because of heart surgery he'll undergo at an undisclosed location in the United States, says acting premier Kathy Dunderdale. Williams travelled to the U.S. Monday on the advice of his doctors after weeks of consultations, Dunderdale said. "I'm not going into the details of the premier's condition," she told reporters at a news conference in St. John's Tuesday morning. "Any heart surgery is serious, however, his prognosis is very, very good." Dunderdale said the surgery would happen this week, but refused to provide specifics on the day or where Williams is being treated, other than to say he has "gone to a renowned expert in the procedure that he needs to have done." She also wouldn't say whether Williams could have had the procedure performed in the province or elsewhere in Canada

Fat fliers get an extra seat free

The Supreme Court of Canada has made a ruling that entitles obese people to have two seats for the price of a single fare. The court declined to hear an appeal by Canadian airlines against a decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency to allocate two seats to people who are "functionally disabled by obesity". In the Philippines last month, a flight attendant lost a 20-year battle against what he said was an unfair sacking by his airline on the grounds he was too fat to fly. Armanda Yrasuegi was dismissed by Philippine Airlines (PAL) after failing to lose weight in 1989. The country's Supreme Court said that his refusal to shed some of his 16st weight from his 5ft 8in frame was due to a lack of willpower rather than an illness. "Passenger safety goes to the core of the job of a cabin attendant. On board an aircraft, the body weight and size of a cabin attendant are important factors to consider in case of emergency," the ruling said. "Aircraft have constricted cabin space, narrow aisles and exit doors." - Yahoo