The importance of language to the care of 2SLGBTQ+ patients, the discrimination that 2SLGBTQ+ health care professionals face, and the current political climate shape part 2 of this conversation that Dr Sarah Fraser hosts with Drs Robyn Moxley, Andrew Organek, and Thea Weisdorf.

 These podcast guests and Toronto-based family doctors contributed the following articles to the June 2023 issue of Canadian Family Physician:

• “Supporting 2SLGBTQ+ patients in your practice”: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/6/377
• « Soutenir les patients 2SLGBTQ+ dans votre pratique »: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/6/379
• “Affirming pregnancy care for transgender and gender-diverse patients”: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/6/407
• “Should all family physicians provide gender-affirming primary care?”: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/6/415

The care of 2SLGBTQ+ patients is a natural fit for family practices, yet many family doctors fear they lack relevant skills and instead refer patients to other providers. Dr Sarah Fraser discusses such barriers to care and how family physicians can create safe spaces for 2SLGBTQ+ patients with Drs Robyn Moxley, Andrew Organek, and Thea Weisdorf.

Symptoms drive patients to seek primary care, but the fact that up to half never lead to a diagnosis is a challenge; it’s also an opportunity to refresh how symptoms are viewed in family medicine. Dr Nick Pimlott hosts a discussion with Dr Thomas Freeman and Dr Moira Stewart about the implications of paying greater attention to symptoms for patient care, research, and teaching.

Check out their research on abdominal pain symptoms in the May 2023 issue of Canadian Family Physician: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/5/341. Their informative essay on studying symptoms in family practice appeared in the March 2020 issue: https://www.cfp.ca/content/66/3/218.

Continuous, longitudinal care results in better patient outcomes and health care savings, so how can this evidence be leveraged to address the crisis in family medicine? Dr Nick Pimlott Interviews Drs Michael Kolber, Tina Korownyk, and Jennifer Young about the case for investing in primary care.

Read their article in the April 2023 issue of Canadian Family Physician: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/4/269. 

The success of an innovative nurse-led program points to a way to rethink how family practices help patients manage chronic noncancer pain. Dr Nick Pimlott interviews Dr Hillel Finestone about the initiative and how other clinics could adopt this approach.

Dr Finestone is a Professor in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa and a physiatrist at Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital. Read his article in the March issue of Canadian Family Physician and go to the CFPlus tab to access the tools highlighted in this episode: https://www.cfp.ca/content/69/3/e52.

The popular narrative about newer cohorts of family physicians working less than their predecessors is disputed by data published in 2022. In this Third Rail edition of the CFP Podcast, Dr Sarah Fraser interviews Dr Ruth Lavergne, a researcher at Dalhousie University, about her findings and ideas for strengthening primary care—which include supporting longitudinal care, addressing administrative workloads, and moving away from the unhelpful focus on generational differences.

Read Dr Lavergne’s research article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal at https://www.cmaj.ca/content/194/48/E1639. 

With polypharmacy common among older patients, proper administration of medications and avoidance of drug-food interactions are extremely important. Dr Nick Pimlott interviews pharmacists Alex Crawley and Erin Yakiwchuk about everyday pitfalls, practical tips, and the value of team-based care in addressing these issues.

Alex Crawley is Associate Director and Erin Yakiwchuk is a member of the RxFiles Academic Detailing Program at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Read their article, “Improper administration. Silent culprit of drug therapy problems,” in the February 2023 issue of Canadian Family Physician.

Lifestyle medicine is an innovative form of primary care that could help shift our system to focus on wellness and prevention rather than disease. Dr Sarah Fraser hosts a chat with Dr Sheila Lakhoo about the benefits of this approach as well as barriers that exist in accessing and practising lifestyle medicine.

Dr Lakhoo is a family physician in Toronto, Ont, who received a diploma in lifestyle medicine from the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine in 2020. 

Solutions to the health care crisis exist if political will can be found to change. Dr Rick Glazier shares inspiring insights on both the challenges and opportunities before us in this conversation with your host, Dr Nick Pimlott.

Among his many roles, Dr Glazier is a family physician in Toronto, Ont, a renowned researcher, and a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Read his related commentary in the January 2023 issue of Canadian Family Physician.

Concrete actions designed to ensure health care aligns with the needs of Indigenous people and communities are the focus of this conversation that Dr Nick Pimlott hosts with Drs Mandy Buss and Veronica McKinney. They discuss the CFPC’s Declaration of Commitment to cultural safety and humility, key resources that support related learning in family medicine, and new tools being developed. Drs Buss and McKinney are members of the CFPC’s Indigenous Health Committee.

Resources:

Declaration of Commitment

• English: https://www.cfpc.ca/CFPC/media/Resources/Indigenous-Health/Declaration-of-Commitment-signed.pdf
• French: https://www.cfpc.ca/CFPC/media/Resources/Indigenous-Health/HPGR-Declaration-Nov-9-2022-FRE-tabloid-final.pdf

CanMEDS–Family Medicine Indigenous Health Supplement

• English: https://www.cfpc.ca/CFPC/media/PDF/CanMEDS-IndigenousHS-ENG-web.pdf
• French: https://www.cfpc.ca/CFPC/media/PDF/CanMEDS-IHS-FRE-web.pdf