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When are antipsychotics appropriate to use to treat dementia symptoms?
Case
Cecilia Moore is a 65-year-old woman diagnosed four years ago with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Cecilia moved to designated supportive living four months ago because her husband could no longer manage her symptoms at home. Her husband reported that, while home Cecilia was not sleeping at night, she would wander around the house mumbling to herself and would see things that were not there. Her family doctor prescribed her trazodone, with escalating doses up to 100 mg and mirtazapine 15 mg to treat both her anxiety and insomnia, but both were without significant effect. At the facility where she lives, Cecilia remains on these medications but continues to react to visual hallucinations and has reported that people are killing babies there. She is fearful of the caregivers and will fight, bite and kick when they try to help her with her personal care, which has resulted in some staff injuries.
Issue
When is it appropriate to use antipsychotics for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia?
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Have your say on the future direction of the TOP CPG program
Apply for the Practical Evidence Translation (PET) Advisory Committee today!
The PET Advisory Committee will build on the success of the Toward Optimized Practice Clinical Practice Guideline program to advance an evidence-based focus for the future. The committee will advise on the future direction of the TOP CPG program including, but not limited to:
- Care bundles (e.g., ASAP)
- Transformational change and innovations in evidence-based care delivery (e.g., Relational Continuity Guideline)
Our online application process makes it easy to apply! To view the postings and apply, visit the AMA committee recruitment web page (login required).
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Med students get a boost from AMA's ADIUM Insurance Services
Twenty ADIUM Student Elective Travel Grants of $500 were randomly awarded to Alberta medical students who had to travel to complete required medical electives between June 1, 2019, and
May 31, 2020.
The grant was established to assist medical students in defraying the increasing costs of medical school. To date, $210,000 has been distributed to medical student AMA members.
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If you’re not subscribing, you don’t know what you’re missing!
News for Docs is AMA's FREE news clipping service for members. It provides you with the latest in relevant, diverse health care news, carefully curated and gathered from local (Alberta-wide) and national sources and delivered daily to your inbox.
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Sponsored advertisement
Retirement Plan after COVID-19
Even as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are lifting, physicians must adjust to the new normal — a world of masks, physical distancing and more stringent sanitizing. Meeting these safety guidelines at your workplace will likely mean fewer patients yet higher expenses. If you had to close your practice earlier this year and now expect to bill less over the near future, this could mean a hit to your retirement.
As a physician, have you experienced reduced income due to fewer patients or higher expenses? Learn how you can still meet your goals by adjusting your financial plan.
MD Financial Management provides financial products and services, the MD Family of Funds and investment counselling services through the MD Group of Companies. For a detailed list of these companies, visit md.ca. MD Financial Management is a proud sponsor of the AMA Youth Run Club.
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Connect Care planning and implementation resumes
As pre-pandemic activities restart across Alberta, Alberta Health Services is resuming Connect Care planning and implementation work.
Waves 2 and 3 of Connect Care were temporarily delayed in March, given the significantly increased demands on our frontline physicians, staff and services, and the increased health risks our patients and health care teams faced due to COVID-19. While our response and management of COVID-19 continues across the province, AHS will be carefully and thoughtfully moving forward with preparations for the next waves of Connect Care, maintaining the ability to be flexible and ready for COVID-19 patients in the weeks and months to come, should demands change again in the province.
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Practical Evidence for Informed Practice Conference | October 23-24
The PEIP Conference this fall will highlight clinically relevant primary care topics that combine evidence, experience and patient values that are free of industry bias. This multidisciplinary event will be fully accessible online via webcast with limited in-person seating, and will showcase relevant, evidence-based and thought-provoking topics in health care. Save the date; registration will open in August. Visit www.peipconference.ca for more information.
For additional event information please contact Nikita McEwan (cpd@acfp.ca), Coordinator, Member Programs and PEER Partnership Alberta College of Family Physicians.
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New eReferral Consult Request reasons added for internal medicine
Physicians and their clinical support staff will see six new eReferral Consult Request reasons for referral added to Internal Med - Adult Gastroenterology in the Edmonton Zone as of June 18, including:
- Celiac disease (suspected or refractory symptoms)
- Dyspepsia
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
- Endoscopy for iron deficiency anemia
- Hepatitis C
All routine referrals are being accepted, however there may be a delay in processing your Consult Request or booking an endoscopy procedure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, only urgent or semi-urgent referrals that require an endoscopy are being booked.
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Calgary collaboration recognizes local
front line health care workers
Keeping safety top of mind, MD Financial Management and the Alberta Medical Association found a no-contact way to recognize physicians and other front line health care workers who have gone above and beyond in the face of the pandemic.
MD Financial Management provides financial products and services, the MD Family of Funds and investment counselling services through the MD Group of Companies. For a detailed list of these companies, visit md.ca. MD Financial Management is a proud sponsor of the AMA Youth Run Club.
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Access your WCB payment information online
The Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta continues to move to paperless options while maintaining its timely and consistent service.
WCB has started emailing Electronic Fund Transfer advices to physicians. Physicians will receive EFT information using the email address on file with the WCB, on a weekly basis. The payment is usually deposited into bank accounts on Wednesday (or on Thursday following a holiday Monday). Between now and July 10, physicians may also receive an EFT advice in the mail while WCB transitions its service delivery to email.
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Survey Corner
Health care partners and other organizations often seek physician feedback through surveys. This month, the following are available for your consideration and possible participation:
Research on the impacts of the pandemic on young people with chronic pain, their families and their health care providers. Study conducted by the Department of Child Health Evaluative Sciences at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children
Research study to understand LGBTQIA+ physician experiences in the health care environment during training and independent practice. Conducted by University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine researchers.
Editor's note: "Survey Corner" presents survey requests received and reviewed by the AMA, that may be of interest to our members. We will publish new opportunities as we receive them.
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Top stories from our last issue
MD Scope Classifieds
In the July 9, 2020 MD Scope Classifieds you'll find listings for:
- Physicians wanted
- Space available
- For sale
- Services
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