Health Each year, there are new discoveries in pharmacology, technology and disease prevention and treatment modalities which result in better and longer life. Over the last 50 years, these innovations have significantly changed the quality and quantity of life for average Canadians. In 1975, the lifespan for males in Canada was 70 and for females, 77. Now the latest records show the ages to be 81 for males and 85 for females. Much of this change can be attributed to healthier lifestyles and public health measures, but advances each year in diagnostic and treatment modalities have also had a significant effect on both the quality of life and longevity. Every year, there are new discoveries and new programs which help improve our health status including new drugs, improved technologies in diagnosis and treatment and advances in public health measures. Drugs: In the area of drug advancement, there have been a number of discoveries including new, more effective drugs to treat HIV, certain genetic diseases, schizophrenia and urinary tract infections resistant to other antibiotics. Patients who have developed macular degeneration (AMD) are now experiencing increased availability of certain drugs which inhibit the progression of the disease, thereby reducing their risk of developing blindness. The rising use of Semaglutide for Type 2 diabetes and obesity is helping those individuals improve their health status. During the Covid pandemic, the discovery of Paxlovid reduced the severity of this infection for many. Technology: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to transform many aspects of medical care, thus improving results in diagnosis, treatment and patient management. AI refers to the development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, decision-making and perception. Recently, my son, a family doctor in Ontario, told me of his use of AI in his office practice. Across Canada, physicians have complained that the amount of “paperwork” – including documentation of details of all patient visits, as well as the completion of numerous forms and other documents – was taking precious time away from actual patient care. This has been a leading complaint especially among family doctors, contributing to the decline in medical graduates choosing that path. My son now uses AI in most patient visits, wherein the relevant information from their discussion – as well as the findings from any examination such as blood pressure and physical findings and any prescriptions or ordered tests – is automatically entered, edited and documented on the patient’s record. This saves the physician time after each patient or at the end of the day, as the records are already complete. Some of the greatest advances in diagnostic technology are through the AI programs increasingly used by doctors in making an early and correct diagnosis, as well as determining best investigative procedures by Robert MacMillan MD Recent Advances in MEDICINE 38 | www.snowbirds.org
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