From the Canadian Medical Association

Dr. Colin McMillan
President , Canadian Medical Association

Well, here you are sitting in your doctor’s waiting room. You’re about to be examined for a problem you know you have, or you’re seeking help for something that is worrying you. It can be a tense and anxious time. All too often all you have to occupy yourself with are ancient copies of irrelevant magazines. Welcome to Canadian Health, the Canadian Medical Association’s new wellness magazine for patients—a Canadian first and a new venture we think is very important.

To a physician, the doctor-patient relationship is the most important part of the practice of medicine. You could say it’s a sacred trust. Your physician has made a commitment to do everything he or she can to help you maintain and improve your health and to bring all possible resources to bear on any medical problems you may have.

At another level, the CMA does much the same thing. We have a long and proud tradition of advocating on behalf of patients and working toward better health for all Canadians. The CMA was established in 1867, so it is an organization as old as Canada itself. Throughout Canadian history, the CMA has worked to improve public-health measures and lobby for better patient care. One of its first acts was the establishment of a committee to deal with public health, or hygiene as it was then termed. Part of our mission statement reads that the CMA will be “the national advocate, in partnership with the people of Canada, for the highest standards of health and health care.” And the CMA’s vision is one of “a healthy population and a vibrant medical profession.”

Never have these sentiments been given such concrete form as in the release of the first issue of Canadian Health magazine. This bimonthly publication is intended to give you useful and accurate information on a broad range of health-related issues. But Canadian Health wants to go further than that. We want the magazine to provide guidance on the many practical issues that arise between doctor and patient. That’s why we’ve chosen to distribute the magazine in doctors’ offices. We also want the magazine to be entertaining to read and attractive to look at.

Most Canadians want to be in control of their own health and take steps to remain healthy. The CMA and the 62,000 doctors represented by this organization feel exactly the same way. Canadian doctors in 2006 are not a paternalistic group that believes “we always know best” and expects you to follow orders without question. Doctors want to work in partnership with better-informed patients to provide the best possible care.

You’ve seen all those health publications and messages on TV that say something along the lines of “this information is no substitute for care from a physician.” Well, the same applies to everything you read in Canadian Health. The articles are intended to supplement your knowledge about health issues, not take the place of the clinical expertise of a physician and the one-on-one personal knowledge he or she has of you, the individual patient.

That said, we are confident you will find Canadian Health both interesting and informative.