Is a tired doctor a safe doctor? Canadian medical experts to debate controversial issue at public panel in Toronto

TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2014 /CNW/ - Is a tired doctor a safe doctor? Canada's medical experts will examine this question at an exciting new public panel in Toronto on Friday, October 24, 2014. Hosted by Dr. Brian Goldman, the panel will be part of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada's International Conference on Residency Education.

"Doctors have a long history of working long hours, often more than 24 hours straight," said Dr. Goldman, an emergency room physician and host of CBC's White Coat, Black Art. "At the same time, many doctors and patients in Canada and abroad have started asking, 'Is this safe for patients?'"

The traditionally long hours worked by doctors and doctors-in-training, also known as residents, has come under question in recent years as research revealed potential correlations between the incidence of medical errors and fatigue. Recently, the European Union and the United States have reduced the hours worked by doctors in training in the hope of improving safety. In 2011, a Canadian arbitrator also ruled that residents in Quebec could no longer work more than 16 consecutive hours.

However, to date, evidence suggests that the imposition of rigid work hour standards have not improved patient safety.

"While we all intuitively sense that fatigue matters, evidence suggests that tiredness is just one factor that contributes to the quality of care," said Dr. Kevin Imrie, President-Elect of the Royal College and co-chair of Canada's National Steering Committee on Resident Duty Hours.

Friday's provocative panel will feature Dr. Najma Ahmed, a trauma surgeon at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto; Dr. Kaif Pardhan, an emergency medicine resident-physician at the University of Toronto; Dr. Christopher Parshuram, a staff physician at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children; and Ronald A. Pink, QC, an attorney who in 2012 helped challenge the hours worked by resident-physicians in Halifax, NS.

This expert panel will engage in a lively pro-con debate on the impact that work hours has on patients, and how Canada's health system could improve. Doctors, residents and health professionals are invited and the event is open to the public and media.

"Canadians trust that trained doctors will be ready and fit to serve them 24/7, 365 days a year," Dr. Goldman said. "Friday's event is about debating the evidence and asking whether Canada's health system can do a better job of helping doctors manage their fatigue."

Event details:

Date:	Friday, October 24, 2014
Time:	7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Location:	Intercontinental Toronto, 225 Front Street West, Toronto
Host:	Dr. Brian Goldman
Media:	Open to media and the public

The International Conference on Residency Education (ICRE) is the largest conference in the world devoted exclusively to residency education. This year, the conference will take place in Toronto from October 23 to 25, 2014. www.royalcollege.ca/icre

This event is hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. With more than 44,000 members in 87 countries, the Royal College contributes to improving the health of Canadians by setting the highest standards for specialty medical education and is a trusted partner in advancing sound health and public policy.  www.royalcollege.ca

SOURCE: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Media interviews with panel participants can be arranged by contacting: Tom McMillan, Senior Communications Specialist, Royal College, [email protected], 613-218-9570; Kate Slean, Marketing Communications Specialist, Royal College, [email protected], 613-297-8583