The Question: Does OHIP cover all of the costs associated with valve replacement surgery? The Answer: The short answer is yes, the Ontario Health...
Personal Health Navigator
Paul Taylor retired from his role as Sunnybrook’s Patient Navigation Advisor in 2020. From 2013 to 2020, he wrote a regular column in which he provided advice and answered questions from patients and their families. Follow Paul on Twitter @epaultaylor
Diagnosed with a Rare Cancer, a Patient Needs a Plan
The Question: My Godfather was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer a couple of weeks ago. He went into hospital with stomach pain and had emergency...
When a mental health issue requires a second opinion
Patient question: I am a man who suffers from severe depression. I seem to be medication resistant, as I have tried many...
Birth Tourism: The Pregnant Patients Most Doctors Cannot Accept
The Question: I am pregnant and my expected due date is in June. I currently live outside Canada, and would want to go back to Toronto for delivery...
The Patient as Expert
The Question: After hip replacement surgery, I was placed on tramadol for pain. It worked moderately well, although in retrospect, I would have...
No Need to Sell the House When Searching for a Nursing Home
The Question: My mother is searching for long-term care home for my father and because of the expense involved, she will probably end up selling her...
The Most Costly Places in Canada for Patients to Have Diabetes
The Question: What are the best and worst places to have diabetes in Canada, based on the cost of needles and other supplies? The Answer: This...
International Patients: What Care Can’t Be Bought at the Hospital
The Question: I would like to know if your hospital accepts international patients and if so, what is the process? My brother needs a full check up...
Dangerous Drug Interactions and How to Stop Them
The Question: My mother is on six different medications from different pharmacies under the care of three specialists. How do I avoid a dangerous...
Radiation Treatment After Breast Cancer: Not Optional
The Question: I have a friend who has just had a lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy for a small invasive lobular breast cancer. She has not...