White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio

IDEAS, hosted by Nahlah Ayed is a daily podcast that explores how ideas over place and time shape our world.In the days before her medically-assisted death, journalist Elaine Dewar made it her mission to finish writing her book revealing ignored Canadian history. For more than three years, the author investigated how Canada's health care system cruelly mistreated Indigenous people — including forcing them to use segregated hospitals. Dewar's extensive research uncovers not only a shameful past. It also reveals that our collective obliviousness to it was deliberately manufactured.You can find more episodes of IDEAS wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/IDEASxWCBA

Dr. Tara Kiran knows primary care in Canada can be better. That's why the Toronto-based family physician and researcher went to the Netherlands, a world leader in health, to see what we can take away. What she found is a system that provides around-the-clock care and primary care teams who can see patients when they need it most. In this encore episode, Dr. Kiran and Brian chat about what the Netherlands is getting right.

When sportscaster Scott Oake isn't rinkside at NHL games, he's often hanging out at a substance use treatment centre in Winnipeg. He's there to be close to his late son. An urn with Bruce's ashes greets everyone who walks through the doors of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre. We're re-airing this 2025 Mindset Award-winning episode for reporting on addiction, taking you inside the centre to learn about its effective recovery approach.

Miles Randell says years of working as a Vancouver paramedic led to post-traumatic stress that left him “unemployable.” When the help he needed wasn't there, he created TEAAM (Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical), a non-profit that deploys helicopters to provide advanced life support in some of the most rugged locations in B.C.'s wilderness. But TEAAM is also a workplace where health-care workers are encouraged to care for their mental health - a story that we're proud to re-air as the 2025 Mindset Award winner for workplace mental health reporting.

What if birth care put women and babies first? Dr. Michael Klein's guiding question came from the Ethiopian midwives who let him “catch” his first babies during a gap year in med school. It would go on to shape his lauded career in pediatrics and family medicine—and challenge medical dogmas like routine episiotomies. His research helped show the once-common procedure often did more harm than good, helping drive a major shift in maternity care. On the occasion of his death on June 10, 2026, we're revisiting our remarkable 2018 conversation with the self-described “Dissident Doctor.”

As Toronto and Vancouver play host to the international soccer tournament, public health officials have been preparing for the influx of people and any health risks that come with it. From wastewater surveillance and food safety inspections to sexual health outreach, Dr. Michelle Murti of Toronto Public Health and Dr. Mark Lysyshyn of Vancouver Coastal Health discuss the work happening behind-the-scenes for the games.

Carol Ann McDevitt spent two years looking forward to a trip to Egypt. But an accident on a camel ride completely changed her travel plans and her understanding of travel insurance. McDevitt and other Canadians share what people should know about travel health policies before packing their bags.

Calgary nurse and primary care behavioural health provider Rachel Fynn prescribes exercise as medicine. Through Alberta's Prescription to Get Active program, she helps patients improve their physical and mental health. Once intimidated by the gym herself, Rachel is now a dedicated weightlifter, and proof of the power of movement.

AI-powered weapons detectors now scan everyone entering the Halifax Infirmary, screening out everything from box-cutters to homemade throwing stars studded with razor blades. The technology is part of a province-wide reset on hospital safety after years of escalating violence, and a knife attack that injured three healthcare workers. The message is clear: if you wouldn't bring it to the airport, don't bring it to the hospital. For our episode on a nurse who survived a violent attack outside a Winnipeg hospital, click here.

There's a surgery to remove the fallopian tubes as a permanent method of birth control that could also reduce a woman's risk of the most common ovarian cancer. But a group of B.C. researchers and physicians say the procedure isn't widely known across Canada. They're trying to change that.

Canadians under 50 are twice as likely as prior generations to get colorectal cancer. In this encore episode, we met up with battle rapper Bishop Brigante, whose delayed Stage 4 colorectal cancer diagnosis drove him to advocate for better access to colonoscopies.

Three million Canadians live with a rare disease, but many still struggle to get treatment. Jeremy Harany was diagnosed as a child with hypophosphatasia, which weakens bones and can cause early tooth loss, but then spent decades without answers. A chance connection later in life led him to life-changing treatment. Now he's pushing for faster, more consistent care for others with rare diseases.

So many Canadian small towns have lost their only doctor. But when this happened in Wembley, Alberta, two nurse practitioners stepped in thanks to new provincial legislation allowing NPs to run their own clinics and bill the province directly, as a family doctor would. Though doctors' organizations are pushing back, patients in Wembley are thrilled with this new model of primary care.

Canadian hospitals are increasingly relying on donor dollars to make up for government funding cuts. And from Ryan Reynolds' lol-worthy “bratty kids” campaign for SickKids to UHN's “number-two hospital in the world” humblebrag, they're becoming ever more creative and canny about the art of the pitch. So who better to help us survey this hospital branding landscape than legendary ad man and host of CBC's Under the Influence, Terry O'Reilly? This episode is the second of a two-part series on hospital ads. Check out the first one in our feed.

Healthcare institutions rarely brag, but Toronto's University Health Network is proudly advertising itself as the world's #2 hospital and “Canada's Hospital.” It reflects a broader push as hospitals increasingly rely on donor funding for staff, equipment, and infrastructure.

Canadians in some provinces can wait years for a new hip or knee. In Germany, it can take just weeks. Transplanted Canadian Elizabeth Sandomeer had each of her knees replaced in under three months. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sebastian Braun says there are many reasons why Germany can get those surgeries done faster. One of the biggest drivers is the competition between hospitals for funding, something that Braun says is lacking in Canada's health-care system.

It may seem counterintuitive, but hospital ERs can be risky for elderly patients, as the chaotic environment can quickly lead to delirium and decline. An innovative geriatric multidisciplinary ER team at St. Mary's Hospital in Montreal is getting elderly patients discharged safely and quickly, preventing harm and reducing hospital admissions.

“Pistol” Pete Pearson took ‘magic mushrooms' illegally to ease his end-of-life distress, and is angry that Health Canada denied him access through the Special Access Program. Meanwhile, UHN psychiatrist and leading psilocybin researcher Dr. Joshua Rosenblat suggests its efficacy may stem from enhanced neuroplasticity—and it might be available by prescription sooner than later.

"Pistol" Pete Pearson underwent psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to ease his end-of-life distress, and calls it a game-changer. Rather than cursing the things he can no longer do, he's grateful for the time he has left. Psilocybin is still illegal in Canada, but Health Canada has invested millions into research by UHN psychiatrist Dr. Joshua Rosenblat. He advises against using psilocybin illegally, like Pete did – but says legalization may be just around the corner.

Leanna Scott has always gone out of her way to help others — which is why she decided to become a surrogate. She carried a child for a couple from the Netherlands who chose Canada because of its altruistic surrogacy laws and strong health-care system. As demand grows, Canadian surrogates like Leanna are increasingly sought after by intended parents both here and abroad. Pamela White, a Canadian researcher who teaches law at the University of Kent, says it's time Canada has a discussion around its surrogacy laws.

Lung cancer is Canada's deadliest cancer—and about one in four cases now occur in people who have never smoked. Toronto father Winhan Wong knows this firsthand: a lingering cough nine years ago led to a stage-four diagnosis. Thoracic surgeon Dr. Christian Finley explains why lung cancer is rising among never-smokers, the stigma around diagnosis, and how a national action plan aims to save lives.

Growing up, Mykayla Whitmarsh was told to make eye contact, sit still and laugh at friends' jokes. Now 24, she's part of a growing group of young women diagnosed in adulthood with “AuDHD” – autism and ADHD. After years of struggling, she advocated for herself, was diagnosed at 22, and now shares her daily life @autisticayla on TikTok.

William Hume knew he was dying, which is why he applied and was approved for medical assistance in dying (MAID). But in his final days, his daughter Stacey says her dad wasn't able to receive MAID at an Edmonton hospital run by a Catholic health-care provider and had to transfer to another facility. He died before that could happen. Dr. Andrea Letourneau, a critical care specialist and MAID provider, says forced transfers are a terrible practice that forces patients to go through extra hoops in order to receive the death they want.

Millions of Canadians are without a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Canada. But Denmark, a country where 98 per cent of its population is attached to a primary care provider, could have some lessons for us. We travelled to the Scandinavian country to see how the Danish system works for patients and doctors, and the differences are startling.

At 24, Kyle Brymer went to the ER with altered speech, facial drooping, severe headaches and confusion. The doctor blamed Kyle's symptoms on his post-grad academic workload and even his partner Kirstie. In a few days, he went back to the ER – and this time, the stroke was unmistakable. Strokes in young people are on the rise in Canada, with one in 20 affecting someone under the age of 45. And even a decade later, Kyle says he's still "not back to normal."

Overwhelmed by hot flashes, brain fog, and a frozen shoulder, Aidan Brame turned to a private clinic when the public system couldn't help. Her experience highlights why more Canadians are paying for menopause care, and what it reveals about gaps in the health system.

One stretcher. More than 80 patients waiting. Paramedics arriving with patients while admitted patients await transfer. That was the reality for registered nurse Jayme Hack during a recent shift at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Along with colleague Valerie Evanishen, she offers a frontline view of the relentless pressure inside one of Alberta's busiest emergency rooms. ER physician and former politician Dr. Raj Sherman puts it bluntly: ERs are the canary in the coal mine and “the canary is dead.” He says we can, and should, do better when it comes to emergency medicine.This is an extended version of the radio broadcast.

Dr. Michael Antil left North Carolina in 2023 with his wife and kids, driven out by an increasingly conservative political climate and COVID-era hostility toward doctors. Now a family physician to over 2,000 patients in Toronto, he's repeatedly been denied permanent residency, lost in a maze of paperwork and immigration red tape. Canada needs doctors—so why is this so hard?

You may think you're burned out at work, or with life in general. But what does burnout actually mean? Christina Maslach, Professor Emerita of psychology at UC Berkeley, was one of the first researchers in the world to study burnout, and co-created the Maslach Burnout Inventory over 40 years ago, a diagnostic tool that's still widely used today. She explains the distinct phases of burnout, why it's so pervasive in healthcare, and why a spa weekend isn't the cure.

Cardiologist, scientist and bestselling author Dr. Eric Topol's latest book "Super Agers" distills decades of research on how to make us healthier for longer. Topol says that humanity is on the cusp of developing treatments to help tame cancer, dementia and other chronic diseases… just as political forces in the U.S. are shutting down that research.

This holiday season, many of us will be taking to the skies to visit family or escape to warmer climes. So we're sharing a recent episode of our sister podcast, The Dose, which asks: “What do I need to know about in-flight medical emergencies?” Dr. Vincent Poirier, associate professor of emergency and aviation medicine at McGill University, senior medical advisor for Air Canada and medical consultant for Air Transat, explains what happens when a medical emergency occurs on board and how passengers can help prevent them.

B.C. emergency room physician Dr. Kaitlin Stockton took the rare step of suing her regional health authority, alleging her job was threatened after she and other doctors warned patients about unsafe, overcrowded ER conditions. The lawsuit has since been resolved to both sides' mutual satisfaction. Dr. Stockton hopes her experience will empower healthcare workers and patients to speak up about patient safety.

Quebec family doctors have struck a tentative agreement with the province, but Dr. Marina Lagodich has made up her mind. When the CAQ government rushed through their healthcare overhaul, Bill 2, in late October, it was the last straw. December 17 will be her last day practicing as a Quebec doctor. Across the province, doctors have criticized the bill, saying it encourages “fast food medicine.” Health policy expert Steven Lewis says although the Quebec government's means are extreme, it's hard to argue with its aims: to solve the “disgraceful” primary care crisis.

Ottawa family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth faced a long wait for surgery after post-menopausal bleeding, and has seen her patients endure the same. Dr. Nick Leyland, president-elect of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, explains that gynecologists have limited operating room access, fewer perform surgery, and ovaries are valued less than testicles in the surgery hierarchy. Also: what's being done to improve care for women nationwide.

Miles Randell, an advanced care paramedic, is trying to do something different for frontline health-care workers who need a supportive work environment. He says years of working as a paramedic in Vancouver led to post-traumatic stress that left him unemployable. And that the help he needed wasn't there. So he created TEAAM (Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical), a non-profit that deploys helicopters to provide advanced life support in some of the most rugged locations in B.C.'s wilderness. But TEAAM is also a workplace where health-care workers are encouraged to regularly check in and talk about work stress after a call.

Dr. Paxton Bach has spent years trying to help people navigate a broken system. Inconsistent approaches to withdrawal management, long wait times for detox and recovery programs and a system that struggles to address the social determinants of health have caused too many of his patients to fall through the cracks. So he and a team at St. Paul's Hospital in downtown Vancouver are trailblazing a new model of care that's set to roll out across B.C. It's called Road to Recovery, and it's helping doctors like Bach answer the question: How can I keep you alive until tomorrow?

Like many of Canada's rural and remote communities, Mackenzie, B.C.'s hospital struggles to staff the ER. But once a week, a doctor hundreds of kilometres away fills in virtually. Many provinces like B.C. are using virtual care in ERs in an attempt to keep the doors open. But critics are concerned about patient safety and the need to balance virtual with in-person care.

When care at a hospital or clinic falls short for you or a loved one, how do you raise concerns that get results? We asked listeners for stories about making complaints in health care and were flooded with them. Dr. Rob Robson, an ER physician, patient safety expert, and health-care mediator, helps us unpack what works and what doesn't when you want your voice to be heard.

Until recently, Jeremy Auger's diabetes was unstable. Then he met endocrinologist Dr. David Campbell and the team with the diabetes mobile clinic in Calgary. The roving clinic brings care directly to people who are homeless or have low incomes. For patients like Jeremy, it's a lifeline that helps prevent devastating complications.

Obesity has more than tripled in Canada since 1981. In their new book “Food Intelligence,” Canadian co-authors Julia Belluz and Kevin Hall - an award-winning health and science journalist, and a prominent researcher on metabolism in the U.S. - argue that it's not because of a collective loss of willpower. Instead, they say the foods we buy and eat have become more calorie-dense, delicious and addictive over the last 40 years.

More with Kevin Hall! Until recently, Hall was the U.S. National Institutes of Health's key researcher on the connection between ultra-processed foods and obesity. He took an early retirement due to increasing censorship of his work. He talks about his groundbreaking study with former “The Biggest Loser” contestants, the link between Big Tobacco and Big Food, and why Canadian scientist expats like him may soon be looking to return home.

When his wife died of endometrial cancer, Charles Kinch refused to accept that the care she received was the best she could get. His complaint, at first dismissed, has now sparked major changes in how cancer patients in British Columbia are treated and supported.