The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patient Experience in Acute Care Hospitals.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and health systems have had to make changes to balance treating patients with COVID-19 and those in the hospital for other reasons. This shift from routine hospital practice and policies affected the delivery of healthcare to patients in hospitals across Canada. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's Canadian Patient Experiences Inpatient Care survey suggest that despite the changes to hospital procedures during the pandemic, most admitted patients - including those with COVID-19 - had a positive experience. Hospital visitor restrictions, however, did likely impact the involvement of a patient's family and friends. Compared to previous years, fewer patients reported that their family and friends were involved in their care as much as they wanted. This type of patient feedback on care experiences can play a valuable role in highlighting areas of best practice and informing decision making to improve patient care.

Opioids in Canada.

The opioid crisis in Canada is a complex issue with devastating consequences for individuals, families and communities. Pan-Canadian data that provide a better understanding of the crisis are a high priority to help guide efforts for reducing opioid-related harms. The objective of this study is to summarize recent trends of opioid-related harms and opioid prescribing across Canada. Opioid-related harms examined in this study include opioid poisonings, opioid use disorders, adverse reactions to opioids and infants born with neonatal withdrawal symptoms. Data are reported at the pan-Canadian, provincial and community levels.