Academic emergency physician, pregnancy researcher, Deputy Editor @CMAJ Views expressed are my own.
Toronto, Ontario
Joined February 2016
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- Following362
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Catherine Varner retweeted
Can our health ministers ever focus on reform, not just money? At their meeting last week, health leaders talked about a lot of things, but committed to almost nothing as the system crumbles around them, by @picardonhealth theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc… (gift link) via @GlobeDebate
Catherine Varner retweeted
👉 Submit your #CAEP27 speaker proposal by Nov. 29: caepconference.ca/speaker-pr…
Help shape the future of emergency medicine! Submit a speaker proposal for #CAEP27 in Halifax, May 16-18, 2027.
📅 Deadline: Nov. 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
👉 caepconference.ca/speaker-pr…
#EmergencyMedicine #MedEd
Catherine Varner retweeted
No patient left behind. 💙
That’s the vision behind the fund established by Dr. Grant Innes to support health system innovations that reduce care delays and ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
In partnership with SREMI, the No Patient Left Behind Fund will help turn this vision into action.
Thank you to everyone who has generously supported the fund since its launch.
Learn more & donate: tinyurl.com/grant-innes-fund
#emergencymedicine #emergencycare #patientsfirst #cdnhealth #canadianhealthcare #healthcareinnovation
Catherine Varner retweeted
Feb 21-24. Early bird pricing done Aug 31. Hope to see you there. @arunsayal1 @amalmattu @petrosoniak @EmICUcanada @CAEP_Docs @CVarnerEmerg @ETtube @EMUofT @UHN @HumanFact0rz @fe2rawi @EM_Update @doctorlianne @ACEPNation cpd.utoronto.ca/whistler/
Catherine Varner retweeted
How do you judge the real value of a new Alzheimer’s drug? Lecanemab, which costs $30,000 a year, has modest benefits. Does that really justify public funding? by @picardonhealth theglobeandmail.com/opinion/… via @GlobeDebate
Catherine Varner retweeted
Can stable patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy safely wait for a next day ultrasound? 🏥🩺
A new @CJEMonline study explores the impact of delayed diagnostic imaging in the ED.
1⃣ The Safety Data: Delayed imaging was not associated with increased mortality or rupture rates in this cohort. This indicates that emergency physicians are effectively triaging high risk patients for immediate care.
2⃣ The β-HCG Caveat: Over 36 percent of confirmed ectopics had a β-HCG < 1000. There is no "safe" level to rule out the diagnosis; bedside and diagnostic ultrasound remain essential regardless of the count.
3⃣ Room for Improvement: While delays were safe for stable patients, 1 in 8 return visits involved a rupture. 24/7 US access remains the gold standard to improve patient flow and prevent unnecessary repeat visits.
🔗 Full study: link.springer.com/article/10…
#MedTwitter #EmergencyMedicine #FOAMed #WomensHealth #POCUS #CJEM
Infographic by @NotebookLM
Welcome residents to emergency medicine @SinaiHealth ! We are delighted you are here, and we look forward to working with you as you complete your postgrad training! @uoftmedicine @EMUofT @UofTFamilyMed
Catherine Varner retweeted
Please consider a donation. Great guy. Great cause!
For decades, Dr. Grant Innes has been a leading light in emergency medicine in Canada. He has long stood for better and more accountable ED care and has chosen SREMI and @CAEP_Docs to lead his legacy project.
No Patient Left Behind: The Full Story (4 minute video):
youtu.be/mfGOZlYdX-c
Catherine Varner retweeted
Ending the marathon of suffering in Canada’s emergency departments. The root causes of ED overcrowding and related waits are complex, but the solutions lie principally outside the ED, by @picardonhealth theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc… via @GlobeDebate
Catherine Varner retweeted
Tune in tomorrow on @cbcradio coast to coast starting at 6 AM EST, where I’ll be talking with local stations about the causes of ED wait times (spoiler alert: it’s not because of runny noses).
(Pictured below are my interview prep materials):
Catherine Varner retweeted
Patients assessed in chairs. Examinations conducted in waiting rooms. Care delivered in hallways, closets, and other unconventional spaces.
As overcrowding and access block continue to strain emergency departments across Canada, "chair care" is becoming an increasingly common reality. While clinicians work tirelessly to identify critically ill patients and provide care wherever possible, many warn that these workarounds are a symptom of a broader health system crisis.
“This is just a Band-Aid on a massive, gaping wound.”
Read the full article: nationalpost.com/news/canada…
#emergencymedicine #healthcarenews #cdnhealth
Catherine Varner retweeted
Whistler tickets will be released June 1st. In six days! We have expanded our room block but secure early. Hope to see you there. @EmICUcanada @petrosoniak @CVarnerEmerg @HumanFact0rz @stemlyns @arunsayal1 @EMUofT @CAEP_Docs @EM_Update @IncrEMentuMconf cpd.utoronto.ca/whistler/fee…
Catherine Varner retweeted
For the @nytimes, I wrote about how cruel and horrific Ebola is, as both a provider, and as a patient.
I tried to reflect the science, and the profound sadness.
Very grateful to my editor, who pushed me to make this more personal. I usually avoid doing so. For reasons that become clear at the end of this piece.
Gift link:
nytimes.com/2026/05/21/opini…
Catherine Varner retweeted
This #NationalNursingWeek, we’re recognizing the extraordinary skill, judgement, and dedication of emergency nurses across Canada while calling for a healthcare system that supports them.
In a new joint statement, CAEP and NENA urge governments and health leaders to shift the focus from individual blame to system accountability so that emergency clinicians are enabled and not scapegoated as they work to deliver safe, high-quality care.
🔗 Read the full statement: caep.ca/breaking-news
#nationalnursingweek #emergencynursing #nursingweek #emergencynurse #ernurse
Catherine Varner retweeted
Whistler tickets go on sale June 1. Early bird ends Aug 31. Tickets will be gone by fall. Hope to see you there Feb 21-24 @CVarnerEmerg @petrosoniak @EmICUcanada @arunsayal1 @HumanFact0rz @IncrEMentuMconf @RCEMLearning @CAEP_Docs @EM_Update cpd.utoronto.ca/whistler/
Catherine Varner retweeted
"Planet Earth: You. Are. A. Crew."
Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch reflects on what it means to be a "crew."
Catherine Varner retweeted
Thank you for making The Casino Shift a Canadian nonfiction bestseller once again.
Catherine Varner retweeted
In case you missed it: Avg of 7-10 yrs to endometriosis Dx
We can lower this by identifying acute complications, get pts on a path to recovery. Dive in! Recognizing/managing endometriosis flares/complication/risk stratification/pain Rx emergencymedicinecases.com/e… @CanSAGE_ECEP
Catherine Varner retweeted
@amalmattu @DennisCho @SarahFoohey @First10EM @EMSwami @lilninjadoc @arunsayal1 @EMRoMo @BogochIsaac @TrevorJain @petrosoniak @dremoc @ETtube
We have an amazing roster of expert speakers for our #EMU2026 conference! A mix of familiar faces, triumphant returns, and new talent will be gracing our stage. Check out the 2026 EM Update faculty here:
emupdate.ca/emu-faculty/
Don't forget to register! events.myconferencesuite.com…
Catherine Varner retweeted
if you missed the #SavingEmergencyMedicine series curated by @PaulAtkinsonEM with leading voices from @CAEP_Docs addressing how to address the challenges we face, check out the free access links below...
Part 1. Saving emergency medicine: is less more?rdcu.be/dWPaA
Part 2. Saving emergency medicine part two: better together rdcu.be/dWPbI
Part 3. Saving emergency medicine, part three: compassion rdcu.be/dWO8J
Part 4. Can Emergency Medicine be Saved? rdcu.be/eVwJ5
