Catriona Arnott
@catrionaarnott.bsky.social
@healthtechsoclab.bsky.social
New from @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social
As #virtualcare becomes increasingly embedded in health systems, our lit review attempts to map the evidence on private sector ownership and control of virtual care platforms.
Bottom line: evidence gaps on quality, privacy, and health system impact
Project led by Sheryl Spithoff, in @bmj.com Open
Bottom line: evidence gaps on quality, privacy, and health system impact
Project led by Sheryl Spithoff, in @bmj.com Open
Direct-to-consumer commercial virtual care: a scoping review
Objective The literature examining direct-to-consumer (DTC) commercial virtual care has expanded rapidly over the past decade. Our objective was to synthesise the nature and range of evidence on DTC c...
bmjopen.bmj.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:25 PM
New from @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Coming up February 18 at 12pm EST. Free Webinar about Alberta's Bill 11, which is opening the door to private, for-profit health and putting Canada’s universal public health care system at risk. Sign up below! @policyalternatives.ca us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
RSVP for a link to join our latest webinar about Alberta’s Bill 11 and the dangers it poses to public health care in Canada.
Drs. David U. Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler are Distinguished Professors of Public Health at the City University of New York’s Hunter College AND co-founders of Physicians for a National Health ...
us02web.zoom.us
February 6, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Coming up February 18 at 12pm EST. Free Webinar about Alberta's Bill 11, which is opening the door to private, for-profit health and putting Canada’s universal public health care system at risk. Sign up below! @policyalternatives.ca us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
We spoke with @royinori.bsky.social and @thelocal.to
about growing marketplace of online DTC virtual care platforms for lifestyle drugs. Check it out!
thelocal.to/online-pharm...
about growing marketplace of online DTC virtual care platforms for lifestyle drugs. Check it out!
thelocal.to/online-pharm...
Inside the Booming Industry Selling Lifestyle Drugs Online | The Local
From erectile dysfunction medicine to hair loss treatment to weight loss drugs—a thriving online market has emerged to seamlessly deliver drugs straight to your door. But what happens when prescriptio...
thelocal.to
February 5, 2026 at 1:15 PM
We spoke with @royinori.bsky.social and @thelocal.to
about growing marketplace of online DTC virtual care platforms for lifestyle drugs. Check it out!
thelocal.to/online-pharm...
about growing marketplace of online DTC virtual care platforms for lifestyle drugs. Check it out!
thelocal.to/online-pharm...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
A new commentary from the Health Tech & Society Lab in @healthydebate.bsky.social looks at an emerging model of commercialization of medical records in the Canadian healthcare system, and asks what we can learn from other jurisdictions. Check it out below!
healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...
healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...
The quiet commercialization of primary care records - Healthy Debate
An emerging model is quietly turning Canadian patient medical records, and patients themselves, into lucrative commercial assets – often without patients' explicit knowledge or consent.
healthydebate.ca
January 22, 2026 at 1:39 PM
A new commentary from the Health Tech & Society Lab in @healthydebate.bsky.social looks at an emerging model of commercialization of medical records in the Canadian healthcare system, and asks what we can learn from other jurisdictions. Check it out below!
healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...
healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Some holiday wishes via @healthydebate.bsky.social.
Happy 2026 everyone!
healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...
Happy 2026 everyone!
healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...
December 19, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Some holiday wishes via @healthydebate.bsky.social.
Happy 2026 everyone!
healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...
Happy 2026 everyone!
healthydebate.ca/2025/12/topi...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Not just Hamilton, but across the province.
Ontario already has the second-lowest number of hospital beds per capita in Canada, and some of the lowest rates of public investment.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
Ontario already has the second-lowest number of hospital beds per capita in Canada, and some of the lowest rates of public investment.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
Ontario is on track to lose thousands of nurses and hospital beds; Local MPP says situation a ‘disaster’ for Hamilton
Hamilton hospitals are already cutting jobs to combat projected deficits
www.thespec.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Not just Hamilton, but across the province.
Ontario already has the second-lowest number of hospital beds per capita in Canada, and some of the lowest rates of public investment.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
Ontario already has the second-lowest number of hospital beds per capita in Canada, and some of the lowest rates of public investment.
www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Our newest study reports on the primary care medical record industry in Canada.
Data brokers claim to have acquired between 2-4 million records from for-profit chains of medical clinics. Their primary client is the pharmaceutical industry.
#privacy
Read more:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Data brokers claim to have acquired between 2-4 million records from for-profit chains of medical clinics. Their primary client is the pharmaceutical industry.
#privacy
Read more:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
May 8, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Our newest study reports on the primary care medical record industry in Canada.
Data brokers claim to have acquired between 2-4 million records from for-profit chains of medical clinics. Their primary client is the pharmaceutical industry.
#privacy
Read more:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Data brokers claim to have acquired between 2-4 million records from for-profit chains of medical clinics. Their primary client is the pharmaceutical industry.
#privacy
Read more:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
Check out this morning's interview with Dr Sheryl Spithoff, lab director, on CBC Metro Morning.
She discussed how commercial data brokers are making money from Canadian medical records and what this means for patients.
#privacy #Health #data #Canada #pharma
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
She discussed how commercial data brokers are making money from Canadian medical records and what this means for patients.
#privacy #Health #data #Canada #pharma
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...
© CBC/Radio-Canada 2025. All rights reserved.
www.cbc.ca
May 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
"Some health-data companies are selling access to patient records to pharmaceutical companies without patients’ knowledge, according to a new study."
Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Health-data companies selling access to patient records, study says
Research paper highlights potential downsides when private companies are integrated into the health care system in crucial roles without enough oversight
www.theglobeandmail.com
May 6, 2025 at 12:17 AM
"Some health-data companies are selling access to patient records to pharmaceutical companies without patients’ knowledge, according to a new study."
Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Reposted by Catriona Arnott
New Canadian study from the @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social I expect will make news this week.
Headline: For-profit primary care clinics are selling & using patient data w/o knowledge or permission in ways you may not expect.
Brief thread below...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Headline: For-profit primary care clinics are selling & using patient data w/o knowledge or permission in ways you may not expect.
Brief thread below...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Canadian Medical Record Industry Data Collection and Commercialization Practices
This qualitative study describes the data collection and commercialization practices of the primary care medical record industry in Canada and the implications for patients.
jamanetwork.com
May 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
New Canadian study from the @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social I expect will make news this week.
Headline: For-profit primary care clinics are selling & using patient data w/o knowledge or permission in ways you may not expect.
Brief thread below...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Headline: For-profit primary care clinics are selling & using patient data w/o knowledge or permission in ways you may not expect.
Brief thread below...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...