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Breastfeeding room opened at CKHA

Breastfeeding room opened at CKHA

CTV News4 days ago
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) has opened up a new breastfeeding room.
The room gives patients, families, visitors, and staff the private, quiet place to breastfeed, pump, or take care of their babies.
It is located across from the Women and Children's Program waiting room and is now open 24/7.
'Supporting people in their breastfeeding journey is part of creating a more welcoming and equitable healthcare environment,' said Jessica Johnston, manager of the Women and Children's Program.
'Whether you're a staff member returning to work or a parent visiting a loved one, we want you to feel supported.'
People can get access to the room through the front desk in the Women and Children's section. The front desk staff will ensure appropriate use of the room. An in-use sign will be available to maintain privacy.
'The Foundation is proud to support projects like this that directly improve the care experience for patients, families, and staff,' said Christine Mitchell, president and CEO of the CKHA Foundation.
'The breastfeeding room is a thoughtful addition that reflects our shared commitment to comfort, dignity, and inclusion at CKHA.'
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Stethoscope Market to Reach USD 826.84 Million by 2030, Driven by Demand for Electronic Devices and Smart Diagnostics
Stethoscope Market to Reach USD 826.84 Million by 2030, Driven by Demand for Electronic Devices and Smart Diagnostics

Globe and Mail

timean hour ago

  • Globe and Mail

Stethoscope Market to Reach USD 826.84 Million by 2030, Driven by Demand for Electronic Devices and Smart Diagnostics

Mordor Intelligence has published a new report on the Stethoscope Market offering a comprehensive analysis of trends, growth drivers, and future projections. Introduction According to a 2025 report on Stethoscope Market by Mordor Intelligence, the global market is projected to grow from USD 663.5 million in 2025 to USD 826.84 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period. The report highlights the rising adoption of electronic stethoscopes, along with expanding telemedicine practices and increasing emphasis on digital healthcare infrastructure, as key factors supporting market growth. The stethoscope remains one of the most essential tools in medical diagnostics, widely used by healthcare professionals across the world. From primary care physicians to specialists in cardiology and pulmonology, stethoscopes are vital for auscultating internal body sounds such as heartbeats, lung function, and bowel activity. Over the years, Stethoscope market has expanded beyond traditional acoustic devices to include electronic and smart stethoscopes that offer enhanced sound amplification, noise filtering, and digital recording Market Trends Rising Adoption of Electronic Stethoscopes: Healthcare professionals are increasingly shifting to electronic stethoscopes for their ability to amplify sounds, reduce ambient noise, and provide more accurate diagnostics. Integration with Telemedicine Platforms: Smart and digital stethoscopes are being used in remote consultations, allowing physicians to perform auscultations virtually by transmitting high-fidelity audio data. Growing Focus on Chronic Disease Monitoring: With the rising prevalence of cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, stethoscopes remain a key diagnostic tool, especially in routine monitoring and early-stage detection. Increased Demand from Home Healthcare Settings: The home healthcare segment is witnessing higher usage of user-friendly and connected stethoscopes, particularly for patients managing long-term illnesses at home. Market Segmentation By Type Acoustic / Manual Stethoscopes: Traditional and widely used, these stethoscopes rely on sound transmission through hollow tubes and remain the go-to choice for many general practitioners. Electronic Stethoscopes: These offer sound amplification and noise cancellation, making them suitable for environments where accurate auscultation is critical, such as emergency and cardiology departments. Smart / AI-Enabled Stethoscopes: Equipped with digital sensors and connectivity features, these devices can record, store, and analyze auscultation data, often integrated with telemedicine platforms. Teaching & Training Stethoscopes: Designed with dual-headpieces or recording capabilities, these are used in academic settings to train medical students and professionals in diagnostic skills. Veterinary Stethoscopes: Tailored for animal physiology, these are used in veterinary clinics and practices to monitor heart, lung, and other internal sounds in pets and livestock. By End User Hospitals & Clinics: These settings represent the largest share of usage, with stethoscopes being essential tools for daily physical exams, diagnostics, and monitoring. Ambulatory Surgical Centers: Used during preoperative and postoperative assessments; stethoscopes support quick evaluations in these outpatient surgical facilities. Home Healthcare: With the growth of in-home care, especially for elderly and chronically ill patients, stethoscopes are increasingly used by nurses and caregivers for routine checks. Telehealth Providers: Digital and smart stethoscopes are facilitating remote auscultation, supporting virtual consultations and expanding care access. Veterinary Practices: Used by veterinarians for diagnostic evaluations across a range of animal species, particularly in specialized or large-animal care. Academic & Training Institutions: Medical schools and training centers utilize stethoscopes to teach diagnostic techniques and clinical practices to students. By Geography North America: A mature market driven by early adoption of electronic devices and integration with digital health systems. Europe: Maintains strong demand with a well-established healthcare system and growing use of smart medical devices. Asia Pacific: The fastest-growing region due to expanding healthcare infrastructure, rising patient population, and increased device adoption. Middle East: A developing market showing steady growth as healthcare facilities modernize and adopt new diagnostic technologies. Major Players 3M Known for its Littmann brand, 3M is a global leader in stethoscope manufacturing, offering a wide range of high-quality acoustic and electronic models widely used by healthcare professionals worldwide. GF Health Products, Inc. Also known as Graham-Field, the company supplies a variety of medical equipment, including stethoscopes, catering to both clinical and home healthcare markets with cost-effective diagnostic tools. American Diagnostic Corporation (ADC) ADC specializes in diagnostic instruments and is recognized for its durable and reliable stethoscopes, designed for use across hospitals, clinics, and academic institutions. ICU Medical, Inc. Though primarily focused on infusion systems and IV therapy, ICU Medical also operates in diagnostic equipment and continues to support clinical use through its healthcare solutions. Baxter (Hill-Rom) Through its Hill-Rom brand, Baxter provides electronic and smart stethoscopes integrated with digital features, supporting the demand for connected care and telehealth-compatible devices. Conclusion The stethoscope market continues to hold a crucial place in medical diagnostics, with consistent demand across hospitals, clinics, academic institutions, and emerging telehealth services. While acoustic stethoscopes remain widely used due to their reliability and affordability, there is a visible shift toward electronic and smart variants that offer enhanced sound quality, digital recording, and remote connectivity. This shift is aligned with the growing need for precision diagnostics, especially in chronic disease management and virtual consultations. Industry Related Reports Electronic Stethoscope Market : The Electronic Stethoscope Market report is segmented by Product (Amplified Electronic Stethoscopes and Digital Electronic Stethoscopes), by Technology (Integrated Chest-Piece System, Wireless Transmission System, and others), by End User (Hospitals and Clinics, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and more), by Connectivity (Wired, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi), by Distribution Channel (Offline Retail & Distributors, and others), and by Geography. Pocket Otoscope Market: The market is segmented by Application, by End User (Hospitals, ENT Clinics, and Others), and by Geography. Europe Telehealth Service Market : The Europe Telehealth Service Market report segments the industry by Service Type (Telemedicine, Video Conferencing, Remote Patient Monitoring, App-Based Consultation, and Others), by Application Type (Tele-consultation, Tele-pathology, Patient Care, and more), by End Users (Providers, Patients, and more), by Category (Hardware, Software), by Delivery Mode, and by Geography. About Mordor Intelligence: Mordor Intelligence is a trusted partner for businesses seeking comprehensive and actionable market intelligence. Our global reach, expert team, and tailored solutions empower organizations and individuals to make informed decisions, navigate complex markets, and achieve their strategic goals. With a team of over 550 domain experts and on-ground specialists spanning 150+ countries, Mordor Intelligence possesses a unique understanding of the global business landscape. This expertise translates into comprehensive syndicated and custom research reports covering a wide spectrum of industries, including aerospace & defense, agriculture, animal nutrition and wellness, automation, automotive, chemicals & materials, consumer goods & services, electronics, energy & power, financial services, food & beverages, healthcare, hospitality & tourism, information & communications technology, investment opportunities, and logistics. For any inquiries or to access the full report, please contact:media@

Toronto community services face ‘absolute fallout' of consumption site closures
Toronto community services face ‘absolute fallout' of consumption site closures

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Toronto community services face ‘absolute fallout' of consumption site closures

Jason Stutz, a staff member at Toronto's Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site (KMOPS), is photographed in the consumption room on Thursday, July 31, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — A great shift is underway in Toronto months after the closures of several supervised consumption sites, as their users seek alternatives and drop-in centres see an alarming jump in overdoses. Some segments of the city's homeless population have resettled near remaining consumption sites, but fluctuating intakes have been reported at different locations. READ MORE: Overdoses at Toronto drop-in centres have spiked since closure of 4 supervised consumption sites The Toronto Drop-In Network said there has been a nearly 300 per cent increase in overdoses at its 10 locations since the spring closures. At the same time, paramedics in the city are responding to significantly fewer overdose calls and the number of provincewide overdose deaths has markedly dropped. These changes have eased tensions in some parts of the city, while sparking anger in others. Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government banned consumption sites within 200 metres of a school or daycare in legislation that came into effect on April 1, targeting 10 sites across the province. The Kensington Market Overdose Prevention Site in Toronto launched a Charter challenge of the new law in court, and in late March a judge granted an injunction to keep them open. However, the other nine sites chose to convert to the province's new abstinence-based model — homelessness and addiction recovery treatment, or HART, hubs – and closed. At the Kensington Market consumption site, which receives all of its funding from private donors, traffic is up by 35 per cent, said supervisor Felipe Diaz. 'It's not what we hoped for, we thought we would be a lot busier,' Diaz said, noting that staff are handing out many more harm reduction kits. There have been wild oscillations in site use, he added. In May, 168 people used the consumption site but that dropped to 68 in June, Diaz said. Traffic is up for other services, which include an on-site doctor and nurse. The site is growing, signing up about 12 new people a month, he said. But like several experts and drug users who spoke with The Canadian Press, Diaz said the practice of smoking fentanyl or meth instead of injecting the drugs is on the rise. On a recent visit to the Kensington Market site, Michelle Marshall popped out of the consumption room after injecting fentanyl. 'It's sad,' said Marshall, who has been sleeping in alcoves, parks and alleyways after being kicked out of a hotel shelter in the spring and splitting with her partner. 'There's too many of us out on the streets now. It's busier here then ever.' About a 20-minute walk down the road leads to Lois Dellert's home, which backs onto a graffiti-lined alley that connects on one end to a now-closed supervised consumption site that was converted to a HART hub. The area also has other services for homeless people and a new shelter. Dellert said she is not opposed to consumption sites and wants people to get the help they need. But she is against the drug use just outside her home and had been concerned about crime after seeing people sleeping on her property, fights, drug deals and discarded needles. The site's closure has calmed the area somewhat, Dellert said, and the alley appeared much cleaner last week. 'There's still drug use, but it's less and pretty much contained to the entrance near the laneway,' she said. The Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, a 20-minute drive farther west, has seen tremendous growth since the new consumption site rules came into effect – especially since its sister site near Dellert's place closed. It has 180 new clients and recorded 1,731 visits from April to July, up from 1,220 in the same time period last year. A parkette next to the site has exploded with activity in recent months, partially because the city cleared a nearby encampment and erected a fence to prevent another one from popping up. Other encampments in the area were also recently cleared. 'We are seeing the absolute fallout of the decisions to close consumption sites,' said Angela Robertson, executive director of the health centre. 'We are seeing a migration from the closed sites and cleared encampments to now occupying public space in the parkette space adjacent to us and that has created a great deal of upheaval.' When The Canadian Press visited the location last week, two dealers arrived on bicycles, sold drugs to two people and quickly left. No one was doing drugs outside the health centre but many visitors admitted to smoking drugs in the parkette or on nearby streets. Several security guards kept watch as site staff checked on people. Neighbourhood group Residents for a Safe Parkdale said their concerns are being ignored and the centre's hired security does little to crack down on the 'chaos and disorder' in the area. 'The centre failed to state how it would address neighbourhood safety concerns with concrete, effective measures to end hard drug intoxication causing the criminal and anti-social conduct on and around the outdoor portion of this site,' the group wrote in a recent email to Robertson that was also sent to the premier, other politicians and police. 'The entire neighbourhood is littered with drug paraphernalia such as used syringes, bloody alcohol swabs and smashed glass crack pipes that you give away,' the group wrote. But Robertson said the centre's job is not to remove people from the parkette. 'That's not our role,' she said. 'If we see something illegal, we will engage the neighbourhood community policing team. But it is a significant challenge.' The centre has been promoting smoking over injecting drugs as a harm reduction strategy, Robertson said. She and others believe that is one reason behind a notable drop in overdose complications and deaths. Toronto Paramedic Services said they've seen a 'general decline' in overdose calls since May 2024. In June, they responded to 181 non-fatal overdoses compared to 354 non-fatal overdoses in June 2024. Provincewide, there were 609 suspected drug-related deaths from April to June, according to the latest data from the Office of the Chief Coroner. That is an 11 per cent decrease from the previous three months and a 41 per cent drop from the same time frame last year. Back at the Parkdale health centre parkette, Lexi Murdoch settled into a chair after smoking fentanyl down the street. 'I hate this stuff,' she said, adding that she was considering treatment that previously helped her get off opioids for years. Murdoch said the government's move to shut down consumption sites is 'already bringing chaos out in the open.' 'We need a closed-in area where we can smoke,' she said. 'I don't want to be out here, but unfortunately a lot of people are homeless.' A young person began nodding off on a nearby bench before falling unconscious. Another ran to the centre for help. Laila Bellony, a harm reduction manager at the site, sprang into action along with members of her team to administer oxygen. A few minutes later, the young person regained consciousness. 'It's been a busy few months,' Bellony said with a deep sigh. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2025.

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