About ADD's podcast host
Marvin Polis is a contract member of the AMA Public Affairs team, contributing to publications, podcasts and video productions. He's been the Editor-in-Chief of Alberta Doctors' Digest since 2011.
Throughout his 40+ year career, Marvin has been a media visionary. While at TELUS, he helped lead the development of their high speed internet and television services now known as TELUS Optik TV. At ATB Financial, he helped usher in internet banking and re-branded the organization from Alberta Treasury Branches to ATB Financial.
Marvin has produced about 10,000 projects including broadcast TV, radio, video, podcasts, ebooks, audio books, magazines, newsletters and digital publications. He has managed projects throughout Canada, the USA, Europe and Asia. Since 2002, Marvin has operated his own media consulting and production company working for Canadian and international organizations such as the Alberta Medical Association, U of A Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, City of Edmonton, Shell and Lafarge.
An International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) member for 35 years, Marvin is a past president of the Edmonton chapter and was twice named member of the year. His projects have won more than 40 regional, national and international awards.
Episodes
Refugee health tool was conceived in Alberta
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief Marvin Polis discusses an innovative new initiative to improve immigrant and refugee health. Guests: Dr. Annalee Coakley and Dr. Gabriel Fabreau. Listen here.
What are patients and the data telling us?
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest editor-in-chief, Marvin Polis, talks about the FOCUS on Healthcare website with Darren Mazzei and Maz Rahman from the Health Quality Council of Alberta. Listen here.
The Foundation Stones of Medicine: Diagnostic Imaging
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis, talks about Diagnostic Imaging with Dr. Rahim Samji, Vice President of the Section of Diagnostic Imaging at the Alberta Medical Association. Listen here.
Bridge Healing initiative supports emergency department patients experiencing homelessness - An Alberta Doctors' Digest update
Alberta Doctors' Digest - July-August 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis, talks to Edmonton ER physician Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, providing an update on a better way of discharging homeless patients from hospital. Listen here.
Foundation Stones of Medicine: General psychiatry
Alberta Doctor's Digest - July-August 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis, talks about General Psychiatry with Dr. Sudhakar Sivapalan, President of the Section of General Psychiatry at the Alberta Medical Association. Listen here.
Exceptional physicians: Dr. Ken Corbett
A leader in assessing risks and safety problems in workplaces
Alberta Doctor's Digest - July-August 2024
Alberta Doctors' Digest editor-in-chief, Marvin Polis, talks to Dr. Ken Corbet about advocating for patients in the discipline of occupational health and why he chose to become involved with the AMA. Listen here.
Foundation stones of medicine - Laboratory medicine
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2024
In continuing our series on the Foundation Stones of Medicine, for March-April, we introduce: Lab medicine - essential for accurate diagnosis. Listen here.
CMA Award for Young Leaders: Dr. Franco Rizzuti
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2024
In a special series of articles, Alberta Doctors' Digest is acknowledging some of Alberta’s recent AMA and CMA award winners. This time, we’re featuring the CMA Award for Young Leaders (Early Career). Listen here.
Foundation stones of medicine - General internal medicine
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2023
In continuing our series on the Foundation Stones of Medicine, for November-December, we introduce: general internal medicine - the Swiss army knife in our specialty care system. Listen here.
Foundation stones of medicine: General surgery
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2023
We are pleased to introduce a new series: 'Foundation Stones of Medicine' in which we will feature articles highlighting some foundational specialties and colleagues' perspectives. For September-October, we introduce: General Surgery. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health Housing for Health initiative
Alberta Doctors' Digest - May-June 2023
Edmonton physicians Dr. Karen Lee and Dr. Stan Houston talk about the Housing for Health initiative. Listen here.
A new way of discharging homeless patients from hospital
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2023
Edmonton ER physician Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti talks about a new pilot project - the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program - that provides the use of temporary bridge-healing transition spaces that offer a safe place for houseless patients to go after leaving the hospital. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Children and adolescents
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2023
Calgary psychiatrist and analyst Dr. Chris Wilkes discusses mental health for children and adolescents, including how life experiences can affect the physical and emotional health of everyone. Listen here.
eHealth Modernization
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2023
Calgary physician Dr. Heidi Fell talks about the status of eHealth modernization in Alberta. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Social systems
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2023
Calgary psychiatrist Dr. Vera Krejcik talks about social systems as an important socioeconomic determinant of health. Listen here.
Tarrant Scholarship 2022
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2022
Listen to the AMA Section of Rural Medicine awards ceremony for the 2022 Tarrant Scholarship. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Advocating for children from low-income homes
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2022
Pediatrician Dr. Ian Mitchell talks about the socioeconomic determinants of health and advocating for children, especially those from low-income homes. Listen here.
How you can improve the continuity of care for your patients - CII/CPAR
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2022
Dr. Carla Laidlaw discusses how CII/CPAR is being used in the Westview PCN to improve continuity of care. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Pandemic learnings
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2022
Dr. Jane Lemaire talks about the socioeconomic determinants of health and what we've learned from the pandemic. Listen here.
Virtual Care will be here to stay post-pandemic
Alberta Doctors' Digest - May-June 2022
Dr. Heidi Fell discusses the issues surrounding virtual care. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Geriatrics
Alberta Doctors' Digest - May-June 2022
Palliative care, medical assistance in dying (MAID) and access to pharmaceuticals can all be issues among elderly patients. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Income - Reducing the impact of financial strain
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2022
Dr. Karla Gustafson, Medical Officer of Health, Calgary Zone discusses income as a socioeconomic determinant of health. The Reducing the Impact of Financial Strain (RIFS) initiative. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: Racialized Communities
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2022
Dr. Gabriel Fabreau (Calgary) discusses some of the socioeconomic determinants of health among immigrants, refugees, temporary foreign workers and other racialized communities. Listen here.
Section of Rural Medicine bestows 2021 Tarrant Scholarship
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2021
Listen to the AMA Section of Rural Medicine awards ceremony for the 2021 Tarrant Scholarship. Listen here.
Advocating for the homeless
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2021
Dr. Monty Ghosh talks about about some of the issues around homelessness. Listen here.
Socioeconomic determinants of health among children
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2021
Alberta Medical Association launches new podcast series. In this episode: Juliet Guichon – Socioeconomic determinants of health among children. Listen here.
Water fluoridation back on the ballot in Calgary
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2021
Learn about the importance of adding fluoride to Calgary's municipal water supply. University of Calgary science and medical students present on the issue. Listen here.
Section of Rural Medicine bestows 2020 Tarrant Scholarship
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2020
Listen to the AMA Section of Rural Medicine awards ceremony for the 2020 Tarrant Scholarship. Listen here.
Alberta-based start-up develops UV-C pathogen decontamination gadget
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2020
Representatives from Alberta startup, Teser Technologies, talk about sterilizing medical equipment and PPE with UV-C light. Listen here.
albertapatients.ca now has more than 11,000 members
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2020
Albertapatients.ca reaches 11,000 user milestone! Listen to the backstory. Listen here.
Ensure safe health care
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2019
Chris Power, CEO of Canadian Patient Safety Institute, talks about harm in the heath care system, World Patient Safety Day and Canadian Patient Safety Week. Listen here.
The W5 on new building codes for physician offices
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2019
Patrick Sweet from the City of Calgary and Dr. John Latter discuss new province-wide accessibility building codes for doctors' offices. Listen here.
Understanding substance use disorder in physicians
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2019
Dr. Terrie Brandon from the AMA's PFSP talks about substance use disorder and what physicians can do about it. Listen here.
Healthy working environments
Alberta Doctors' Digest - July-August 2019
AMA President, Alison Clarke discusses the Healthy Working Environments initiative. Listen here.
Medical students learn how to create change
Alberta Doctors' Digest - May-June 2019
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis interviews AMA and CMA presidents about physician advocacy. Listen here.
AMA members need to be understood - Insight Survey 2019
Alberta Doctors' Digest - May-June 2019
Ryan Williams of TWI Surveys discusses the AMA Member Insight Survey. Listen here.
AMA president: "Value from the health care system matters"
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2019
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis interviews AMA and CMA presidents about physician advocacy. Listen here.
CMA president: "As physicians, we advocate for our patients every day"
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2019
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief, Marvin Polis interviews AMA and CMA presidents about physician advocacy. Listen here.
World Professional Association for Transgender Health holds first-ever conference in Canada
Alberta Doctors' Digest - March-April 2019
Dr. Michael Marshall talks about transgender health. Listen here.
PFSP captures international attention
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2019
Dr. Terrie Brandon talks about the AMA’s Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP). Listen here.
Care transformation through informatics
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2019
Dr. Heidi Fell's presentation on Informatics at the fall 2018 Alberta Medical Association RF/AGM. Listen here.
Transforming primary care
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2019
Dr. Phillip van der Merwe talks about Primary Care Networks. Listen here.
Alberta Doctors' Digest is on the air
Alberta Doctors' Digest - January-February 2019
Since we launched Alberta Doctors' Digest as an all-digital publication in March of 2018, you may have noticed we started embedding audio interviews into some of the print stories. The reaction has been good, so we're now taking it to the next level. Listen here.
Student AMA board member Zohaib Siddiqi
Alberta Doctors' Digest - November-December 2018
Alberta Doctors' Digest Editor-in-Chief Marvin Polis interviews AMA student board member Zohaib Siddiqi.Listen here.
Calls about stress and burnout have increased
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2018
Dr. Terrie Brandon talks about physician burnout and the AMA’s Physician and Family Support Program. Listen here.
Physician burnout is real
Alberta Doctors' Digest - September-October 2018
Dr. Jane Lemaire discusses physician burnout. Listen here.
Can we talk? Albertapatients.ca
Alberta Doctors' Digest - July-August 2018
AMA President, Dr. Neil Cooper talks about Albertapatients.ca.Listen here.