CMA’s Globe and Mail special section on health care

 A few weeks ago the Canadian Medical Association published a special information section in the Globe and Mail featuring articles on a range of health care issues, from various Canadian health groups. The section focuses on the upcoming 2014 accord negotiations, and which issues need to be at the centre of discussions.

You can find all the articles at: www.theglobeandmail.com/healthcaretransformation, but here are a few we found interesting, with links to what we ourselves have said about the issues:  

Principles to guide health care transformation in Canada

This article is an overview of topics covered in the others, focusing on four areas of transformation:
·         Enhance the health care experience
·         Improve population health
·         Improve value for money
·         Accountability (see John G. Abbott, Health Council CEO, discuss accountability in this video clip at 1:51:24.)

Overcoming social inequities key to improved wellness.

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but what if you can’t afford to buy apples or other fresh fruits and vegetables? What if your home is overcrowded or has mould? What if you don’t even have a home?
This article discusses how social inequities affect health and wellness, with comments from Scott Haldane, President, YMCA Canada.

For our perspective on this issue, see our report, Stepping it Up: Moving the Focus from Health Care in Canada to a Healthier Canada.

 

Focus on patient-centred care highlights needs for reforms

What is patient-centered care and why is it important? This article explores the challenges in maintaining a focus on the patient and discusses suggested solutions.

Read about our symposium on patient engagement, or our recent report, How Engaged are Canadians in their Primary Care?.

Electronic Medical Records provide a new platform for efficient, quality care

This article highlights the importance of EMR adoption across the country, and what it can mean for patients and the health system as a whole. We discussed the fulfillment of governments’ commitments to electronic medical records in our Progress Report 2011.

Key Words: Electronic health records, value for money, health care transformation, Health Accord