Local Health System Integration Act

Health care expenditure accounted for an estimated 11% (214.9 billion) of Canada’s GDP in 2014 (CIHI, 2014). Canada boasts a universal, cost-effective and fair health care system to its citizens (Picard, 2010). However, despite great claims and large expenses incurred Canada’s health care system has been reported inefficient in it’s delivery to the population (Davis, Schoen, & Stremikis, 2010; Picard, 2010). As inconsistencies exist in health care delivery across the country, choosing priorities for the health of the Canadian people becomes of vital importance. In Ontario, progress toward a better health care system has been stated to be moving forward by putting the needs of the “patient’s first” (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care [MOHLTC], 2015). This policy brief will give a background of health care issues in Canada related to Ontario. Three evidence-based priorities will be suggested for Ontario’s health policy agenda for the next three to five years. Furthermore, through a critical analysis of these issues a recommendation of the top priority issue for the agenda will be presented.

Rising health care costs and population aging has fuelled the debate about the financial sustainability of Canada’s healthcare system. This demographic change in the Canadian society will deeply impact on all aspects of social, economic, and political factors. The extensive use of health care by the seniors has put a heavy burden on the universal health care system. This paper will closely analyze the sustainability of the Canadian healthcare system and the challenges our government has to face as our population ages and uses more of the healthcare expenditure. By examining the issue of health care sustainability, this paper will also propose recommendations and explore the implications of those recommendations.

This paper will discuss the Canadian healthcare system compared to the United States healthcare system. Although they’re close in proximity, these two nations have very different health care systems. Each healthcare system has its own difficulties, and is currently trying to find ways to improve. Canada currently uses the Universal Health Care system; which provides healthcare coverage to all Canadian citizens (Canadian Health Care, 2007). The services are executed on both a territorial and provincial basis, by staying within the guidelines that have been enforced by the federal government (Canadian Health Care, 2007).

The three issues that these experts notice include: the very poor management with lack of leadership, overspending on medication, doctors, and facilities; and lack of information being circulated throughout the health care service. Rachel Mendleson of the Canadian Business archive explains some of the problems with our current health care system in detail. To start off with, management is labelled as being very inefficient. Money is being wasted, there is a lack of desire to scavenge valuable information for better treatment, keeping records of treatment outcomes, and reducing the chances of unnecessary duplicate treatments. (Mendleson) It is argued that our health care system would benefit more if it would be viewed as a corporation with strong and co-ordinated leadership, planning, and spending. It is clear that the state of the health care system right now appears to be disorganized and poorly managed. An effective solution would be to introduce a system of corresponding responsibilities among different members in this field. This way, someone will be liable to provide effective management and explanations how the money will be spent. (Mendleson) This brings up the next issue of overspending towards medication, doctors, and hospitals. Rachel Mendleson writes, “the share of drugs in the total health expenditure increased from 9.5% to 16.5%... evidence suggests that Government

Canada 's healthcare system is praised globally for its universal and free healthcare. It started to take shape after World War II in 1945. Health insurance was introduced and was attempted, but was not successful even though there was an increase in the spending of health related services and goods. Fast forward a few years to 1961 where Tommy Douglas, the premier of Saskatchewan, developed the idea for an all-inclusive insurance plan. He later inspired the Medical Care Act in Canada in 1967, when he pointed out health care is a right for all Canadians. From this one thought, Canada has become of the many countries with a universal health care system. Ever since Tommy Douglas sparked the idea for health care coverage, Canada is praised for the way it carries out its system because of several key features. This system is publically funded, is universal and is accessible to everyone across the nation. Because this is a public system, funding comes from the tax payers and some federal funding, so there is no extra cost for the patients. Also, being a universal system it has offered care to all Canadians, immigrants and visitors. Unlike the U.S who does not provide healthcare to its entire population because it is a private system; access depends on how much someone could afford, and how

In the book on a citizens guidelines to policy and politics, Katherine Fierlbeck argues that “The 1983 Canada Health Act replaced the 1947 Hospital Insurance and Diagnostic Services act because of the shift from a system of 50-50 federal-provincial cost sharing to a system of block funding established in Ottawa in 1977” (Fierlbeck 2011, pg.20). Until the period of the mid 1980’s, the Canadian health care system is to be categorized in a disarray, having no foundation to components and accomplishment. The system is to rely mainly on cost sharing; whereby in a health insurance policy only a portion is paid by the health insurance. While enabling the insured party to pay a portion of the price of covered services. In this case, cost sharing is based on 50-50 provincial and federal cost-sharing agreement to a fault. By Ottawa giving tax transfers to the provinces in replacement of direct transfers, but the federal government had no capacity to conceal cash. This in return is able to affect provinces because it deprived the federal government effective, efficient, and responsive measure of provinces holding the five principles of the Canada health care. According to About Canada Health Care, Pat Armstrong and Hugh Armstrong speaks about the five principles of health care, which are; “Public administration, Comprehensiveness, Universality, Portability, and Accessibility” (Pat Armstrong & Hugh Armstrong 2008, pg.28). These five principles holds the provinces accountable to the

Most Canadians are very proud of their health care because it provides citizens universal coverage on the basis of need. However, in the recent decade, Canadians have observed obvious deterioration in the quality of the system in regards to waiting times, availability of the best technology, and adequate numbers of doctors and nurses. The apparent decline within the system has made many Canadians more open to a variety of options than they were a decade ago, provided that the core elements of the system are preserved and that these changes lead to tangible improvements in quality without damaging accessibility. In the article Canadians’ Thoughts on Their Health Care System: Preserving the Canadian Model through Innovation by Matthew Mendelsohn, he stated that 1/3 of Canadians support the two-tiered healthcare system, which offers its citizens an option of public or private health care. Canada will benefit from a two-tier health care system because it will shorten waiting times, other countries with two-tier healthcare have proven to be successful, will encourage doctors to return and stay in Canada, introduce competition and give citizens freedom to choose.

This group report will focus on the health integration initiatives that has been taken by the North East LHIN (NE LHIN). The information and data that has been gathered in this report are primarily from the North East LHIN official website. The North East LHIN is one out of the 14 LHINs that currently exist in Ontario. The North East LHIN is consisted of 5 sub-regions all which was proposed by the board and undertaken by the ministry in order to recognize and assess local health issues that occur in these smaller geographical locations (NE LHIN, 2017).The North East LHIN strongly believes that the quality of health care is an integral part of their prioritization efforts. The ultimate mission is to create health and wellness through an

The Federal government is responsible for insuring equal distribution and accessibility of health care services to citizens though they are not the only party that shape the policies of Canada’s healthcare but also the influence of doctors, health professionals, political parties, and businesses are also used (Canadian Stakeholders, n.d., para 2). The 1984 Canada Health Act outlines the requirements that provincial governments must meet. However; since there is not a descriptive list mentioning insurance services in the Act, the insured services in provinces vary creating a power shift (The Canada Health Act, 2005). Provinces also control the licensing of hospitals as well as doctors,

     In the past, Canada’s government-funded, universally accessible, health care system has been praised and admired both at home and abroad as one of the finest in the world. A great source of pride and comfort for many Canadians is that it is based on five fundamental principles. Principles that are a reflection of the values held by Canadian citizens since the formation of Medicare in 1966. These principles were reinforced in the Canada Health Act, (CHA), of 1984 and state that the Canadian system is universal, accessible, portable, comprehensive and non-profit.

Hospitals implement HCAHPS with the support of the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), a public or private partnership that includes key hospital and medical associations, consumer groups, measurement and accrediting bodies and government agencies that have the same interest in improving the quality of hospitals. The Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) program that is overseen by and public and private entities, that include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as the Joint Commission, is dominating this effort in the hospital district, generating reports quarterly on the delivery of effective services for mutual conditions. Even though the Hospital Quality Alliance has made this data more available to the public, there has not been enough information on the quality of hospital care from a patients ' point of view. As the Institute of Medicine shows, the foundation of patient centered care is a key factor to having a premium health care system. The HQA backs HCAHPS.

Our healthcare system needs major restructuring. Major improvements needs to begin with "all health care organizations, professional groups, and private and public purchasers should adopt as their explicit purpose to continually reduce the burden of illness, injury, and disability, and to improve the health and functioning of the people of the United States", (Crossing the ……, 2001).

In this paper, the USA healthcare system is being compared to the Canadian healthcare system. The U.S. health system has been described as the most competitive, heterogeneous, and inefficient, fragmented, and advanced system of care in the

At some point in time, we all must have had a chance of sitting in a waiting room of a hospital. I had a chance to visit the doctor last week and it was horrible, I had to wait to meet the doctor for around 4 hours While I was dying of pain. That made me to curse the whole hospital system in Canada and that 's the main reason that lead me to prepare this essay . British Columbia health care system with emphasis on " Providing " patient-centred care". which is defined as "Shifting the culture of health care from being disease-centred and provider-focused to being patient centered". This represents a great polished political language which they use to make people feel content and confident by confusing without them knowing that they are being confused.

The concept of health services provision is an example of the overlap and deepening of the knowledge from my academic studies, that has been expanded through my employment experience. Health services provision is how patients with illnesses or diseases are cared for in health systems and by whom. The division of labour based on location, patient and type of illness are examined. In the course, the different forms of healthcare were analyzed in both a historical context and in the modern era. In Canada, health care includes hospital care, long term care, and community health care; along with many other types of care. Due to all of the types of care, there are many different types and large numbers of care providers who care for patients. The concepts surrounding the dispersion of care in Canada, was discussed in the course but