It’s ground hog day everyday for Canadian health policy
Sometimes it seems like the Canadian health policy debate is caught in a time warp. We’re told that health care costs are rising unsustainably, that aging baby boomers will be the death knell for medicare (and all western civilization), and the only hope is to go private, as quickly as possible.
During a CBC Current program on April 12, 2011 (now unavailable online) I was provoked to say, “It’s Ground Hog Day every day. I wake up and we’re having the same stupid health care debate.”
But, I think the true story is:
- Most of health care’s problems are due to antiquated, provider-focused processes of care
- Health Care costs are not “out of control”
- The aging population won’t break the bank
- We need to complete Tommy Douglas’s vision for the Second Stage of Medicare (PDF) — a patient-friendly delivery system focussed on keeping people healthy.
- The real issue should be how we spread these proven innovations
On November 30th I participated in Ottawa evening panel discussion on the future of Medicare sponsored by the Canadian Health Coalition. You can see the whole evening including Roy Romanow’s keynote presentation. (Note: unfortunately the video may no longer be working.)
You can read my November 11, 2011 Toronto Star op ed (Word) and you can see my slide presentation to the Ontario Economic Council (PPT).
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