Chaos of Alberta medical lab privatization under investigation
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Private medical lab mayhem in Alberta
“The driving force behind so much of these changes has come down to political ideology. Is it lower cost at any cost or is it about how do we preserve the quality and stability of that service while trying to maintain its sustainability?” said Rebecca Graff-McRaw, research manager, Parkland Institute, to CBC News, November 3, 2023
Pharmacare not discussed at premiers’ meeting
“As backroom negotiations continue between the Liberals and NDP over promised federal pharmacare legislation, Canada’s premiers say they’re waiting “with interest” to see what model of drug coverage the feds might adopt and how it will affect existing insurance programs,” writes Theresa Wright for Queen’s Park Briefing, November 7, 2023
BC-based study says northern territories healthiest
“Quebec has the highest percentage of perceived stress (22.7 per cent) and the nation’s second-highest cancer rates (667 per 100,000 people) while Nova Scotia reports the highest percentage of mood disorders. . .Newfoundland and Labrador have the highest obesity rates at 40.9 per cent, while British Columbia has the lowest at 22.9 per cent. Quebec was a close second lowest, at 25.9 per cent. Most of the other regions scored in the mid-to-high 30s. . . Ontario had the highest percentage of people with a regular healthcare provider at 90.6 per cent, while in Nunavut the number was just 23.6 per cent,” say health ‘experts’ at B.C.-based Lighthouse Dental Centre, National Post, November 3, 2023
Private health care will not reduce wait times
“Increasing surgical and diagnostic capacity depends on the availability of qualified staff, which is not magically increased by the addition of profit. Expanded outsourcing is likely to worsen public hospital staffing shortages that cause longer waits,” said Andrew Longhurst, health policy researcher at Simon Fraser University, to Global News, November 3, 2023
Doctors say no, nurses say yes to being able to prescribe some meds
“With RNs graduating with this competency, it will transform the system overnight. We can get ahead of the curve and free up physicians for more complex prescriptions,” said Doris Grinspun, CEO, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, to the Toronto Star, November 7, 2023
Fix access to MDs
“. . . In most so-called team practices, the collaboration is worse than a last-place hockey team. Imagine a hockey team where the centres, forwards, defence and goalies were trained and managed separately. And what if they didn’t even know that there on the same time when they hit the ice? That describes all to many healthcare teams,” said Michael Rachlis, adjunct professor, University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, to the Toronto Star, November 2, 2023
Nova Scotia premier want to recruit docs from outside Canada; opposition says it’s retention that matters
“They need to start with making the workers here at home feel valued, well compensated and working in environments where they are able to do their job. It’s not just doctors and nurses that work in our health-care system; there’s all kinds of other folks who continue to be challenged with rising inflation, but it’s also the morale of the labour force,” said NS NDP Leader Claudia Chender to CBC News, November 3, 2023
Dental costs still keeping patients away, despite federal program
“The findings come as the federal government works to create a new national dental insurance plan that will cover up to nine million people with family incomes of less than $90,000. A key demand from the NDP in its supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals, $13-billion is earmarked for the plan over the next five years, with coverage expected to begin by the end of 2023,” reported Statistics Canada in CTV News, November 7, 2023
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