Ideas And Reforms For An Improved Access For High Quality Primary Health Care

This paper will focus on the Central West LHIN because the LHIN provides services according to the regions in Ontario. The Central West LHIN’s mandate is to “plan, integrate, fund and monitor the local health care system for the regions of Brampton, Caledon, Dufferin, Malton, North Etobicoke and Woodbridge with over 840,000 local residence” (Together, making …, 2014, para. 1). The Central West region is a very diverse community with people from different cultural background.

The primary care practice is essential to improve the care of our population, our current system is fragmented, but it does show potential for improvement. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has listed some areas that will help improve our system. One is “the need for external infrastructure to help primary care practices develop quality improvement” this is done with support to the quality capacity (Agency For Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015). Quality care will include the coordination of care within the system, as well as understanding what needs the patient will have

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.

Public Policies strive to protect all citizens across the nation, includes low-income citizens who often go unrecognized in society. To make sure this happens, legislature has put forth the “The Canada Health Act”, which requires the provincial government to meet certain expectations regarding public-health care and insurance plans. Though this act states that health services are free and accessible facilities, issues arise when citizens need urgent medical attention but appointment are unavailable until weeks later. Many of these poor individuals cannot afford to pay the extra amount to receive faster care as oppose to their rich counterparts.

Accessibility and quality are being threatened due to cutbacks coupled with a lack of funding. There is a consensus now between medical professionals, the public, and the government that the health care system is deteriorating. It is failing to provide the quality of care promised in the CHA and prided by so many Canadians.

The Canadian health care system has many flaws and issues because of the many systems within it. Canada has fifteen different health care systems, these fifteen include thirteen provincial/territorial systems, a system for Aboriginals, and a system for veterans. Coincidentally because there is so many systems doctors work hours, location, and fees are different across the country. Many doctors charge extra fees for services such as pill refills and Pick the hours they work. Not only are things different with doctors from province to province but so are the services covered. The coverage of services such as eye, dental, and abortion services are not the same everywhere (O'Grady, Kathleen and Noralou, Roos). Issues with coverage and doctors are

One of the most talked about subjects regarding health care in Canada is the time it takes to be seen by a physician. For acute illnesses, an

In order to sustain the health care system, the Canadian government needs to strategically plan for the years ahead and invest more in preventative care rather than curative care. Canada should enforce non-medical health policies which are not only going to promise healthy living for

Canada’s health care system “can be described as a publicly-funded, privately-provided, universal, comprehensive, affordable, single-payer, provincially administered national health care system” (Bernard, 1992, p.103). Health care in Canada is provincial responsibility, with the Canada Health act being a federal legislation (Bernard, 1992, p. 102). Federal budget cuts, has caused various problems within Medicare such as increased waiting times and lack of new technology. Another problem with Medicare is that The Canada Heath Act does not cover expenditures for prescriptions drugs. All these issue has caused individuals to suggest making Medicare privatized. Although, Canada’s health care system consists of shortcomings, our universal

The health care system must change to improve our nation’s health and takes strong steps to address the unsustainable growth of health care costs in America. We still have a long way to go before our health system become effective. We still have population that do not have insurance, have difficulties accessing their health care, or their needs are not met within the healthcare system. It is an investment in prevention and wellness and increasing access to primary care physician.

In this article, a writer for The Hamilton Spectator talks about his own access to health clinics or family doctor office in Hamilton, Ontario. From his own personal experience, he discovered health clinics ended early and getting into family doctor’s were hard to get into without regular appointments.

When asked to describe what makes Canada unique compared to other countries, many outsiders might yell out “Hockey!” “Cold Weather!” or “Free Health Care!.” Health care is definitely one of Canada’s most noticeable trademarks when compared to the United States, but the reality is that our health care services are not what they are made out to be. Canadians tend to take pride in the fact that they have a Government funded health care system, but the system is failing at a rapid pace. One can gage the quality of health care in our country while at the emergency ward in any hospital, where most Canadians realize its downsides. The Government spends most of its budget towards health care but Canadians are not feeling an improvement. Waiting

All health care in Canada is “free” for insured services, those provided through hospitals and physicians (O 'Neill, 2008). With the enactment of the Canada Health Act, citizens may choose their own family physician and do not have to pay premiums, deductibles, or co-payments. Other services such as prescription drugs or dental care must be paid for either out-of-pocket or through private insurances. Because of this “free” care, O’Neill (2008) argued that the demand for health care becomes unrestrained causing costs to surge. This inexplicably triggered shortages in all provinces and explicit rationing had to be implemented in Canada for certain medical treatments and technology (O’Neill, 2008). The high demand and severe shortages caused a large increase in private facilities providing core services.

About 80% of Canadian claims that they have a family doctor and 64% of the population claim to have a dentist. In another word, the healthcare in Canada is considered to be highly accessible. Unfortunately, the system does have its flaws in situations such as the aboriginals, the people with disabilities, and for the populations that lives outside the urban areas have less accessible healthcare providers. For many instances, the dweller of the rural and reserves areas would have to travel for hours to find a clinic and for others it is simply not available.

The populations of Canada and most industrialized countries are aging. In Canada, the number of adults aged sixty-five and over was estimated to be five million as of 2011 (Government of Canada 2014, par. 2). In 2005, the Government of Canada identified focal points and future directions for the Canadian health system to increase efficiency and effective service delivery, as well as sustainability, in the face of these changing population demographics (Health Council of Canada 2005). As in other countries, including France, Germany, Australia and the United States, there is currently a shift in resource allocation and policy towards primary health care (Schoen et al., 2012). The reason for this shift is related to the unique healthcare needs