At their AGM this month, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) accepted and approved a report on health care transformation and the need to modernize Medicare - particularly in light of the aging society. Among other things, the report focused on improving population health, patient satisfaction and value for investment.
The report calls for a re-examination of the Canada Health Act to help close accessibility gaps in continuing care and develops a policy framework under five pillars:
- Build a culture of patient-centred care
- Enhance access and improving quality of care
- Improve patient access along the continuum of care - outside acute care facilities
- Help providers help patients with adequate supply of health human resources
- Establish accountability/responsibility at all levels
With the context of these pillars, the report presents 14 recommendations, including:
- Begin construction immediately on additional long term care facilities
- Create national standards for continuing care provision in terms of eligibility criteria, care delivery and accommodation expenses
- Develop options to facilitate pre-funding long-term care needs
- Initiate a national dialogue on Canada Health Act in relation to continuum of care
- Explore ways to support informal care givers and long-term care patients
- Invest in recruitment and retention strategies for health care workers
- Establish an arms length mechanism to monitor the financing of health care programs at national and provincial level
The report gets more specific about some of these recommendations - particularly related to the variation across the country in the accessibility criteria for placement in long-term care facilities and home support. These include:
- Need to fund 2,500 additional long-term care homes by 2031 - with Building Canada fund as possible funding source
- Create national standards focused on eligibility criteria, care delivery and accommodation expenses - based on Veterans Independence Program
- Make long-term care insurance premiums tax deductible
- Introduce a Registered Long-Term Care plan or consider a third provision for RRSPs similar to Lifelong Learning Plan and Home Buyers Plan
New Brunswick is recognized as a model for long-term care investment and the April 2009 Senate Committee Report on Aging is referenced. With regard to reporting, Ontario is recognized as a national leader and the report recommends an approach that shifts the focus from 'blame and shame' to quality improvement.
The BC Care Providers Association called for national leadership to address the health care challenges associated with our aging society in their December 2009 Action Plan.
