Canadian Health Coalition

National Roundtable organized by the Canadian Health Coalition

This event was held January 16, 2006, at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

AGENDA

9:30 AM Introduction
Kathleen Connors Adobe Acrobat Document, Chairperson, Canadian Health Coalition
9:40 AM Opening Remarks
Shirley Douglas, O.C., Spokesperson, Canadian Health Coalition
9:50 AM Keynote Address
Brian Postl Adobe Acrobat Document, M.D.
Federal Advisor on Wait Times

Session #1 – The Politics of Wait Times

10:25 AM Martha Jackman Adobe Acrobat Document, LL.M., Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
11:00 AM Normand Laberge Adobe Acrobat Document, CEO, Canadian Association of Radiologists
11:35 AM Open Discussion
12:10 PM Hon. Tim Sale Adobe Acrobat Document, Minister of Health, Manitoba Government
12:30 PM —————————- LUNCH —————————-
1:15 PM The Politics of Wait Times in Québec

Marie-Claude Prémont, Ph.D., Associate Dean Graduate Studies,
Faculty of Law, McGill University
Gabrielle Pelletier and Gabriel Denis, Coalition solidarité santé

Session #2 – The Solutions in the Public Interest

2:00 PM Michael Rachlis Adobe Acrobat Document, MD, Author of Prescription for Excellence
2:35 PM Cathy Fooks*, Executive Director, Health Council of Canada
* CANCELLATION
3:10 PM Armine Yalnizyan Adobe Acrobat Document, Consulting Economist, Research Associate
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
3:45 PM Open Discussion
4:25 PM Closing Remarks
4:45 PM Adjournment

More Documentation

Participant Kit Materials

Reality Check: Wait Time ‘Guarantee’ a Trojan Horse Adobe Acrobat Document
Myth Buster on Wait Times Adobe Acrobat Document
Trade treaties, private health insurance, and the Supreme Court decision Adobe Acrobat Document
Approaches to Health Human Resource Policy and Planning
Health Council of Canada Backgrounder on Wait Times Adobe Acrobat Document

Reality Check: Delivery Matters

“It does not matter who delivers health care, it matters that everyone can receive it.”
— Stephen Harper (May 10, 2004)

Reality Check: For-profit health care facilities …

  • have higher death rates than not-for-profit facilities (1,2,3);
  • cost more (4);
  • provide lower quality services(5);
  • engage in schemes to cheat taxpayers (6,7,8);
  • compromise access to public services (9); and
  • provide less nursing care than not-for-profit nursing homes (10).

Don’t trust a politician who says it doesn’t matter who delivers your health care!

References:

  1. Devereaux, P.J., et al, “A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing mortality rates of private for-profit and private not-for-profit hospitals”, Canadian Medical Association Journal, May 28, 2002; Vol. 166, No. 11
  2. Thomas, E., et al, “Hospital Ownership and Preventable Adverse Events”, Journal of General Internal Medicine, April, 2000
  3. Devereaux, P.J., et al, “Comparison of Mortality Between Private For-Profit and Private Not-For-Profit Hemodialysis Centrers,” Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), November 20, 2002; Vol. 288, No. 19
  4. Woolhandler, S. et al, “When Money is the Mission – The High Cost of Investor-Owned Care”, New England Journal of Medicine, August 5, 1999, Vol. 341, No. 6
  5. Schneider, E. et al, “Quality of care in for-profit and not-for-profit health plans enrolling Medicare beneficiaries,” The American Journal of Medicine, vol. 118 no. 12, December 2005
  6. Eichenwald, K., “Hospital Chain Cheated U.S. On Expenses, Documents Show”, New York Times, December 18, 1997
  7. Steward, G., “Public Bodies, Private Parts: Surgical Contracts and Conflict of Interest at the Calgary Regional Health Authority”, Parkland Institute/University of Alberta, March 5, 2001
  8. British Medical Journal (May 15, 2004), “NHS overcharged for private surgery”
  9. Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, “Myth: A parallel private system would reduce waiting times in the public system”, 2001
  10. Harrington, C., “Does Investor Ownership of Nursing Homes Compromise the Quality of Care”, American Journal of Public Health (September 2001).

Event Photos

View event photos Adobe Acrobat Document

Media Coverage

Medicare advocates criticize wait-time pledges Adobe Acrobat Document
Provinces don’t support ‘care guarantees’: Sale Adobe Acrobat Document

The Canadian Health Coalition would like to thank the co-sponsors of this event:

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Congress of Union Retirees of Canada
The Council of Canadians
Medical Reform Group
National Anti-Poverty Organization
Seniors on Guard for Medicare

 

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