06 - The Canadian Healthcare System Flashcards
Canada has a unified healthcare system and it is directly administered by a federal department. True or False
False, the Canadian health care system is predominately a public funded, privately delivered system of 13 interlocking but independent health care systems each operated by the provinces or territories.
What are the macro-components of any health care system?
Hospitals and other Health Facilities
Health Care Providers
Drugs
Funding
What percentage of hospitals operate as not-for-profit entities?
95% of hospitals are funded primarily by provincial or regional health authorities based on a global spending budget
What is the role of physicians in the healthcare system?
They are the traditional arbiters of legitimate sickness and resource utilization. They drive up to 70% of health care costs. Half of physicians work as general practitioners or family physicians.
How are physicians payed?
They generally operate as contractors that receive reimbursement from public-funded sources based upon number serviced provided rather than quality.
Are longer wait times for physicians due to fewer doctors today than 40 years ago?
No, in fact there are more doctors today per-capita than ever before. The wait times are attributed to people now care more about their health, people are living longer with more complex needs, the widening rural/urban divide, and physicians are working less
What is the role of nurses in the health care system?
Nurses are primarily employed in the formal health care system (hospitals, home care and public health services). They also work in private clinics in a variety of settings. Most nurses are salaried employees and unlike doctors, are paid for time spent on the job rather than services provided.
What are some other health professionals?
Nutritionists
Physical Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Massage Therapists
Psychology
Chiropractors
Dentists
How are community-based health care provides paid?
They are generally paid through private or work-related insurance or out-of-pocket, Certain individuals receive support from public payer programs depending on age or need-based.
How many pharmacists practice in Canada and Saskatchewan?
About 44,000 pharmacists practice in Canada and 1,600 of them are in Saskatchewan. 75% of Sask pharmacists are in community practice.
How are the duties of pharmacists changing?
There is push for the ability to provide nd to be paid for more cognitive services, This means that there needs to be less emphasis on dispensing, both as a way to reimburse pharmacists and as a way to redefine their role in health care.
How do Canadians pay for drugs?
Most Canadians have some form og coverage through a variety of payers. This includes federal drug programs(NIHB, Vet Affairs, RCMP), Provincial Drug Plans, WCB coverage, and private insurance
Unfortunately the working poor has the least amount of coverage through these different programs and are less likely to pay out-of-pocket expenses for drugs.
What is the breakdown of prescribed drug expenditure in Canada
42.5% is funded by the public sector, 36.5% is by private insurers, and the remaining 21% is out of pocket
What are the details of the Senior’s Drug Plan?
Eligible individuals whose net annual income is lesser than $68,000 and under the age of 65 will pay $25 for drugs listed on the Saskatchewan Formulary
What are the details of the Children’s Drug Plan?
Families that have children who are younger than 15 years old will pay $25 for drugs listed on the Saskatchewan Formulary
