Unit 6

Question 1

a. Government of Alberta – Premier’s Advisory Council on Health for Alberta

Answer 1

i. Alberta has a Health Services Utilization Commission whose mandate is to “foster continuous improvement in the performance of the health system by informing individuals, providers, funders and other stakeholders about the use of health services and engaging them in positive changes”

Question 2

b. Government of Saskatchewan – Commission on Medicare

Answer 2

i. The Commission on Medicare was established by the premier of the province of Saskatchewan in 2000.
v. The mandate specified designing a model that is sustainable and embodies the core values of medicare, and ensuring the long-term stewardship of a publicly funded, publicly administered medicare system.

Question 3

c. Government of Canada – Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Answer 3

iii. The report provides a large number of recommendations, a brief summary of which follows:
1. Appoint a National Health Care Commissioner and produce an annual report on the state of the health care system and the health status of Canadians.
2. Provide capital financial support for the expansion of hospitals located in areas of exceptionally high population growth
3. Encourage the devolution of responsibility from provincial/territorial governments to regional health authorities.
4. Continue to work with provinces and territories to reform primary care delivery, and provide ongoing financial support for reform initiatives that lead to the creation of multi-disciplinary primary health care teams.
5. Introduce a program to protect Canadians against catastrophic prescription drug expenses.
6. Establish a new National Post-Acute Home Care Program to be treated as extension of medically necessary coverage, to be jointly financed with the provinces and territories on a 50:50 basis.
7. Contribute $250 million per year towards a National Palliative Home Care Program to be designed and co-funded with the provinces and territories, and examine other federal options to increase palliative home care support.
8. Provide funding for the express purpose of purchasing and assessing health care technology, creating a network of electronic health records, and supporting a national system of evaluation of health care system performance and outcomes
9. Establish, in collaboration with other interested parties, a National Coordinating Committee for Health Human Resources; support health professional training in Canada.

Question 4

d. Government of Canada – Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada

Answer 4

ii. It’s mandate was to review Medicare, engage Canadians in a national dialogue on its future, and make recommendations to enhance the system’s quality and sustainability.