The use of management consultants to design reforms for Canada’s health systems has become increasingly popular by both provincial and federal governments over the past several decades – but it’s not always been good value for money spent. So why do we do it? In my home province of Manitoba, the newly installed Conservative government […]
Many people have been faced with having to make critical decisions for family and friends who were at the end of their lives. This can create a great deal of stress and burden as family members try to navigate the social and health care systems and succumb to their own impending loss and grief. A […]
Why Change Day is a step in the right direction A version of this commentary appeared in Ottawa Life, the Hamilton Spectator and the Waterloo Chronicle Over the past few months, patients and healthcare providers alike have been encouraged to make pledges to improve compassionate quality care in Ontario as part of an inaugural movement […]
Why is the Canada Revenue Agency denying the Disability Tax Credit to those who need it most? A version of this commentary appeared in Policy Options, the Hill Times and the Vancouver Province “Providing benefits not burdens” is how former Health Minister, Judy LaMarsh once described the vision for disability policy in Canada. Unfortunately, this […]
Alberta behind on leveraging art in healthcare The long-promised new Calgary Cancer Centre is finally breaking ground at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. The $1.4 billion state-of-the-art facility will have 12 radiation vaults, 160 in-patient beds, more than 100 patient exam rooms and more than 100 chemotherapy chairs. But will patients still feel like they […]
The most recent data on Canadian children with disabilities is almost a decade old “The true measure of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children, including their health, safety, material security, education and socialization and their sense of being loved, valued and included in the families and societies into which […]
with Jennifer Ditchburn (Policy Options) and Shannon Sampert (EvidenceNetwork.ca) You’ve poured energy and passion into your research – now you want to make sure your findings and your expertise make an impact outside of your immediate network. But how do you get policy-makers, potential collaborators and the wider public to take notice? One recent estimate […]
(This video/podcast was extracted from a webinar). Dr. Shannon Sampert, Director of EvidenceNetwork.ca moderates a panel with Dr. Colleen Flood and Dr. Ivy Bourgeault on how academics could, and should, work with the mainstream media to raise the level of evidence on important policy issues. Dr. Colleen Flood is Associate Vice-President, Research (interim) and Professor […]
Bernie Sanders made a splash last week when he introduced the Medicare for All bill in the United States Senate, flanked by 16 other Democratic senators who all pledged their support for the implementation of single-payer healthcare in the United States. Given the multiple fault lines in health policy in Washington—including within the Democratic Party—that […]
Une version de ce commentaire est parue dans La Presse Au Canada, les soins de santé coûtent au secteur public environ 160 milliards de dollars par année, soit un coût par habitant plus élevé que la plupart des pays industrialisés. Pourtant, les Canadiens ne sont pas particulièrement plus en santé et ne reçoivent pas de meilleurs soins. […]
