7 things we can do to stabilize our health system

More than 6.5 million Canadians don’t have access to a primary care provider. With long wait times for surgery, diagnostic, and life-saving care, decisive action must be taken to stabilize our health system. Below are seven things we can do today, to create the healthcare system of tomorrow where patients receive timely care, and health providers work in a safe and well-resourced environment.1. Invest in team-based care. Team-based care allows every professional on the team to work at the top of their scope of practice and facilitates efficient collaborations to meet patients’ needs.2. Implement pan-Canadian licensure for physicians. This will alleviate the pressure on the medical workforce serving patients in rural and remote communities by making physicians more mobile. It would also support virtual care across provincial and territorial borders, providing greater continuity and more timely access.Read: Dr. Joss Reimer: Privilege. Blame. Allyship. Reflecting on reconciliation as a non-Indigenous physician3. Reduce administrative burden. Unnecessary administrative tasks take time away from patient care and significantly impact physicians’ mental health.4. Expand virtual care. Virtual care saves time and money for patients across Canada. 5. Streamline the integration of internationally trained physicians. It’s time to remove unnecessary barriers for those physicians already here in Canada and ready to join the medical workforce. 6. Create a national health workforce strategy. Canada needs coordinated national planning for the right kind of care, in the right places, at the right times.7. Prioritize a greener health system.Healthcare should be as good for the planet as it is for patients. We’re advocating for a climate-resilient, net-zero health system to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure a healthier future. I feel encouraged by the new health agreements that were signed between provincial, territorial and federal governments, but there is still so much left to do. We’re ready, and eager to collaborate with governments, health organizations, and patients, for a better, more equitable, and sustainable healthcare system for us all.Winnipeg’s Dr. Joss Reimer is president of the Canadian Medical Association. This item originally appeared on her LinkedIn page.

7 things we can do to stabilize our health system

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