PREMIER WALL ADVOCATES HEALTH REFORM AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Premier Brad Wall on Wednesday will speak at a national health care conference in Montebello, Quebec, where he will make the case for innovative approaches to reform that include bold targets and new ways of delivering services.

Wall will participate in a panel discussion at the event, which has been organized by the Canada Health Infoway. Also on the panel are respected economist Don Drummond, who recently chaired a commission on reform of Ontario's public services, and award winning Globe and Mail journalist André Picard.

"Our publicly funded health care system will remain sustainable only if we have clear performance objectives and a concerted effort to deliver services in a more efficient, effective manner," Wall said. "I'm looking forward to discussing important initiatives underway in Saskatchewan that are saving money and delivering better patient care."

Approximately 115 delegates are expected to attend the conference, titled Knowing is Better: Accelerating Progress, Achieving Value. Among them are senior government officials and health care executives.

Wall will discuss reforms arising from the government's Patient First Review, the application of Lean principles throughout the province's health care system, the delivery of publicly funded services by private surgical clinics, and programs such as the Releasing Time to Care initiative, which has freed up health care providers to do their job on about 90 wards throughout the province, boosting employee morale and improving care in the process.

"Through a sustained effort to boost efficiency, health care providers in Saskatchewan and elsewhere are delivering value and improving patient care," Wall said. "We need to continue down this path to ensure our health care system is there for future generations."

Wall and Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz are co-chairs of the Health Care Innovation Working Group (HCIWG), which was created by Canada's Premiers at the Council of Federation meeting last January.

In consultation with health care providers, the working group is focusing on reforms in three main areas: scope of practice, human resources management and clinical practice guidelines. It will issue a progress report in July.

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. The organization jointly invests in projects with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health record systems in Canada.

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For more information, contact:

Kathy Young
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0425
Email: kathy.young@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8927