SASKATCHEWAN TO PURSUE PATIENT FIRST TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION

Better Care, Better Health, Better Value

Premier Brad Wall says his message on health care heading into next week's Council of the Federation meeting is simple; the health system needs to provide better care, better health and better value for Canadians.

"We all need to explore innovative approaches, to set bold targets, and to examine new ways of delivering health care for Canadians," Wall said. "Targets and timeframes are needed to change health care and ensure Canadians see real progress and improvements to health care issues that have faced our country for too long."

Wall is asking the federal government to commit to the increased investment required to ensure the innovation agenda moves forward. Saskatchewan is seeking the establishment of an Innovation Fund that would allow a federal/provincial partnerships targeted at health system improvements for Canadians.

"In Saskatchewan, we have looked internationally and have seen health care systems that provide same-day access to a care team," Wall said. "We have seen systems that have a one week wait to see a specialist and obtain diagnostics. We have visited emergency rooms with no waits. We have seen the value to patients when health care professionals work together as teams to provide co-ordinated patient care. We have seen systems that have improved access, improved care and dramatically reduced harm to patients."

Wall said he believes it is very important to develop and achieve bold targets and innovations to ensure better health, better care and better value for the health system, including:

• All people receive necessary surgery in less than three months (Sask on track to reach this goal in part due to use of private clinics within public system);
• All people are connected to a care team that includes a family physician;
• All people will have access to a specialist and diagnostics within one week;
• No one will wait to receive emergency room care;
• Seniors will have access to supports that will allow them to age within their own home and progress into other care options as their needs change;
• Individuals with severe and complex mental health issues will have access to supportive housing in or near their home community; 
• A five per cent decrease in the rate of obesity in children and youth; and 
• Health care spending will not outpace growth of the economy. 

Wall noted provinces can achieve much of the transformation; however, there are areas where partnerships with others are welcome and needed:

• A strong federal partner in First Nations, Inuit and Veterans health care;
• Transformational investments in technology for electronic health records and diagnostics;
• An end to competition between provinces and regions for health care providers; and
• A co-ordinated approach to better manage cost and wage escalation while ensuring the right mix and number of health providers are being trained and deployed in Canada.

Addressing sustainability of the health sector through innovation and efficiency will ensure it is there for the people who need it into the future. An enhanced pan-Canadian approach to purchasing and pricing will improve value-for-money when the health system obtains drugs, products and supplies used in the delivery of care. A continued focus on Lean and appropriateness in the health system will increase value and eliminate inefficiencies.

The needs of the patient, sustainability, and best practice and not ideology must guide the future of health care. Public funding will always be at the foundation of ensuring Canadians have access to health care. Expanding on the successes with private delivery in Saskatchewan's surgical initiative, further expansion of private sector involvement in the health system will occur.

"Our priority has to be innovation in health care delivery and sustainability in order to ensure our coveted health system is available for all Canadians into the future," Wall said.

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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