Opportunities to improve health care processes and services outcomes in Canada
R Douglas Wilson MD MSc FRCSC, Professor Emeritus Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Health Services.
ABSTRACT: Purpose: This scoping review identifies opportunities to improve health care processes and services outcomes in Canada and discusses some potential policy options. Methods: The review covers Canada’s prioritization process for health services, quality of care, comparative spending and quality between OECD countries, and evidenced-based service change opportunity. These focused areas for reproductive care are used to highlight the large-scale clinical scenarios that have an evidenced-based national context during 2000-2022 Findings: The analysis indicates important health care strengths but serious long-standing weaknesses and threats that require medical system leadership recognition and considered implementation of potential quality improving opportunities. When compared to other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development counties, Canada has average health care outcomes, lower ranking overall for health system quality indicators (11/12) and higher costs. Conclusions: New priority and quality improvement strategies are needed as low-quality measurement and high levels of inappropriate care have been identified. More political, medical, and public recognition, questioning, debate, and understanding of this evidenced-supported health care dilemma, in Canada, is required.
SUBMITTED: 14 APR 2022 | PUBLISHED: 11 JUL 2022
DISCLOSURE: None declared.
CITATION: Wilson, R Douglas (2022). Opportunities to improve healthcare processes and services outcomes in Canada. Canadian Health Policy, JUL 2022. ISSN 2562-9492, https://doi.org/10.54194/LHSA7302, canadianhealthpolicy.com
