Preventive care of the future? Economic analysis of cardiovascular risk management.
INDEPENDENT ARTICLE
AUTHOR
Yanick Labrie, M.Sc.
ABSTRACT
Some innovative medical clinics provide an alternative to the traditional curative care provided in the Quebec public health system, especially in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of these services on a series of health indicators and on the risk of cardiovascular disease in a sample of patients. It also aimed at measuring the extent of cost savings to the public purse generated by the clinic’s preventive medical services. The findings suggest that Canadian policy-makers should allow innovative private-sector community-based care enterprises to compete for the delivery of publicly funded healthcare services. Better resource allocation would reduce costs, shorten wait times and improve overall access to necessary medical care.
