We don’t take pain into account when assessing where to invest health sector research and delivery dollars. That needs to change
Pain is a difficult topic for Canada’s health care sector. It can arise from many diseases, but not always. For example, arthritis in a joint can be visible on X-rays and not cause any pain; but it can also be so painful as to completely disable an individual. Pain is subjective, so sufferers can be…
Individuals with developmental disabilities live longer than ever and that means the responsibility for care is shifting to siblings
A combination of better medical care and good lives in the community mean longer life expectancies for individuals with a developmental disability. That’s good news. But many are outliving their parents, who have taken care of them over their lifetimes. Once parents are no longer able to provide the same level of support or care,…
But a study shows that residents in those regions are entering nursing homes with more complex care needs
By Matthias Hoben and Carole Estabrooks The most recent census, in 2016, showed that almost 17 per cent of Canadians are over age 65. In fact, those older than 85 have increased by almost 20 per cent since 2011, making it the fastest growing age group in Canada. We’re an aging populace, there’s no getting…
The fundamental problem causing Canada’s health-care scarcity is a lack of private spending
Without serious government course correction, Canada is headed for a health-care squeeze. The senior dependency ratio in Canada – the ratio of people 65 years and older relative to the working-age population (15 to 64 years old) – is projected to rise from 25 per cent today to around 40 per cent by 2042. And…
Margot Micallef talks about the The Lady Ball Gala, and what we can all do to support women and battle ovarian cancer
Margot Micallef is CEO of Oliver Capital Partners and Gabriella's Kitchen. What does it mean to you being the honorary chair of The Lady Ball Gala coming up? Micallef: I am honoured to be involved in this year’s Lady Ball Gala benefiting Ovarian Cancer Canada. I have yet to meet someone who has not been…
Spending continues to rise but Albertans have diminished access to care and face above-average wait times
By Bacchus Barua and Jason Clemens The Fraser Institute Albertans, like all Canadians, spend comparatively high amounts on health care but only receive modest performance from the system compared to other universal care countries. Thankfully, there’s much the province can (and should) do to improve its health-care system. According to the Canadian Institute for Health…
New Frontiers in Research Fund supported valuable, long-term work. The program replacing it leaves huge gaps
By Russell Williams and John Muscedere The federal government has announced the end of funding for its Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program. This is not good news for Canadians. The program has long been touted as the jewel of the federal government’s sciences research support – and programs around the world have been…
The system's weak performance, rising costs, shifting demographics and a court challenge will all drive change
By Jason Clemens and Niels Veldhuis The Fraser Institute There is perhaps no service the government is involved with more personal than health care. When a person or loved one is sick and in need of care, Canada’s failing health system becomes an immediate concern. There’s a general consensus among analysts that Canada is a…
So why aren’t we making use of this important human resource?
By Linda Silas and Ivy Lynn Bourgeault EvidenceNetwork.ca It was recently national Nurse Practitioner Week, but you would be forgiven if you’ve never heard of nurse practitioners. Most Canadians haven’t – and most don’t know their value to our health-care system. You may be even more surprised to learn that nurse practitioners could be the…
Instead of using scarce health-care dollars broadly, we should identify and support those Canadians falling through the cracks
Modern medicines can improve health outcomes and quality of life for those stricken with illness. As a result, policy-makers and ordinary Canadians are understandably concerned about patient access, affordability and insurance coverage for prescription drugs. However, recent calls for a national pharmacare program would have many believe that Canadians without private drug insurance – about…