DOCSLIB.ORG

The Alberta Health Advantage

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Alberta Health Advantage PUBLIC POLICY SOURCES Number 81 The Alberta Health Care Advantage: An Accessible, High Quality, and Sustainable System Cynthia Ramsay, Elm Consulting, and Nadeem Esmail, The Fraser Institute Contents Executive Summary ............................................... 3 Section 1: Introduction ............................................. 6 Section 2: The Basic Economics of Health Care ........................... 8 Section 3: Alberta’s Health Care System ............................... 11 Section 4: Building a Better Health Care System .......................... 27 Section 5: The Public-Private Mix in Other Countries ...................... 50 Section 6: The Potential Role for the Private Sector ......................... 57 Section 7: Recommendations ........................................ 72 Bibliography .................................................... 78 About the Authors ............................................... 89 Acknowledgements ................................................ 90 A FRASER INSTITUTE OCCASIONAL PAPER Public Policy Sources is published periodically throughout the year by The Fraser Institute, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian economic and social research and educational organi- zation. It has as its objective the redirection of public attention to the role of competitive markets in pro- viding for the well-being of Canadians. Where markets work, the Institute’s interest lies in trying to discover prospects for improvement. Where markets do not work, its interest lies in finding the reasons. Where competitive markets have been replaced by government control, the interest of the Institute lies in documenting objectively the nature of the improvement or deterioration resulting from government intervention. The work of the Institute is assisted by an Editorial Advisory Board of internationally re- nowned economists. The Fraser Institute is a national, federally chartered non-profit organization fi- nanced by the sale of its publications and the tax-deductible contributions of its members, foundations, and other supporters; it receives no government funding. For information about Fraser Institute membership, please call the Development Department in Van- couver at (604) 688-0221, or from Toronto: (416) 363-6575, or from Calgary: (403) 216-7175. Editor & Designer: Kristin McCahon For media information, please contact Suzanne Walters, Director of Communications, (604) 688-0221, ext. 582, or from Toronto: (416) 363-6575, ext. 582. To order additional copies, write or call The Fraser Institute, 4th Floor, 1770 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6J 3G7 Toll-free order line: 1-800-665-3558; Telephone: (604) 688-0221, ext. 580; Fax: (604) 688-8539 In Toronto, call (416) 363-6575, ext. 580; Fax: (416) 601-7322 In Calgary, call (403) 216-7175; Fax: (403) 234-9010 Visit our Web site at http://www.fraserinstitute.ca Copyright 8 2004 The Fraser Institute. All rights reserved. No part of this monograph may be repro- duced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations em- bodied in critical articles and reviews. The authors of this study have worked independently and opinions expressed by them are, therefore, their own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members or trustees of The Fraser Institute. Printed and bound in Canada. ISSN 1206-6257 Date of issue: June 2004 Executive Summary n recent months, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein Better Public Health Care System, is based on the 44 I and Alberta Health Minister Gary Mar have recommendations made by the advisory council said that Alberta is about to embark on “radical in December 2001. These included the setting of changes” to its health care system—which could clear health objectives and targets, providing include user fees or tax incentives for healthy be- more information to Albertans, reducing waiting haviour—whether or not that means violating the lists, encouraging primary care projects, evaluat- Canada Health Act (Barrett, 2004). ing the services covered by public insurance, in- vesting in information technology and health Among the regulations comprising the Canada research, improving incentives to help retain and Health Act are sections 18 through 21, which ef- make the best use of health providers, making the fectively ban extra billing by physicians and user public sector accountable for health outcomes, fees for services that are publicly insured. The and laying out a clear transition plan for reform. federal government can reduce its payments to While the government has made progress on all of provinces that permit hospitals and physicians to these items and others, it has made little headway charge patients in these ways. The introduction of on the more substantial, and arguably more essen- user fees would bring Alberta into direct conflict tial, directions for change, such as diversifying the with the federal legislation, resulting in possible revenue stream, creating incentives for people to financial penalties. stay healthy, introducing more choice and compe- tition into the system, and promoting health care While the outspokenness of the premier and as an important part of the Alberta economy. health minister on openly violating a piece of leg- islation that has become sacrosanct in Canada is Will Health First create a surprising, the reforms they have put forward are sustainable health care system? not. Two and a half years ago, the Premier’s Advi- sory Council on Health for Alberta, chaired by In 2002/2003, the Alberta government spent $6.8 Don Mazankowski, delivered (by Canadian stan- billion on health care, an 8.2 percent increase over dards) a much more radical set of ideas to raise 2001/2002 (Alberta Health and Wellness, 2003b). health care revenues and temper demand for Since 1995, health spending in Alberta has in- health services in order to make the system sus- creased by more than 80 percent, four times faster tainable. The list included user fees, risk-rated than all other government spending (Alberta premiums, co-payments, deductibles, taxable Health and Wellness, 2003c). Currently, the gov- benefits, medical savings accounts, and supple- ernment spends the highest portion of its budget mentary insurance (Premier’s Advisory Council on health care (about a third) and future increases on Health, 2001). of 5.7 percent and 3.8 percent will bring ministry spending to almost $8.8 billion by 2006/2007 However, most of the reforms suggested by the (Government of Alberta, 2004b). Mazankowski Report were less controversial and the province’s action plan for improving the Alberta is already one of the biggest spenders per health care system, Alberta: Health First, Building a capita on health care in Canada, yet its health care The Fraser Institute 3 The Alberta Health Care Advantage PUBLIC POLICY SOURCES, NUMBER 81 system relative to other provinces is not exemplary. Another encouraging aspect of Alberta’s reforms Access to care seems to be a concern—waiting times is the contracting out of certain surgical services are an issue, from GP to specialist and especially in to private facilities, but the overall impact of this the areas of orthopaedic and elective cardiovascu- policy, however, is minimal, as these contracts lar surgery. Yet the number of surgeries per- represent only 0.15 percent of provincial health formed has been increasing, as have the number of spending (Alberta Health and Wellness, 2004h). physicians in the province. Even the proportion of registered nurses, while relatively low in Alberta, Meanwhile, most of the authorities reported def- has been increasing, as has that of physicians. icits in 2002/2003 and the introduction of multi-year performance agreements between While it is impressive that the ministry of health the ministry and the regions is not yet complete. and the regional health authorities have set spe- The health authorities, while having a signifi- cific targets for so many aspects of health status, cant role in planning and providing for their re- system quality, etc., many of the targets are not be- gions’ health needs, are still, ultimately, ing met and the government strategies for improv- advisory bodies to the minister of health and, ing the health of Albertans are ambiguous. The therefore, are limited in their ability to raise vast majority of ministry spending is directed to other revenues and be innovative. Despite all of physicians, hospitals, long-term care, and other Alberta’s health reforms, the system still oper- aspects of the health system, but increased fund- ates as a monopoly. ing in these areas over a number of years has yet to achieve any permanent reduction in waiting In addition to the general problems associated times or increased patient access to the system. with monopolies, such as higher prices, slower Reforms are going to have to be more substantial, adoption of technology, and poorer customer ser- including changes to the way in which hospitals vice, the impact of having only one employer in are funded, to create incentives for hospitals to the health care sector—the government—makes treat more patients and to provide the types of labour issues more difficult to resolve without services that patients desire. service disruption. The minimization of these costs is one of the reasons behind Alberta’s recent As well, primary care teams, moving physicians passing of Bill 27, which reduces the number of off fee-for-service, and encouraging other practi- bargaining units and introduces compulsory
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Canada Health Act Canada Health Act
    CANADA HEALTH ACT CANADA HEALTH CANADA HEALTH ACT Public Administration Public Administration Accessibility Accessibility Universality Universality ANNUAL REPORT Comprehensiveness Comprehensiveness 2014–2015 Portability Portability ANNUAL 2014 REPORT 2015 Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping the people of Canada maintain and improve their health. Health Canada is committed to improving the lives of all of Canada’s people and to making this country’s population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system. Published by authority of the Minister of Health. Canada Health Act – Annual Report 2014–2015 is available on Internet at the following address: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/pubs/cha-lcs/index-eng.php Également disponible en français sous le titre: Loi canadienne sur la santé – Rapport Annuel 2014-2015 This publication can be made available on request on diskette, large print, audio-cassette and braille. For further information or to obtain additional copies, please contact: Health Canada Address Locator 0900C2 Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9 Telephone: (613) 957-2991 Toll free: 1-866-225-0709 Fax: (613) 941-5366 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Health of Canada, 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this information (publication or product) may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system, without prior written permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S5 or [email protected] HC Pub: 150140 Cat.: H1-4E-PDF ISBN:1497-9144 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Health Canada would like to acknowledge the work and effort that went into producing this Annual Report.
    [Show full text]
  • No. S090663 Vancouver Registry in the SUPREME COURT of BRITISH COLUMBIA Between: CAMBIE SURGERIES CORPORATION, CHRIS CHIAVATTI
    No. S090663 Vancouver Registry IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Between: CAMBIE SURGERIES CORPORATION, CHRIS CHIAVATTI, MANDY MARTENS, KRYSTIANA CORRADO, WALID KHALFALLAH by his litigation guardian DEBBIE WAITKUS, and SPECIALIST REFERRAL CLINIC (VANCOUVER) INC. Plaintiffs And: MEDICAL SERVICES COMMISSION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, MINISTER OF HEALTH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, and ATTORNEY GENERAL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Defendants And: DR. DUNCAN ETCHES, DR. ROBERT WOOLLARD, GYLN TOWNSON, THOMAS McGREGOR, BRITISH COLUMBIA FRIENDS OF MEDICARE SOCIETY, CANADIAN DOCTORS FOR MEDICARE, MARIEL SCHOOFF, JOYCE HAMER, MYRNA ALLICON, And the BRITISH COLUMBIA ANESTHESIOLOGISTS’ SOCIETY Intervenors And: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA Pursuant to the Constitutional Question Act FINAL WRITTEN ARGUMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA Solicitor for the Attorney General of Attorney General of Canada Canada, Pursuant to the Constitutional Department of Justice Question Act BC Regional Office 900-840 Howe Street Vancouver, BC V6Z 2S9 Per: BJ Wray Solicitor for the Plaintiffs, Gall Legge Grant Zwack LLP Cambie Surgeries Corporation et al. 1000 – 1199 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6E 3T5 Canada Per : Robert Grant, Q.C. Solicitor for the Defendant, Ministry of Attorney General Attorney General of British Columbia Legal Services Branch 1301-865 Horny Street Vancouver, BC V6Z 2G3 Per: Jonathan Penner Solicitor for the Intervenors, Arvay Finlay LLP Dr. Duncan Etches, Dr. Robert Woollard, 1512-808 Nelson Street Glyn Townson, Thomas Macgregor, The Vancouver, BC British Columbia Friends of Medicare V6Z 2H2 Society, Canadian Doctors for Medicare Per: Joe Arvay, Q.C. Solicitor for the Intervenors, Hamilton Howell Bain and Gould Mariel Schooff, Joyce Hamer & Myrna 1918-1030 West Georgia Street Allison Vancouver, BC V6E 2Y3 Per: Jim Gould The Intervenor, British Columbia Anesthesiologists’ Society The British Columbia Anesthesiologists’ #326 – 555 Sixth Street Society New Westminster, BC V3L 5H1 Per: Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Policy Changes and Physicians Opting out from Medicare in Quebec: an Interrupted Time-Series Analysis
    RESEARCH HEALTH SERVICES Policy changes and physicians opting out from Medicare in Quebec: an interrupted time-series analysis Damien Contandriopoulos PhD, Michael R. Law PhD n Cite as: CMAJ 2021 February 16;193:E237-41. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.201216 ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: In all Canadian prov- Quebec government’s yearly list of phys- analy sis suggested that an additional inces, physicians can decide to either bill icians who chose to opt out from 1994 to 69 specialist physicians opted out after the provincial public system (opt in) or 2019 to analyze the relation between the 2017 clampdown on double billing work privately and bill patients directly these events and physician billing status. than previous trends would have (opt out). We hypothesized that 2 policy predicted. events were associated with an increase RESULTS: The number of family phys- in physicians opting out in Quebec. icians who opted out increased from 9 INTERPRETATION: We found that the in 1994 to 347 in 2019. Opting out number of physicians who opted out METHODS: The 2 policy events of inter- increased after the Chaoulli ruling, and increased in Quebec, and increases after est were the 2005 Supreme Court of Can- our analysis suggested that between 2 policy actions suggest an association ada ruling on Chaoulli v. Quebec and a 2005 and 2019, 284 more family phys- with these policy interventions. Opting regulatory clampdown forbidding dou- icians opted out than if pre-Chaoulli out decisions are likely important inputs ble billing that was implemented by trends had continued. The number of into decision-making by physicians, Quebec’s government in 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Core 1..156 Hansard
    CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 138 Ï NUMBER 042 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, December 10, 2002 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) All parliamentary publications are available on the ``Parliamentary Internet Parlementaire´´ at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 2479 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, December 10, 2002 The House met at 10:00 a.m. [Translation] DIVORCE ACT Prayers Hon. Martin Cauchon (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-22, Ï (1005) An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act, the Garnishment, Attach- [Translation] ment and Pension Diversion Act and the Judges Act and to amend BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE other Acts in consequence The Deputy Speaker: Order, please. The hon. member for (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) Rosemont—Petit-Patrie informed me in writing that he would be *** unable to introduce his motion during the hour provided for private members' business on Wednesday, December 11, 2002. Since it was [English] not possible to arrange an exchange of positions in the order of TAXPAYERS' BILL OF RIGHTS precedence, I am directing the clerk to drop that item of business to the bottom of the order of precedence. Mr. Joe Peschisolido (Richmond, Lib.) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-332, an act to confirm the rights of taxpayers and Private members' hour will thus be cancelled and the House will establish the Office for Taxpayer Protection.
    [Show full text]
  • Canada Health Act and Its Principles
    Canada Health Act and its Principles The Canada Health Act was the subject of discussions at every venue in the Conversation on Health. Participants focused on the values underlying the legislation, as well as the principles it espouses. Participants also debated the proposed sixth principle of sustainability. Here is a selection of what British Columbians had to say about the Canada Health Act. Canada Health Act Values and Foundation Participants debated whether the Canada Health Act represents an expression of a human right, or is simply a piece of legislation which can be flexible and adapt to the changing requirements of society. For some, the principles dictate an approach to health care delivery deeply embedded in Canadian society. Other participants object to this view on the grounds that, to them, it prevents the health care system from adapting to new requirements and demands. For some participants, the Canada Health Act contravenes freedom of choice. Though some participants believe that the Canada Health Act was created to address basic medical care, they also think that basic medical care has evolved to the point that the system can no longer accommodate the demands placed upon it. For others, the issue is not the original scope and the growing demands, but the lack of investment in the system by governments over time. The debate represents a clash of values and principles on a number of fronts, particularly between those who advocate freedom of choice as the most important human right and those who see accessible universal health care as a fundamental human right.
    [Show full text]
  • Medicare and Beyond: a 21St Century Vision, Saskatoon
    Medicare and Beyond A 21st Century Vision Speaking notes for The Hon. Roy J. Romanow, P.C., O.C., S.O.M., Q.C. Chair, Canadian Index of Wellbeing Advisory Board Senior Fellow, Political Studies, University of Saskatchewan; Atkinson Economic Justice Fellow; Commissioner on the Future of Health Care in Canada; Former Premier of Saskatchewan To Canadian Doctors of Medicare 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Canada Health Act Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada August 16, 2009 [Document from http://ciw.ca] 1. Introduction Good evening everyone. It’s wonderful to join you on this historic evening celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Canada Health Act. Let me start by thanking Canadian Doctors for Medicare for your kind invitation to speak. Thank you Ryan (Meili) for your warm introduction. I’ve come to accept that the older I get the more my introductions sound like eulogies, but let me assure you I have miles to go before I sleep. I can’t think of a better place to mark this anniversary. Many of you know that I’m a Saskatoon native, born and bred, and I take pride in the fact that the Broadway Theatre is community-owned and operated. Those of you who are from other parts of the country may not know that this theatre was built in 1945, the very same year that the Province of Saskatchewan issued government health-care cards to all pensioners, all women on mother's allowance, and all disabled people in Saskatchewan, entitling them to full medicare coverage including drugs. I’m very pleased to be here, and I’m even more pleased to serve as Danielle Martin’s warm-up act.
    [Show full text]
  • Canadian “Medicare Refugee Myth” Debunked in Major US Study
    N OUVELLES Canadian “medicare refugee myth” debunked in major US study Canadians are not rushing across the strates that headlines about “medicare gests there has been a modest increase in border to purchase medical care in the refugees” are “a tip without an iceberg.” the number of people looking for treat- United States, a new study based largely Of the US ambulatory facilities sur- ment in the US. “We asked what per- on American data has concluded. In veyed, 40% reported seeing no Canadi- centage of their patients have gone to fact, the use of American medical facili- ans and a further 40% had seen fewer the US for help. The figure used to be ties by Canadians is “so small as to be than 10. 1% percent, and it has risen to 1.5%. barely detectable.” Only 5% of facilities had seen more Tiny, but significant.” The authors of “Phantoms in the than 25 Canadians in the previous year, Frustration with the current Cana- snow: Canadians’ use of health care ser- and the most frequent services accessed dian system fuels misperceptions about vices in the United States” — the article were diagnostic radiology and ophthal- better service across the border. Michael appeared in the May/June issue of Health mologic procedures, particularly Decter, a former deputy minister of Affairs, the most influential US health cataract surgery. health in Ontario, says funding cutbacks policy journal (www.healthaffairs The picture emerging from state during the 1990s meant waiting lists de- .org/freecontent/v21n3/s6.htm) — hospital discharge data was similar. veloped for some diagnostic services conclude that debate over the issue has From 1994 to 1998, 2.3 Canadians were such as MRI scans and for treatment of been driven by politics, not facts.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    TABLE OF CONTENTS THE CHRETIEN LEGACY Introduction .................................................. i The Chr6tien Legacy R eg W hitaker ........................................... 1 Jean Chr6tien's Quebec Legacy: Coasting Then Stickhandling Hard Robert Y oung .......................................... 31 The Urban Legacy of Jean Chr6tien Caroline Andrew ....................................... 53 Chr6tien and North America: Between Integration and Autonomy Christina Gabriel and Laura Macdonald ..................... 71 Jean Chr6tien's Continental Legacy: From Commitment to Confusion Stephen Clarkson and Erick Lachapelle ..................... 93 A Passive Internationalist: Jean Chr6tien and Canadian Foreign Policy Tom K eating ......................................... 115 Prime Minister Jean Chr6tien's Immigration Legacy: Continuity and Transformation Yasmeen Abu-Laban ................................... 133 Renewing the Relationship With Aboriginal Peoples? M ichael M urphy ....................................... 151 The Chr~tien Legacy and Women: Changing Policy Priorities With Little Cause for Celebration Alexandra Dobrowolsky ................................ 171 Le Petit Vision, Les Grands Decisions: Chr~tien's Paradoxical Record in Social Policy M ichael J. Prince ...................................... 199 The Chr~tien Non-Legacy: The Federal Role in Health Care Ten Years On ... 1993-2003 Gerard W . Boychuk .................................... 221 The Chr~tien Ethics Legacy Ian G reene ..........................................
    [Show full text]
  • When Minority Government Worked: the Pearson Legacy
    WHEN MINORITY GOVERNMENT WORKED: THE PEARSON LEGACY Tom Kent As senior policy adviser to the prime minister, our Founding Editor was closely involved in the minority governments of the tumultuous Pearson era from 1963 to 1968. After a bungled first year in office, as Tom Kent recalls here, the achievements of the next four years include the Canada-Quebec Pension Plan, universal health care, and others in this era of “co-operative federalism,” all of them adopted in a minority House. “The fundamentals that worked then,” he concludes, “firm objectives, sensitivity to the great needs of the times, co- operative federalism, cabinet government — are as necessary today.” À titre de conseiller principal en politiques du premier ministre, notre rédacteur fondateur Tom Kent s’est trouvé de 1963 à 1968 aux premières loges de la période agitée des gouvernements minoritaires de Lester B. Pearson. Il rappelle ici qu’après une première année bousillée, les quatre suivantes ont produit des réalisations majeures, notamment le Régime de pensions Canada-Québec, le programme universel de soins de santé et plusieurs autres mesures clés attribuables au « fédéralisme coopératif » cher à Pearson, toutes adoptées par un Parlement minoritaire. « Les principes fondamentaux qui ont inspiré ces actions — fermeté des objectifs, sensibilité aux grands besoins de l’époque, fédéralisme coopératif et gouvernement par l’exécutif — restent aujourd’hui tout aussi nécessaires », conclut-il. he Pearson-led Liberals of the 1960s could not win a First, in the 1960s the Liberals had firm, coherent objec- parliamentary majority. In four years the two minor- tives. They knew what they wanted to do for Canada.
    [Show full text]
  • Estimating Smoking Attributable Health Care Costs Using the Canadian Community Health
    Estimating Smoking Attributable Health Care Costs using the Canadian Community Health Survey (2012) By Mahta Norouzi (6969471) Major paper presented to the Department of Economics of the University of Ottawa In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the M.A. Degree Supervisor: Rose Anne Devlin ECO 6999 May, 2014 University of Ottawa Abstract: Tobacco consumption is the leading preventable cause of death in Canada and most countries in the world. In addition to mortality and the cost of premature deaths, studies show that smoking imposes an economic burden on the health care system. Using an econometrics approach, this study examines the hypothesis that the health care utilization associated with smoking is economically meaningful and concludes that 12.5 percent of physician visits and 15.5 percent of hospital stays in Canada in 2012 are attributable to smoking, which translates into more than $14 billion dollars of health care expenditures. Thus, even though smoking rates have dropped in the recent years (from about 50 percent in 1965 to approximately 20 percent in 2012), the costs of smoking on the health care system are still high. 1. Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO 2014a), the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest threats the world has ever faced, responsible for the death of up to one half of its users. In Canada, although there has been a decline in the rate of smoking in recent years, 20.3 percent of Canadians aged 12 and older, roughly 5.9 million people, smoked either daily or occasionally in 2012 (Statistics Canada 2012).
    [Show full text]
  • Indian Health Service Part a and Part B
    Indian Health Service Part A and Part B Updated January 2021 Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction to Medicare ................................................................................................. 2 Overview ...................................................................................................................... 2 Four parts of Medicare ................................................................................................. 2 Deductibles, coinsurance and premiums ..................................................................... 3 Lifetime reserve days (LTR) ......................................................................................... 3 Railroad retirement beneficiary ................................................................................... 5 Mandatory electronic claim submission ........................................................................ 5 Timely filing requirements ............................................................................................ 5 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 6 Hospital ..................................................................................................................... 6 Critical access hospital (CAH) .................................................................................. 7 Federally qualified
    [Show full text]
  • Better Healthcare for Albertans
    Better Healthcare for Albertans A Report by The Office of the Auditor General of Alberta Research Material May 2017 Table of Contents About This Document 3 1.1 Abbreviations 4 Section 1: Alberta Healthcare System – An Overview 5 1. Introduction 5 2. History of Alberta’s Healthcare System 6 2.1 Legislation 6 2.2 Service Provision 9 2.3 Evolution of Funding 13 3. Determinants of Health 16 4. Coverage of Health Services 18 4.1 Canada Health Act – What is Funded in Alberta and What Is Not 18 4.2 Non-Canada Health Act Services 20 5. Health Sector Stakeholders 23 5.1 Introduction 23 5.2 Governance 23 5.3 Service Delivery 25 5.4 Regulatory Bodies 28 5.5 Union/Advocacy/Advisory 28 5.6 Academic Research/Support 29 5.7 Health Information/Informatics 30 5.8 Insurance/Other 31 5.9 Family Members and Other Caregivers 31 6. Health Workforce 31 6.1 Importance of Health Human Resources 31 6.2 Health Workforce – Who Is Included 32 6.3 Health Human Resources – Key Participants 33 7. Healthcare Funding in Alberta 34 7.1 Introduction 34 7.2 Funding and Costing in Alberta 36 8. Physician Compensation in Alberta 39 8.1 Introduction 39 8.2 Current Status 40 9. Health Information Systems 41 9.1 Context and Brief History 41 9.2 Managing Massive Data Volumes 42 9.3 Agency Roles 42 9.4 Current State 45 9.5 Costs 46 9.6 Analytics 47 9.7 Data Sharing with Decision Makers and Academics/Researchers 47 RESEARCH MATERIAL Better Healthcare for Albertans 1 Section 2: Select Information on Cost and Quality of Healthcare in Alberta 50 1.
    [Show full text]