STRATCOM Health Care in Canada

The following is a review of developments affecting health care in Canada

The information is updated the first week of every month - so ... make this a regular stop in your information gathering activities.

The following information has been compiled from publicly available sources, StratCom does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or the authenticity of the information and StratCom cannot be held liable for errors.

Healthcare in Canada - November 2002

The Calgary Cardiovascular Network has launched a cardiovascular risk reduction community outreach and educational program called Connecting Local and National Strategies (CLANS). The program will focus on improving heart health awareness through enhanced prevention, early detection and control of major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Unilever, the company that produces Becel margarine, will support this prevention initiative by donating $0.25 for every container of Becel margarine or oil sold in Alberta during October to the Calgary Health Trust to support heart health and the CLANS project.

Loblaw's Supermarket Co. is opening two Ontario stores with medical clinics positioned close to the pharmacy section. One store is in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto and the second is in Ottawa. A few months ago, two of the company's stores in Halifax opened evening outpatient clinics attached to their stores. The chain is not doing this for altruistic purposes. The company anticipates that in stores with a clinic attached, it's reasonable to expect that patients will head to the store's pharmacy section to fill prescriptions.

As of January 1, 2003, PEI's four major medical centers will come under a single administration. Health Minister Jamie Ballem reported the amalgamation is not about saving money, but rather is intended to streamline services and resources between the main referral hospitals.

Former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow has issued his report on the status of Canada's healthcare system and has proposed a sweeping upgrade of the system including billions of dollars more to ensure equal access to free medical care. The report indicates that the 30-year-old Medicare system faced hard choices on whether to allow more private care that patients would pay for, or to expand and strengthen the government-funded program. The report proposes increasing federal health-care spending $2.3 billion in 2003, followed by successive annual increases of $3.2 billion and $4.2 billion. That money would pay for more diagnostic services such as MRIs and CT scans, bring home care into the national system, strengthen primary care and cover some drug costs for patients with catastrophic illness.

The following is a review of developments affecting health care in Canada

Healthcare in Canada - November 2002

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Send mail to stratcom@pagebleu.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Concept and Design Blue Page Productions
Copyright © 1996-2002 STRATCOM
Last modified: December 01, 2002