Hospital News June 2021 Edition

Page 4

Window of opportunity for feds to address healthcare deficits By Sarah Watts-Rynard eadlines across Canada and around the world continue to be filled with news of shutdowns, widespread economic chaos and the race to vaccinate. Where we once defaulted to small talk about the weather, conversation has turned to daily case counts, ICU beds and vaccination statistics. Health has become a national obsession, with all signs suggesting it will remain so until the pandemic fades into memory. That’s why now is the right time to talk about – and invest in – the future of Canada’s healthcare system. For many years, investing in healthcare was a matter of boosting federal transfers to the provinces. Not terribly exciting in terms of advancing national policies or programs but, rather, a way to buy short-term peace within the federation. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the door to something more. Lessons from the pandemic point to two structural issues that are well within the federal government’s capacity to address: Canada’s system of long-term care and challenges within the healthcare talent pipeline. The current environment opens a window to fresh policy action and a renewed federal/provincial partnership on healthcare. First, the pandemic has laid bare the fault lines in Canada’s long-term care system. Staffing was inadequate to meet the needs of seniors in care when family access was restricted. By all accounts, personal protective equipment was insufficient and the need for it poorly understood. As a result, those with compromised immune sys-

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tems and pre-existing health conditions – the very group long-term care is designed to support – died at alarming rates. With a Canadian population that is living longer, eldercare is a reality with which the federal government must grapple. Now is the time to activate and empower the Minister of Seniors to set national standards of care and employee training for senior living facilities. These actions would be appropriate and well-timed, not to mention welcomed by countless families who were denied the ability to visit, advocate for or support their loved ones over the past year. If there were a federal will, there is no shortage of capacity. Polytechnic institutions, for example, have dedicated applied research expertise in eldercare and healthy aging. They are also the foremost education providers for a workforce that is well-trained and certified, rather than ad hoc and under-prepared. While a number of the issues surrounding eldercare relate to training standards, the government needs to think bigger. Frontline workers across all health fields have been pushed to their limit for more than a year, with each subsequent wave of the pandemic accompanied by a host of new challenges. Part of the solution lies in a much greater emphasis on professional development and upskilling. While the same can be said across sectors, the healthcare field is a critical case in point. At Polytechnics Canada, we are hearing about micro-credentials to activate a vaccination workforce and upskilling for critical care nurses. Continued on page 6

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UPCOMING DEADLINES JULY 2021 ISSUE

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Monthly Focus: Cardiovascular Care/Respirology/Diabetes/ Complementary Health:Developments in the prevention and treatment of vascular disease, including cardiac surgery, diagnostic and interventional procedures. Advances in treatment for various respiratory disorders, including asthma and allergies. Prevention, treatment and long-term management of diabetes and other endocrine disorders. Examination of complementary treatment approaches to various illnesses.

Monthly Focus: Paediatrics/Ambulatory Care/Neurology/ Hospital-based Social Work: Paediatric programs and developments in the treatment of paediatric disorders including autism. Specialized programs offered on an outpatient basis. Developments in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s etc.), traumatic brain injury and tumours. Social work programs helping patients and families address the impact of illness.

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Hospital News is published for hospital health-care professionals, patients, visitors and students. It is available free of charge from distribution racks in hospitals in Ontario. Bulk subscriptions are available for hospitals outside Ontario. The statements, opinions and viewpoints made or expressed by the writers do not necessarily represent the opinions and views of Hospital News, or the publishers. Hospital News and Members of the Advisory Board assume no responsibility or liability for claims, statements, opinions or views, written or reported by its contributing writers, including product or service information that is advertised. Changes of address, notices, subscriptions orders and undeliverable address notifications. Subscription rate in Canada for single copies is $29.40 per year. Send enquiries to: subscriptions@ hospitalnews.com Canadian Publications mail sales product agreement number 42578518.

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