Monday, October 21, 2013

For the past year, B.C.'s attempts to force all of its health care workers to vaccinate against flu have been in dispute. While other provinces and Canadian health jurisdictions have tried to encourage health care workers in this vein, no other Canadian jurisdiction has tried to go as far. As we head into flu season, we examine which is more dangerous ... the directive or the disease?

By: Helen Branswell, The Canadian Press Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013

A British Columbia health-care workers union has lost its grievance against a provincial policy requiring members to get a flu shot or wear a mask during flu season — a development that may embolden other provinces to follow suit.

An arbitrator appointed by the provincial Labour Relations Board ruled the policy is reasonable, and a valid exercise of the employer's management rights.

By Pamela Cow An, Leader-Post October 30, 2013

Saskatchewan spends more on health care per person than the national average, but significantly less than most provinces as a percentage of its total budget.

Trade deal may add $1.65B to drug bill: study

OTTAWA - The recently announced free-trade deal with Europe will likely cost Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars more for prescription drugs, says a new analysis. The report, by two York University professors, says concessions by the federal government to cement the deal will delay the arrival cheap generic drugs by about a year, on average. And the delay will add between $850 million and $1.65 billion — or up to 13 per cent — to the total drug bill paid annually by Canadians, either directly, through insurance plans or by provinces.

The researchers are also skeptical of claims by brand-name manufacturers that extended patent life will be an incentive to the industry to invest more in Canada. "There is no incentive for them to invest more in Canada," said Marc-Andre Gagnon, one of the authors. "The question is: Are we getting bang for the buck? And the answer is No." The report warns that all Canadians will likely wind up paying more in taxes, or higher premiums for private drug plans — and Canadians who can least afford it will bear the biggest burden.

by Karen Born, Joshua Tepper & Greta Cummings (Show all posts by Karen Born, Joshua Tepper & Greta Cummings) October 31, 2013

This is the second of a two-part series on Alberta’s health care restructuring. This article examines the impact of constant change at the highest levels of administration on those who work within the health care system.

Research suggests that health services restructuring impacts health care professionals on the front lines of patient care.

The Chronicle-Herald Wed Oct 30 2013

Concerns about the federal Conservative government's "skulduggery" around proposed labour changes made it to the floor of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour convention in Halifax on Tuesday.

They want the Liberals to retain the mobile asphalt plant and chip-seal crews brought in by the previous NDP government, and are worried there could be further privatization in health care.

NewsToday Sat Oct 19 2013,

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the negotiation of which is set to conclude this year, could drive research into new drugs and improve access to medicines. Except - it won't, writes Emilio Godoy

Patented drugs limit patients' access to public health care

National Post Thu Oct 31 2013

As reported in the National Post on Tuesday, the authors of a new Fraser Institute study on medical wait times suggest that Canadians look overseas for models that combine universal health care with private options.

Co-author Nadeem Esmail said that "other countries with universal health care spendless than we do and don't force citizens to wait like this." Esmail highlighted Australia, Switzerland and Sweden as models offering more timely access to quality universal care.

Say Anything Sun Oct 27 2013

According to this Associated Press report( (bismarcktribune.com») ), Altru Hospital in Grand Forks is feeling a financial pinch due to price rationing in the Medicare program.

This isn't exactly an unforeseen development. "Of the $716 billion that the Affordable Care Act cuts from the program over the next ten years, the largest chunk-$415 billion-comes from slashing Medicare's reimbursement rates to hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors," reported Forbes' Avik Roy last year.

Alarm raised over health-care funding Reduction in health transfers to provinces could lead to crisis, forum told

October 11, 2013 By Cam FortemsDaily News Staff Reporter

Canada is crawling into a slow-motion crisis in health care — with corporations ready to profit from the problems — speakers at a town hall forum said Thursday.That crisis is triggered by the Harper government’s announcement in 2011 that it will tie health transfers to provinces at the rate of the gross domestic product, at a minimum of three per cent.

Family details mother's horror story The Telegram (St. John's) Wed Oct 16 2013

They told The Telegram last week that their mother, who turned 65 in the St. John's long-term care facility in July, weighed 168 pounds when she was admitted. Templeman said if her mother is 80 pounds now, that's all she is.

Benoit said the family has since been informed her mother has MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which is resistant to a number of antibiotics.

Ontario must fund long-term care on par with other provinces        Double daily care for nursing home residents with just $32 a day TORONTO, ON

Advocates representing the families of long-term care (LTC) residents and front line staff, said at a Queen's Park media conference today, that there is widespread agreement that care and staffing levels at Ontario nursing homes are too low, leaving residents with complex conditions, with unmet needs. Each day direct care staff race the clock as they struggle to bathe, feed, dress and toilet residents, while fulfilling the endless documentation required by the province in order to secure funding.

10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0613 Health Aff October 2013 vol. 32 no. 10 1740-1747

The Affordable Care Act’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) penalizes hospitals based on excess readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries.

Hospitals with higher nurse staffing had 25 percent lower odds of being penalized compared to otherwise similar hospitals with lower staffing.

The funding formula for health care is broken. Alberta’s windfall proves it Add to ... GREGORY MARCHILDON AND HAIZHEN MOU Contributed to The Globe and Mail Published Wednesday, Oct. 09 2013,

Parliamentary Budget Officer Jean-Denis Fréchette recently announced that Ottawa’s reform of the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and spending cuts make federal finances sustainable for the long-term – but possibly at the expense of the provinces. Capping the CHT to the rate of economic growth, it appears, will make provincial finances less sustainable.

by Karen Born, Irfan Dhalla & Mary Ferguson-Paré (Show all posts by Karen Born, Irfan Dhalla & Mary Ferguson-Paré) September 26, 2013

Stephen Duckett, former CEO of Alberta Health Services suggests that this shift is motivated by a number of factors. “In some places it is not possible to recruit RNs so an employed LPN is seen as being better for everyone than getting existing RNs to work overtime,” he says.” Duckett also acknowledges the importance of costs, saying “LPNs are generally paid less and they can perform many RN functions at equivalent quality.”

by Karen Born, Terrence Sullivan & Robert Bear (Show all posts by Karen Born, Terrence Sullivan & Robert Bear) October 10, 2013

Alberta Health Services has had a tumultuous summer. There have been major changes at the highest levels of administration and governance of the province’s health system. A review of the recent history of restructuring in Alberta’s health system might be helpful to understand the recent changes.

5 provinces represented in top tier of 1st national hospital performance report card CBC News Posted: Apr 10, 2013

CBC's the fifth estate has awarded 10 hospitals across the country top grades as part of a Canadian national hospital performance report card.A range of facilities in small towns and urban centres from across the country achieved an overall grade of A+ necessary to make the top hospital list, which is part of Rate My Hospital, a sweeping investigation into Canada's hospitals by CBC-TV's the fifth estate.

The Telegram (St. John's) Tue Oct 8 2013

The Leader-Post (Regina) Tue Oct 8 2013

Sure, the warts-and-all, 311-page report on Saskatchewan's nursing homes emerging from the notes of health district chief executive officers who toured all the province's facilities was honest and compelling. Stories of seniors having to wait three or four hours for breakfast after being awakened at 5:30 a.m. or left to soil themselves in their adult diapers because of staffing shortages were both gripping and disheartening. Those who built this province deserve better.

This is not to say that Health Minister Dustin Duncan was wrong to respond with his $10-million "Urgent Issues Fund" in the wake of last week's report. However, it is a drop in the bucket when it comes to dealing with the nightmarish scenario of future elderly care.