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British
Columbia
Outsourced services
win praise
VICTORIA —
Health Minister George Abbott is giving the thumbs up
to BC's privatized health plan inquiry service. Maximus
BC — on contract since April 2005 — runs the
service, which handles all inquiries to BC's Medical
Service Plan and Pharmacare. In the last two months
of 2005, Maximus didn't have to pay any penalties and
provided the best service on record, Mr Abbott told
the Canadian Press. From October 1 to December 31 the
program received 376,000 telephone calls from the public,
with average call time of less than three minutes. LD
Alberta
Third way reform:
full steam ahead
EDMONTON —
The Edmonton Journal reported that Premier Klein's
Progressive Conservative party has nine more 'Third
Way' reforms in the works that could run afoul of the
Canada Health Act. Among the reforms Premier Klein's
government is proposing is that physicians be allowed
to practise in both the public and private health system,
as well as expanding the private health insurance availablez
in the province. Mr Klein said he's looking to the new
prime minister, Stephen Harper, to be true to his word,
in terms of provincial jurisdiction. GE
Saskatchewan
Private takeover
feared
REGINA —
Saskatchewan Health Minister John Nilson has expressed
concerns about entrepreneur/MD David Copeman's expanding
empire of private clinics. He believes they may exacerbate
the already critical shortage of doctors in the public
system. Dr Copeman, who recently announced his plans
to operate in every major Canadian city by 2007, tried
to assuage fears by stating that most physicians who
apply for positions at his clinics aren't practising
comprehensive care, but rather are working as locums
at walk-in clinics or have left comprehensive care all
together. TJ
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Manitoba
Pharmacists balk
at Plan B
WINNIPEG —
Some docs in Manitoba are concerned that pharmacists
may be creating a barrier for women who need access
to the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill, by asking
personal questions about one's sexual history before
dispensing the drug. "You can buy a bottle of Aspirin,
swallow the lot, and die in the next couple of hours.
The pharmacist doesn't interrogate you over that," Dr
Philip of the University of Manitoba told CBC news.
Some pharmacists in rural areas have even refused to
prescribe the drug, calling it an "abortion pill." HA
Ontario
Help for Ontario
nurses
TORONTO —
The Ontario government is providing $40 million to help
hospitals hold on to experienced nurses in an effort
to stabilize the profession. The much needed cash will
help hospitals retrain nurses to work in other clinical
areas or take on nursing roles in the hospital departments
with vacancies. The McGuinty government says the nursing
initiative is part of the provincial Liberals' $186
million nursing strategy, which aims to improve working
conditions and access to full-time employment. JJM
Health
networks hullabaloo
TORONTO —
Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman
announced that the Ontario Legislature will hold public
hearings on framework legislation for the province's
14 new Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). The
LHINs will have the role of coordinating and funding
more than $20 billion worth of hospital and community
care services in their respective territories throughout
Ontario. The governent sees the LHINs as an efficient
way to streamline and deliver scarce healthcare resources
more effectively. However union groups led by the Canadian
Union of Public Employees (CUPE) see their use of competitive
bidding as a road to privatization and job cuts. JJM
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