MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL DECTER
Chair, Health Council of Canada

The First Ministers’ Health Accord of 2003 and the 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care in 2004 moved from debating health care renewal to delivering it. And in the process, the Health Council of Canada was uniquely charged with tracking that renewal and reporting its progress to Canadians. The Council sees its job as one of witness and advisor: we review progress, we assess success and we advocate for change where we see a need.

We delivered our inaugural report in January 2005, highlighting the jurisdictions and projects where renewal had taken root, identifying priority areas for action, and issuing an overall message of “Hurry up!"

We said four things needed attention and focus:

1. The people who provide health care – sufficient numbers of health care
   providers trained in teams must be in place otherwise all other efforts
   would flounder;
   
   
2. The health of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples – we must reduce the
   huge disparity in health status between Aboriginal Peoples and other Canadians;
   
   
3. The organization of primary health care – patients’ first point of contact
   must be a team of health care professionals who can provide health promotion and disease prevention services;
   
   
4. The modernization of health records – electronic patient health information
   must be available where patients receive services.
   

Twelve months later our view has not changed. The challenges remain despite large investments. We still need health care renewal to happen faster and on all fronts. This, our second report to Canadians, states our priorities for health care improvement. The Health Council has a blunt and simple message – the health of Canadians will not be improved by a focus only on access to health care services. There is no single route to a healthier Canada. There are several important pathways to reach that goal. We recommend three: quicker access to needed care; better quality services; and a focus on determinants of population health outsidethe health care system.

Are we providing the safest, most suitable care? Are we investing enough in
prevention? Are we reducing inequalities in health? The answer to these questions is no, not yet. But we could. It is the Council’s belief that we already have strong evidence and enough experience to pursue a quality agenda. But clearing the road to quality health care will require sustainable investments, coordination between governments and health care providers, and accountable leadership.

In all the areas we monitor, we see pockets of activity with exciting results. These innovations need to be championed and we need more of them. What is lacking is an overall sense of urgency to accelerate the pace of renewal. That collective sense of urgency must emanate from all the people who sustain and support the health care system. Waiting too long for renewal is as damaging to our health care systemas waiting too long for appropriate care is to individuals. Canadians deserve more.

Michael Decter