A while back Andrew of Bound by Gravity and I wrote a series of posts in which we debated a number of issues involving Canada's health care system. We didn't really come to any consensus. In fact we didn't really finish the debate -- I think we both just took a break for a while to blog about other issues. But I think I've found a point we can agree on. This won't do.
Provincial health reports not very illuminating
New provincial reports meant to shed light on how well the health-care system is working are sure to leave Canadians in the dark.The reports, required under the five-year, $35-billion health-care accord of 2003, have just been handed in. But each report is presented in a different format, making provincial comparisons difficult or impossible.
Nor do the reports provide any information on how federal money provided under the accord has been used.
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In each of the major health deals of recent years ? those of 2000, 2003 and 2004 ? accountability has been a major point of discussion, and premiers have promised full accounting to their own citizens, though not to Ottawa.The first reports on the 2003 accord were due Nov. 30, and all provinces except Alberta filed on time. A spokesman for Alberta Health and Wellness said its report was delayed by the provincial election.
The reports are not posted on a common website, as had been promised, but can be found separately on the site of each provincial or territorial health department.
The reports look a lot like political brochures. Information is generally presented in a way that puts the best light on each province's performance. There are many photos of smiling faces and chapter titles such as "Healthy People."
There are no estimates on spending, even though this was clearly required by the accord.
How do we make any kind of informed decisions about health care if the provinces who deliver it won't provide the information on which to base those decisions? How do we measure progress? If we're going to experiment with different models for delivering these services, how will we gain any knowledge from the results without proper reporting?
The provincial premiers get to wear this. If they want the money and the authority then they need to get off their collective butt and meet their responsibilities under the health care accords so we know how our money is being spent. We have to know where we are before we can figure out how to get where we want to be.
That's disconcerting. Considering these people are on our payroll, you would think they would feel obligated to provide us with some meaningful information.
Promises seem to mean very little in Canadian politics now days.
Well, we know one way that our money is being spent -- on reports that "look a lot like political brochures."