Abdulla: Let’s develop a ‘Health Care Bill of Rights’ for Canadians

When he was leading of Saskatchewan, Tommy Douglas developed Canada’s very first provincial costs of “human rights.” One vital element, the right to life, was asserted on access to healthcare for all residents. In 1962, Douglas and his follower, Woodrow Lloyd, developed province-wide universal healthcare in Saskatchewan.

Ultimately, in 1966, prime minister Lester Pearson developed a nationwide medicare program. It was developed with the cooperation of the NDP, the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals in 1966. Yes, the 3 celebrations in fact worked together. Amazing.

Now we require a brand-new expense of rights: a “Health-care Bill of Rights” for clients and doctors based upon the concept of quintuple goal.

Quintuple Aim is a health-care idea based upon enhanced client experience with much better results and lower expense (for our minimal resources) that likewise values clinician wellness and social health equity. It is time clients and doctors plainly specified what is essential and asked policymakers to listen. Here is my effort to begin this discussion. I genuinely anticipate others to make this concept much better:

1). All clients will be admitted to preventative, suitable, prompt and immediate healthcare to enhance the total healthcare requirements of the whole population. The focus is medical care.

2). All clients will have access to a core basket of services (medical care, pharmacare, oral care, psychological healthcare and eye care) equitably in whatever format fulfills clients’ requirements, with a devoted family doctor and a group of service providers digitally adjoined. This basket will be the very same for all clients no matter race, religious beliefs, gender, location or provincial jurisdiction. New services need to be fair throughout Canada and can not supplant core services.

3). All clients will have access to info and education on healthcare problems (literacy) from kindergarten to Grade 12 to much better take care of themselves and their households.

4). All clients and doctors will be treated with regard and self-respect to make sure the very best results utilizing sustainable resources. This will enhance client experience and security and make sure clinician wellness.

5). It is acknowledged that standard human rights such as food, tidy water, sufficient real estate, education, access to social services, decrease of hardship, child care supports, psychological health services and damage decrease utilizing a social equity lens should be the focus of future financial investments.

6). It is acknowledged that increasing expectations that healthcare can be all things to all individuals without public monetary responsibility, without picking carefully, without supporting clinicians’ requirements, without social equity, without ecological stewardship is not the method forward in Canada.

Dr. Alykhan Abdulla is a detailed family physician in Manotick, board director of the College of Family Physicians of Canada; and director for Longitudinal Leadership Curriculum at the University of Ottawa Undergraduate Medical Education. Twitter: @AlykhanAbdulla