On Tuesday, June 25, Dr. Serge Melanson, President of the NB Medical Society, re-iterated the call for an all-party approach to health care reform as had earlier been referenced by the Leader of the Green Party, David Coon.  And in that call resides the wisdom that is required to effect meaningful change and modernization in the NB Health System. 
This system is too important, too sacred, and too complicated for the instability caused by a succession of one term governments as we have had now for over 20 years.
Yet for decades, true progress has been hampered by the re-election attempts by a series of one term governments with public debate limited to superficial elements that really do not matter such as merging two health authorities. Read more here

On Tuesday, June 25, Dr. Serge Melanson, President of the NB Medical Society, re-iterated the call for an all-party approach to health care reform as had earlier been referenced by the Leader of the Green Party, David Coon.  And in that call lies the wisdom that is required to effect meaningful change and modernization in the NB Health System.  This system is too important, too sacred, and too complicated for the instability caused by a succession of one term governments as we have had now for over 20 years.
The approach to true reform of primary care, for instance, cannot be relegated to debate in the legislature in  which politicians, for purely partisan reasons, seek to undermine otherwise perfectly good ideas.  It is a complex piece of business that requires serious reflection and re-alignment of positions and interests.  Some of these are simply entrenched in tradition; some are rooted in legitimate professional practice concerns.
Review of evidence, best practices, and negotiation of new relationships is not best done in the glare of cameras or in an environment heated by an up-coming election.  On the contrary, the process of reform requires that people of good will come together in an atmosphere of trust and true collegiality to share and negotiate visions. Read more here

​Getting Control of Health Care Costs:  start with pharmaceuticals

The Advisory Committee on the Implementation of a National Pharmacare Program, chaired by Dr. Eric Hoskins, recommended on June 12, 2019 that Canada proceed with such a program.  John Ivison covered the topic well in Tuesday’s Telegraph Journal.
Canada’s drug spending growth outpaces the rate of growth in costs incurred by hospitals and doctors and amounts to $33.7 billion in 2018 according to the Canadian Institute of Health Information. This is up $4 billion from the previous year!  The New Brunswick public purse pays $283 million for drugs; it is fair to estimate that total spending on pharmaceuticals in NB in any year are in the order of $650 million.
That is a lot of money for pills that often do not work or are overpriced, and Canada has the second highest per capita drug costs in the world!  Canada is also the only developed country with universal health coverage that does not also have universal pharmacy coverage. Read more here

If we truly want excellent health care services in New Brunswick, we must stop comparing ourselves to ourselves and look to organizations that have consistent, great reputations for service excellence.  Look to Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente and others who excel.  New Brunswickers are paying for excellence; we must demand that it is provided consistently.
What are the successful organizations doing that we are not doing consistently?  Answer:  The care of our people. Read more here