Be Aware Health Care | June 22nd, 2024

AI Predicting Health Outcomes | Ontario's New Healthcare Plan?

Author

Marc
June 25, 2024

Good morning readers! I remember when I was a kid, I had little understanding to how the health care system actually worked. My thinking was - you get sick, you see the doctor, and you’re fixed.

Wouldn’t that be nice? Hospital trips being that quick.

Maybe we’ll never truly achieve that, but companies like Signal 1 bring us a step closer. Together with Unity Health, they’ve developed CHARTwatch. AI-powered Software to predict when and which patients are stable for discharge. The goal is to shorten the time patients are in the hospital when they don’t need to be. It’s better for both parties.

In this week’s email of last weeks new:

  1. Ontario’s New Healthcare Plan?

  2. Expanding Prescribing Powers for Ontario Pharmacists

  3. Huge Call To Pass Pharmacare Bill-C64

  4. Shocking Report Highlights Surge In Mental Health Claims

Ontario's New Healthcare Plan?

Ontario unveils a three-step plan to cut surgical wait times by involving for-profit community centers. Health Minister Sylvia Jones says it will help reduce backlogs with all procedures covered by OHIP. The plan includes boosting cataract surgeries by 14,000 annually, expanding non-urgent surgeries, and allowing private clinics to perform hip and knee replacements by 2024. Critics argue it could worsen hospital staffing shortages, but Jones insists it will relieve hospitals and provide necessary care. The government promises future legislation to strengthen oversight of these private clinics.

Expanded Prescribing Powers for Ontario Pharmacists

Ontario pharmacists can now prescribe treatments for moderate acne, canker sores, diaper dermatitis, yeast infections, pinworms, threadworms, and pregnancy-related nausea, starting this fall. The Ford government announced this expansion in its 2023 budget, following the success of allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid for COVID-19 and medications for 13 common ailments since January 2023. The move aims to increase convenience for patients and free up doctors for more complex medical needs.

Huge Call to Pass Pharmacare Bill C-64

The Canadian Labour Congress and over 50 civil society organizations are urging the Senate to swiftly pass Bill C-64, which aims to implement pharmacare and cover prescription medications such as free diabetes medication and birth control. Currently, Canada's fragmented drug insurance system leaves 7.5 million Canadians without coverage, forcing many to make difficult financial sacrifices. Advocates argue that a national pharmacare program will reduce overall drug costs, alleviate strain on the healthcare system, and provide equal access to essential medications. The Senate's delay in passing this bill is jeopardizing these crucial benefits.

Shocking Report Highlights Surge In Mental Health Claims

Since the pandemic began, mental health claims in Canada have surged by 132%, causing significant work disruptions. GreenShield reports that 62% of missed workdays are due to poor mental health, averaging 12 lost days per employee annually. Half of full-time employees have quit jobs over mental health, with millennials (68%) and Gen Z (81%) most affected. Lack of access to primary care further exacerbates the issue, pushing many to emergency rooms. Employers are urged to adopt digital health solutions and prioritize holistic employee support to enhance wellbeing, engagement, and productivity.