CMA President Seeking Health Care Answers

OTTAWA, Jan. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - Dr. Robert Ouellet, President the Canadian
Medical Association (CMA), will begin the second stage of his European health
care fact-finding mission on January 19.
"The goal of this project is to suggest compatible and efficient measures
that could improve access to our own health system and address lengthy wait
times," said Dr. Ouellet. "The current economic climate demands that we look
for ways to increase efficiency and provide value for money in health care
service delivery. There could be no better time to suggest to Canadians a
positive transformation of the health care system."
Dr. Ouellet's research will focus on finding concrete examples of how
certain measures were implemented and have contributed to improving the health
care system of various European countries. By drawing on the experience of
European countries that have been top performers in terms of value for money
and access to heath care, we can address the problems afflicting Canada's
health system.
Dr. Ouellet and CMA representatives will be meeting with key individuals
who have played a major role in improving their country's healthcare system
and will witness firsthand how certain programs or projects have been
implemented. The team will visit Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
Stage 1 of this mission began in November 2007 with a visit to the United
Kingdom.
"It's important that we look at the practices of countries that rank at
the top in terms of comparative international health policy studies. We're
going without any preconceived ideas, and we're keeping an open mind about all
types of practices," Dr. Ouellet stresses. "The first stage of the tour, to
the UK, revealed several interesting models. I'm looking forward to the second
stage."

A series of regional and national consultations with the Canadian public
will follow the first draft of the report of this study mission. The final
report should be made public in June 2009.


For further information: Lucie Boileau, Media Relations Manager, 800
663-7336, (613) 731-8610 ext. 1266