Healthcare in Canada

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Federal Healthcare funding in Canada

In Canada, our healthcare system is called Medicare. It is publicly funded through our tax dollars.

The federal government shares responsibility with the provinces and territories that deliver the actual services. The federal government also offers direct services to select groups:

  • First Nations people living on reserves
  • Inuit
  • Serving members of the Canadian Forces
  • Eligible veterans
  • Inmates in federal penitentiaries
  • Some groups of refugee claimants

The details of funding arrangements between the federal government and the provinces and territories are agreed on in a Health Accord. These usually cover several years and are then renegotiated. Health Accords determine how much money the federal government will give the provinces and what strings are attached to this money.

View the current Canadian Health Accord
Canadian flag on Parliament Building

For more on our health systems go to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). There you will find “in brief” and “in depth” information for all of Canada.

Provincial/Territorial

We have 13 different healthcare systems as follows:

Governance – Number of Health Regions

AB – 1 Alberta Health Services
BC – 7 Health Regions
MB – 5 Health Authorities
NB – 2 Health Networks
NL – 4 Health regions
NS – 2 Health Authorities
NT – 8 HSS Authorities
NU – 1 Health Region
ON – 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs)
PE – 1 Health Authority
QC – 18 Régions sociosanitaires (Health Regions)
SK – going to 1 Health Authority from 12
YT – 1 Health Region

Patient Complaints – Last Resort

AB – Alberta Health Services
BC – BC Ombudsperson
MB – Manitoba Ombudsman
NB – Ombudsman NB
NL – Office of Citizens’ Representative
NS – Office of the Ombudsman
NT – no ombudsman for foreseeable future
NU – Department of Health, Patient Relations
ON – Patient Ombudsman
PE – Health PEI, Compliments and Complaints
QC – The Health and Social Services Network Complaint Examination System
SK – Ombudsman Saskatchewan
YT – Yukon Ombudsman

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The Canada Health Act

Established in 1985, this act covers the funding contributions by  the federal government to the provinces and Territories and what conditions they have around the funding. For a simpler description of the funding arrangement, read this government page.

PAN Members Community Guidelines

We want everyone to feel welcome on our PAN community site, so we’ve created these guidelines to foster the community we would like to see. By joining and participating in our Community, you agree that you have read and will follow these guidelines.

Within the PAN Community site and in our dealings with each other through other PAN initiatives:

  1. Be respectful. We all have a shared goal of making healthcare better for Canadians. The PAN Community may include people you work with or may meet in future. As members of PAN, we demonstrate respect in our communication, sharing and crediting of resources/knowledge and  in our interactions with each other and stakeholders from outside the PAN.

 

  1. Focus on a positive and collaborative approach.  Let’s work together to build strong relationships so we can achieve great things. Diversity of thought and sharing of perspectives is healthy – we won’t all agree on everything, but we want to keep an open mind to consider new ideas and change.

 

  1. Do not discriminate or engage in harmful activity. We value different ideas and opinions but there is no place for any activity that could hurt someone, whether it’s physical, emotional, mental or digital. Racism, hateful language, or discrimination of any kind is not acceptable. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want everyone in the world to know about or that you wouldn’t want anyone to know that it came from you.

 

  1. Use your true identity. We made this community site private so that we can feel free to be ourselves. Each member is vetted by our team to ensure people are here for the right reasons. Communicating with each other is based on trust.

To ensure the PAN community remains a safe place for all members, we ask you that you contact hello@patientadvisors.ca if you encounter a situation where guidelines may have been breached. PAN reserves the right to suspend or terminate membership in the Community for anyone who violates these guidelines.

 

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Directives de la communauté des membres du PAN

Nous voulons que tout le monde se sente bienvenu sur notre site Web communautaire de PAN. Nous avons donc créé ces directives pour aider au développement de la communauté que nous aimerions voir. En rejoignant et en participant à notre communauté, vous acceptez de lire et de suivre ces directives.

Sur le site de Web de la communauté de PAN et dans nos relations mutuelles dans le cadre d'autres initiatives de PAN :

  1. Soyez respectueux. Nous partageons tous l'objectif d'améliorer les soins de santé pour les Canadiens. La communautéde PAN peut inclure des personnes avec lesquelles vous travaillez ou que vous pourriez rencontrer à l'avenir. En tant que membres de PAN, nous faisons preuve de respect dans notre communication, le partage et l'attribution de ressources/connaissances et dans nos interactions les uns avec les autres et avec les parties prenantes extérieures de
  2. Se concentrersur une approche positive et collaborative.  Travaillons ensemble pour construire des relations solides afin de réaliser de grandes choses. La diversité de pensée et le partage des perspectives sont sains - nous ne serons pas tous d'accord sur tout, mais nous voulons garder l'esprit ouvert pour envisager de nouvelles idées et des changements.
  3. Ne faites pas de discrimination et neparticipez pas à des activités nuisibles. Nous apprécions les idées et les opinions différentes, mais il n'y a pas de place pour les commentaires susceptibles de blesser quelqu'un, que ce soit physiquement, émotionnellement, mentalement ou numériquement. Le racisme, les propos haineux ou la discrimination sous quelque forme que ce soit ne sont pas acceptables. Ne publiez rien que vous ne voudriez pas que tout le monde sache ou dont vous ne voudriez pas que l'on sache qu'il vient de vous.
  4. Utilisez votre véritable identité. Nous avons rendu ce site Web communautaire privé afin que nous puissions nous sentir libres d'être nous-mêmes. Chaque membre est accepté manuellementpar notre équipe pour s'assurer qu'il est là pour les bonnes raisons. La communication entre nous est basée sur la confiance.

Pour s'assurer que la communauté de PAN reste un endroit sûr pour tous les membres, nous vous demandons de contacter hello@patientadvisors.ca  si vous rencontrez une situation où les directives ont été violées. PAN se réserve le droit de suspendre ou de résilier l'adhésion à la communauté de toute personne qui enfreint ces directives.

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Patient/Caregiver Partners (P/CPs) are people with lived/living experience of the health system as patients and/or caregivers committed to improving the health system. We use the term P/CP, however other groups use terms such as:
- patient advisor
- patient family advisor
- patient experience advisor
- patient partner
- patient public partner
- Person with lived/living experience (PWLLE or PWLE)

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