Premiers focus on best practices, health-care innovations at council meeting

HALIFAX – Canadian premiers are reviewing a report today that looks at ways to improve efficiencies in health care, compare best practices and how they can cut costs on the purchase of generic drugs.

Premier Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island and his Saskatchewan counterpart Brad Wall drafted the report, which contains numerous recommendations on how to streamline health-care expenditures.

A source with the P.E.I. government says the document will be released later in the day at the Council of the Federation meetings in Halifax.

It looks at clinical practice guidelines, bulk purchasing of drugs, ways to deliver health care more efficiently, care innovations and the appropriateness of care.

The Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Nurses Association helped guide the research and report, which the source said has received the approval of all the premiers.

A draft version of the report contains 11 recommendations, according to a source in the health care field, who said there are “major recommendations” on clinical practice guidelines and scope of practice.

The source said the report will recommend standardizing clinical practice guidelines to bring consistency across the country.

The six-month project is the first time nurses and doctors were invited to the table with the premiers to examine health practices, the source said.

The report will also focus on team-based health care after looking at models in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta for efficiencies.

As well, the report is expected to include recommendations on the delivery of emergency care in rural areas and ways to ensure there are enough health practitioners in Canada.