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Reimagining Health Care to Improve the Wellbeing of Canadians
Medavie’s Chief Executive Officer Bernard Lord recently joined Ross Wallace, principal at Santis and host of Santis’s podcast series “From the Burgundy Chairs”, to discuss Canadians’ changing health care needs and ways organizations are innovating and collaborating to support people-centered care.
Mr. Lord emphasized the importance of shifting our thinking to provide accessible, sustainable health care to Canadians.
“It can’t be just taking the system we have now, or the system we had some 20 years ago, and improving on the margins. It requires a shift in thinking and real innovation. It requires doing things differently than we have done in the past to make sure Canadians have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a cost we all can afford.”
Bernard Lord
Mr. Lord, who was recently named chair of the International Federation of Health Plans, also spoke of the need to look beyond Canada’s borders to find solutions to our country’s health care challenges.
“One of the reasons that I am involved in the International Federation of Health Care is so we can have that cross-transfer of knowledge and innovation.”
He underlined the need to form partnerships to provide timely access to quality care.
“I truly believe that when you establish the right partnerships you can provide the service faster, you can do it more efficiently and it is beneficial for the people we serve.”
Mr. Lord acknowledged that patient-centered care is an area where improvements can be made.
“There has been some focus in this area, some energy and investment but I think we need to take it to the next level. We really need to think of the people that use the system first and how do we design the system to meet the needs of the patients, of the families, the people that need care. That will force us to change how we invest, how we develop the system, the technology we use.”
He also recognized that more can be done to enhance the patient experience.
“A lot of Canadians are looking for the same access, speed and responsiveness they find in other sectors of the economy. They want to find that in health care and right now, unfortunately, it’s not the case."
“I think it’s incumbent upon us to use the tools that are existing now in other sectors and bring them to health to improve the experience of patients. That is part of care.”
Mr. Lord also spoke of the changing role Canadians are playing in health care.
“A lot of Canadians want more control and say in their own health. They want to be an active participant in their health rather than just a passenger, if you will, in the health care system.”
Listen to the podcast
Hear more thoughts from Mr. Lord on reimagining health care for the wellbeing of Canadians.
Filed under Business Leadership Medavie
