Released on October 2, 2013
Focus on Promoting Innovation, Accessibility and Healthy Living
Health Minister Dustin Duncan and Rural and Remote Health Minister Randy Weekes will join their provincial and territorial counterparts at meetings in Toronto this week to discuss quality improvement and sustainability of health care. Ministers will also review progress on the important work of the Council of the Federation’s Health Care Innovation Working Group.
“Improving quality, timely and accessible health services for our patients is the focus of our health system transformation agenda in Saskatchewan,” Duncan said. “Sustainability and innovation are critical to ensuring our health system can meet the needs of our residents into the future.”
Saskatchewan is using Lean to improve access, quality, safety and value for patients and staff. Other examples include the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative which is driving down surgical wait times, redesign of Primary Health Care is ensuring people are receiving the right health services when and where they need them, and improving mental health and addictions services is the focus of an inter-ministerial action plan.
“Through our lens of patient first, we are focusing on putting patients and families at the forefront of every improvement decision we make,” Weekes said.
Other examples of innovation include the new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan and the replacement hospital for Moose Jaw which will both be state-of-the art facilities using Lean principles focused on design and function that bring services directly to patients and families. Better design and flow means more efficiency for staff in providing direct care, and also smaller building footprints resulting in cost savings.
Shared services strategies led by 3sHealth have already realized significant savings for the health system. 3sHealth continues to leverage additional group purchasing contracts to increase buying power with provincial and national procurement contracts for clinical supplies.
Provincial and territorial Health Ministers will also have an opportunity to meet with the Federal Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose during a second day of meetings. Topics of discussion at the federal-provincial-territorial table will include an update on MS research from the Canadian Institute for Health Research, as well as healthy weights and the collaborative work undertaken across Canada to address prescription drug shortages.
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For more information, contact:
Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tmcmurchy@health.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594