MEDICAL SYSTEM RESTRUCTURING PLEASE

"This is in no way a “partisan" issue, this government has done good work tactically under a predetermined strategy"

July 7, 2016

Linda Larson

Chair, Standing Committee on Health

Room 243, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC
V8V 1X4

Submitted by Email:        linda.larson.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Ms. Larson,  

RE: Kamloops Public Consultation on Health Reform

I would have liked to have presented to you group, I had failed to track your schedule; I did make a submission prior please see link. CLICK HERE TO SEE SUBMISSION TO GOVERNMENT

In listening to comments today, and in other forums, a single prominent observation gains resolution; as your process frames the issue it elicits response on the present system as it is presently structured. It would be wise to contemplate how to redesign the system, rather than rework the system. One presenter mentioned the Mr. Romano’s report which had the tag line, $15 billion to save health care for a generation. I respect Mr. Romano, the reality is however, the system took that $15 billion in short order and is now screaming for more. You’re aware of the present demographic realities as they relate to healthcare services, you watch every year as billions flow to healthcare and you know that the challenges the committee is assembled to address continue. In listening today, I heard people thinking in the same old box, rearranging the chairs on the Titanic, rather than opening minds toward real reform. If you’re presently redesigning the plane while flying, it is worth considering that entrepreneurs jump of a cliff and design the plane on the way down – entrepreneurs tend to be open to new ideas and “entrepreneurship” has a place in medical service delivery under the umbrella of a single payer system as is the political imperative.

As an entrepreneur, in 1989 my entire interface with my customers was computerized – a full decade later my doctor still never took emails, and to my knowledge still fails to. The present system has very poor absorptive capacity; so many important technological solutions lay latent. The present system is a monopoly and we all know what monopolies do. The present system still has global funding issues and flow of fund issues. England’s NHS  societized hospital ownership and management, and generated good results AND returned the management of the hospital to the community. A system that has proven to be a strategic failure will never be corrected with tactics, we need to go beyond tactics and move to solid restructuring.

There is no imperative for the government to provide service delivery, there is an imperative to ensure universal access for the population to medical services and presently government is rationing healthcare and effecting universally restricted healthcare. This is in no way a “partisan’ issue, this government has done good work tactically under a predetermined strategy – George Abbot reduced global budgeting, that helped, Dr. Terry Lake has introduced innovations and there were instances where the NDP have made contributions. The challenge is, the system’s evolved state of being is a product of a flawed strategy and as such, it is unmanageable.

I sat down and asked what I want in healthcare, I designed a business model that would work in concert with the present system, read the overview of that “business model” – with an open mind, and ask yourself is this something you would prefer to what is being provided now. The offering as this model outlines, could be easily configured to fit the province’s system, it works now as an adjunct to the system. It is targeted to an upper and upper middle income bracket, it could be reconfigured and subsidized for low income markets as well.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A NEW BUSINESS MODEL

The challenge with reform is the mass of entrenched interests; to move people away from what is failing to what will work, you must demonstrate clearly that the benefits they derive from the system now will remain and be enhanced. There needs to be benefit for health service providers AND the people receiving services. Design thinking can get us there.

Thank you for your time and effort thus far.

Regards,

Neil E. Thomson

250-819-6950

nthomson20@gmail.com