Hello Healthwatchers! 👋
Welcome back to The Weekly Dose. Today’s issue is packed with 6 pretty big health stories from the week. Let’s get up to speed.
The Shoppers Drug Mart MedsChecks saga continues
Shoppers Drug Mart faces intensified scrutiny over allegedly pressuring pharmacists to meet medication review quotas.
Why it's important: Evidence suggests pharmacists are being pressured to meet service quotas in order to maximize billings to the government, particularly with respect to MedsChecks. This contradicts statements made by Shoppers’ leadership denying the existence of such quotas or targets.
The practice has sparked concern over the prioritization of financial objectives above patient welfare and responsible stewardship of government dollars. The Ontario College of Pharmacists is holding townhalls focused on the issue and has already received thousands of responses from its members. To give you a sense of the issue’s scale, last month Shoppers billed the Ontario government over $1.4M for medication reviews in a single week. Investigations from the CBC spurred a response from Premier Ford this week. This likely isn’t the last we’ll be hearing about MedsChecks.
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Researchers predict historic measles outbreaks
Alarmingly low vaccination rates in some areas could lead to Canada's most significant outbreak in decades, potentially affecting thousands.
Why it's important: Data from Simon Fraser University indicates a risk of serious measles outbreaks in communities with low vaccination rates, of which there are many below the modeling’s 85% threshold, some as low as 30%.
In some Quebec schools, vaccination rates are well below 50%. The trend not only poses risks but also threatens to revoke Canada's measles elimination status, achieved in 1998. Efforts to increase immunization through public health campaigns are underway in Quebec, given that Montreal is currently the nation’s hotspot. In addition to promoting vaccination, some of the province’s health settings have reinstated mask mandates in response to rising cases. With experts now expressing certainty over the eventuality of major outbreaks, I have to wonder if before long the word “epidemic” will enter the discussion if and when outbreaks become less geographically limited.
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Saskatchewan's rising reliance on travel nurses
Saskatchewan's increasing use of travel nurses, expected to cost $70M in 2024, has prompted calls for a more sustainable staffing strategy.
Why it's important: This national trend has hit the prairies, and is raising the usual set of questions around the long-term financial viability and effectiveness of relying on private agencies to staff hospitals with temp nurses.
Travel nurses, serving as a temporary fix for staff shortages, have become a regular fixture in Saskatchewan’s health system, contributing to a dramatic rise in hospital staffing costs. While the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the government emphasize the utility of these roles to avoid service disruptions, the significant expenditure and increasing reliance on them has sparked scrutiny and backlash. Critics argue this approach isn’t just costly but that it also undermines efforts to establish a stable and permanent healthcare workforce.
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Alberta's costly experiment with lab privatization
The reversal of Alberta's privatized lab services back to a public model comes with a $97M price tag, at minimum.
Why it's important: Last year Alberta embarked on a plan to privatize lab services despite warnings from health system experts. After wait times and costs began to skyrocket, the government did an about-face. Now, cost figures are beginning to emerge, and an Auditor General Investigation looms.
Health professionals and academics say the funds spent on this abrupt back-and-forth could have been allocated to frontline services. This saga shows how critical a role lab services play within the health system and the importance of careful consideration and comprehensive consultation before implementing sweeping changes to such services. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of privatization without adequate planning and consultation.
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Class actions target Ontario LTC providers for pandemic negligence
Ontario long-term care (LTC) providers face lawsuits over allegations of negligence during the early days of the COVID pandemic.
Why it's important: The for-profit nature of these LTC providers has been a focal point of criticism, especially in light of the pandemic's challenges and the outcomes in these facilities compared to non-profit and municipally-owned homes.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has certified class actions against six major LTC companies. The suits allege gross negligence by these providers led to preventable COVID-related deaths and illness among residents. Plaintiffs argue that better infection control and pandemic preparedness would have saved lives. The legal scrutiny comes alongside broader criticisms of the LTC sector, particularly for-profit homes, for their handling of the pandemic. As the cases proceed, they promise to provide a thorough examination of LTC practices, potentially leading to systemic changes in elder care.
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Report calls for review of Canada's COVID response
A new IRPP report calls for a comprehensive evaluation of Canada's institutional response to COVID-19, highlighting a mix of agility and shortcomings in our early handling of the pandemic.
Why it's important: The report advocates for the creation of an independent panel to thoroughly examine the performance of Canadian institutions in the pandemic’s first years, aiming for a holistic understanding of the lessons learned.
The call for scrutiny points to both the urgency and the necessity of refining Canada’s public health infrastructure and governance to prepare for future health crises. Suggestions include investing proactively in digital infrastructure, enhancing data-sharing for decision-making, and fostering a culture of innovation in the public service. The initiative seeks not only to address the immediate gaps exposed by COVID but also to bolster the resilience and preparedness of Canadian institutions against future emergencies.
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And there you have it! As always, our goal at Canada Healthwatch is to equip you with a nuanced understanding of these issues, empowering you to navigate the healthcare conversations that affect us all. I found this week’s stories particularly impactful, but your interests and insights matter deeply to us, so if there are topics you're keen on or suggestions for improvement, my door is always open. Stay informed, stay engaged, and until next time, take care.
Yours in health,
Nick Tsergas
National Health News Editor
Canada Healthwatch
[email protected] | canadahealthwatch.ca