First Nations clinic will cut health-care wait times
By Lethbridge Herald on June 23, 2022.
Joseph Quesnel
Frontier Centre for Public Policy
Indigenous communities across Canada should learn from an Alberta First Nation that’s establishing a private health clinic to provide services that will reduce the pressure on the public system.
The Alberta government recently approved a plan by the Enoch Cree Nation, close to Edmonton, to build a private clinic specializing in hip and knee surgeries. This clinic will partner the First Nation with companies that will construct the building and provide the equipment. As with other public clinics, the surgeries completed in this clinic will be, in most cases, covered by public funds.
Before readers become upset by this proposal, private clinics are quite common across the country. These private clinics are, in fact, needed to reduce the backlogs that exist in many surgical procedures. Like other private clinics, the Enoch clinic will be tightly controlled by the provincial health department.
As often happens in our country, any discussion of private health care gets short-circuited by baseless claims of “American-style” care. In fact, the evidence suggests that the U.S. was better able to respond to its health-care needs during the COVID-19 pandemic than Canada was. Unfortunately, the mainstream media in Canada missed this evidence because it was, so it seems, too busy promoting the government narrative and demonizing Canadians who were unvaccinated.
During the pandemic, we clearly learned that Canada’s health-care system isn’t prepared for substantial surges in demand. The surge from the pandemic led to tens of thousands of postponed surgeries. Some patients, in fact, died while waiting in a queue. The increased demand also affected health-care workers, who were under considerable stress. Medical professionals were burning out at a high rate, and many left the profession.
Even so, one hopes that the Enoch experience will lead to the opening of more private health-care clinics on First Nations. Indeed, some of Canada’s other Indigenous communities could build private clinics, providing their communities with increased revenue and high-skilled jobs.
Because the federal and provincial governments will be involved, the Enoch First Nation will pioneer the way to solving some significant jurisdictional difficulties. The federal government could provide substantial and needed support for First Nations which would like to help deliver health-care services to Canadians.
Enoch Cree Nation isn’t the only First Nation to be involved in delivering health care. In 2012, the Westbank First Nation in B.C. announced a plan to build a for-profit hospital targeting medical tourists and Canadians who needed extended care.
At the time, some constitutional experts thought this project would violate the Canada Health Act. The Westbank First Nation claimed that, as a self-governing community, it wasn’t constrained by the act.
In the end, the First Nation abandoned the proposal.
Nevertheless, the decision by the Enoch First Nation may set a precedent by showing other First Nations how to build health-care clinics. Of course, clinics would promote the establishment of other services, resulting in much-needed economic and employment prospects for Indigenous people.
Joseph Quesnel is a senior research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. © Troy Media
14-13
So many dog whistles from a questionable source with a negative perspective on Indigenous peoples.
https://pressprogress.ca/winnipeg-based-think-tank-wants-scientists-to-debate-the-link-between-race-and-iq/
Read this link you have provided. Some very interesting facts in this piece. All debunked under the guise that the Frontier Centre is a right wing think tank. Progress never does refute any of the theories and facts directly, instead using the tired old left wing (you’re lying) tactic of smearing anyone and everything including Kenney and Rex Murphy. Your “dog whistle” is bogus. Progress provides no contrary argument to Frontiers report.
Private clinics end up being “more expensive and inefficient in the long run. The UCP have not provided no reason why new surgery facilities cannot be built and operated in the public system.” Quote: David Shepherd, AB NDP health critic. He’s right.
Costs more and inefficient. The cost of surgeries hip, knee, etc at private clinics are picked up by the current public system. Consultation, pre op, post op and paid for by the client. Time from start to finish. Under a month. Public system wait time for knee surgery up to 18 months. As for inefficient, leave that to the public. The only thing the NDP critic is right about is more union employees(voters). Then we can hire 5 more people to monitor the work of one nurse. That is inefficient. The public health care system is fine in some locations just as would be private clinics. The privates will only become inefficient when the government starts it meddling and control act. An example of 50 people using the private clinics opens up 50 spots in the public system thus reducing wait times. What’s wrong with that other than the moral argument for universal care, it’s not fair, only the “rich” can do it, and the ever present Notley and NDP screeching “American style health care” mantra. Another way to look at this is if your quality of life is in the crapper what is more important to you. Waiting 18 months because you want to be “fair” or coming up with the fees at a private clinic. Lay around for 18 months and acquire an infinite number of health issues, die or find a way to come up with the fee. Me, I’m in for the fee, I’d find a way.
Is this facility for the exclusive use of indigenous? Does that mean our hospital is then off limits?
There is much more to consider re: private vs public health care. It may not as straightforward and simple as could be thought. This research is, perhaps, a pertinent, and extensive, read:
“Increased Private Healthcare for Canada: Is That the Right Solution?”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7957357/