Leading health economist Bob Evans famously coined the phrase ‘zombies’ to refer to ideas that have been solidly and repeatedly refuted by scientific evidence, but keep coming back – usually promoted by powerful professional or commercial interests.
Health systems and Health equity
Early Child Development Knowledge Network
About the Network Web Site: Early Child Development Knowledge Network Organizational Hub: Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Reports Early Child Development: A Powerful Equalizer Author(s): Lori G. Irwin, Arjumand Siddiqi and Clyde Hertzman Published: June 2007 Summary: This report synthesizes information on the importance of early child development […]
“Get Real: ” For-Profit Care is the Wrong Prescription
Karen Selick of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, who are challenging the Ontario government for its “monopoly” health system in court, advises us to “get real” about profit and health care delivery in a Globe and Mail article. Of course, part of getting real may be recognizing that it was precisely the unbridled drive for profit […]
Continue Reading“Get Real: ” For-Profit Care is the Wrong Prescription
Markham, Richmond Hill need new community health centre to tackle health inequities
The Wellesley Institute’s Michael Shapcott joined hundreds of community leaders at a forum at Markham Civic Centre on August 11 to support a new community health centre for Markham and Richmond Hill sponsored by the Social Services Network and the Association of Ontario Health Centres. The principal focus of our work at the Wellesley Institute […]
Continue ReadingMarkham, Richmond Hill need new community health centre to tackle health inequities
Toronto City Council Debates Equitable Access to Good Health and Health Care for Uninsured Residents
City Council will be considering recommendations from the Toronto Board of Health regarding health care for uninsured residents of Toronto. We and a number of progressive health care providers and researchers had appeared before the Board to support a Toronto Public Health Report. Uninsured populations currently face serious and damaging barriers to good health and […]
Ontario Improves Access To Health Care For Refugees
Ontario has joined other provinces in moving to fill the damaging gap created by last year’s federal cuts to refugee healthcare. The Ontario Temporary Health Program will provide access to most hospital, primary care, specialist, lab and diagnostic services, and to medication consistent with the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary. This coverage will be available to […]
Continue ReadingOntario Improves Access To Health Care For Refugees
New Website On The Social Determinants Of Health
The Public Health Agency of Canada has launched a new web site related to Canada’s work in the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. It provides information on the Canadian reference group (I was at a consultation on the role of civil society in relation to the SDoH organized by the […]
Continue ReadingNew Website On The Social Determinants Of Health
OMA on Health and Poverty
The Ontario Physicians Poverty Work Group are publishing a very useful series of three articles on the links between poverty and health on the Ontario Medical Association web site. The articles are by local physicians and members of Health Providers Against Poverty, public health leaders and Wellesley Associate Michael Rachlis, and provide excellent overviews of […]
Ontario doctors call for an end to three-month wait for OHIP
In earlier posts, I argued that the province should not implement policies that directly – and knowingly – make health disparities worse. Requiring new immigrants and others to wait three months for OHIP coverage is just such a policy.
Continue ReadingOntario doctors call for an end to three-month wait for OHIP
POWER: A Vital Ingredient for Equity-Driven Health Reform
The POWER (Project for an Ontario Women’s Health Evidence-Based Report) study has been an amazing source of data and evidence on population health, the persistent and damaging nature of health inequities and their underlying social determinants of health. But it has also played a vital role in identifying key directions and opportunities for innovation and […]
Continue ReadingPOWER: A Vital Ingredient for Equity-Driven Health Reform