While LTC homes must remain an option for some, home care services can be ramped up more rapidly. Furthermore, by lessening the need for more institutional forms of care, we can avoid the significant infrastructure costs that are associated with warehousing vulnerable people. 

There’s one common-sense reform to reduce wait times that’s packed with potential, but without the political baggage: simply pay hospitals according to the care they provide.

As our society continues to age, the demand for end-of-life care will only intensify. By prioritizing hospice care, building hospice beds, expanding the health-care workforce, and increasing funding transfers, we can transform the landscape of end-of-life care in Canada.

The creatioin of a transformative institute to modernize access to specialized treatment is necessary to capitalize on modern technology, spread and scale international best practices, and foster interprovincial collaboration in Canada’s health system.

Since 2011, EU patients have had the right to travel to another EU country for surgery, pay for it, and then be reimbursed by their home country. Reimbursements cover up to the same amount the home country would have paid for treatment locally.

The consequences of long wait times have been well documented. It’s time for policymakers to consider implementing a solution hidden in plain sight: Canada’s supply of internationally trained health-care providers sitting on the sidelines.