Canada’s universal healthcare system is considered by many to be one of the touchstones that symbolize Canadian progress. As such, many consider this public monopoly to be an inviolable piece of Canadian identity and any efforts to change let alone improve it are met with resistance. Canada’s health care system remains rooted fimly in the ideology of universal access and care.
Yet strangely enough, the reality of Canada’s health care system by almost all measures and indexes performs at or near the bottom of OECD rankings and is the second most expensive in the world. Patients experience a myriad of waiting lists and health bureaucracy that often create immeasurable suffering and poor results.
Given this reality, how can healthcare in Canada improve and catch up to the rest of the western world? What is the way forward and out of Canada’s unstainable, expensive and low performing health care system?
One pioneering voice for change has been Dr. Brian Day who has spent decades advocating for changes that would put patients first. Dr. Day joined Leaders on the Frontier on February 17th, 2022 for a fascinating discussion about his personal journey as a Physician, the challenges of our healthcare system and a pathway way forward to better serve Canadians.
Dr. Day is featured in Frontier’s recently released book by Senior Fellow Susan Martinuk “Putting Patients First – The Canadian Healthcare System Failure and the Dr. Brian Day’s Story.”
Dr. Day’s Biography
Brian Day is a pioneer in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine in Canada. He was involved in developing the world’s first surgical robot and the first ever satellite telemedicine broadcast between North America and China. He was the recipient of the Canadian Orthopedic Association’s Edouard Samson Award for outstanding research. He is a former research committee chair and past president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, the world’s leading academic society in his field. He has lectured worldwide and has published over 200 articles and book chapters.
He is a past president of the Canadian Medical Association. Despite the deterioration in our healthcare system, Dr. Day is optimistic that physicians, with their knowledge and experience, can lead necessary reform and propose solutions to the current unsustainable system.
In 2014, Dr. Day was honoured to receive the Don Rix Leadership Award from the Doctors of BC. He is a past board member of the BCMA, and is currently a member of the BCMJ editorial board. He is motivated to support the Doctors of BC in creating a health system that is excellent for patients and physicians.
Background Material:
Patients at Risk: Exposing Canada’s Health-care Crisis
