The origins of canada healthcare system and key principles for its effectiveness

Abstract

Aim of investigation. This article describes the origins and key principles for Canada’s healthcare system effectiveness. The focus revolves around the general principles of the sphere of medical care; namely, the orderly process of defining health problems, identifying unmet needs and surveying the resources to meet them, establishing priority goals that are realistic and feasible, and projecting administrative action, concerned with the adequacy, efficacy and efficiency of health services in Canada. The author outlines the dominant principle of the Canadian healthcare system; while complying with the international standards, it provides a highlyqualified medical care, furthermore, both high life expectancy and low infant mortality rates testify to this reality. Noteworthy, the bases of social organization and healthcare system in Canada were grounded in late twentieth century. The fact that the Second World War hardly ever devastated both country’s economy and the nation testifies to the public health system, being established in quite favorable conditions. In addition, the demography of Canadian population, being quite stable and favorable, prompted the economy to rapidly develop as well as the government political decisionmaking to push to review its existing healthcare law principles and start reforming it, so that the country can respond better to its health and health system challenges. It should be emphasized that the Medical Care Act (1966), which, along with the Hospital and Diagnostic Services Act (1957), established the basis for Canada’s universal, publicly financed health insurance system, known as Medicare, effectively enshrined private fee-for-service practice as the dominant mode of practice organization and physician payment in Canada. Canadian Healthcare system establishment fell into several stages: the first stage (in early 40’s of the 20th century), the provision of targeted subsidies for special programs of health care and for the construction of hospitals were legally approved, since a growing number of Canadian citizens were able to obtain a level of decent health care through Canadian hospitals. The second step was taken in 1957, the Hospital Insurance and Diagnostic Services Act (HIDS) were passed with all-party approval; it paid approximately half the cost of provincial insurance plans for hospitalbased care, as long as the plans complied with specified national conditions. Medical Care Act of 1966 extended health insurance to cover doctors’ services. While the basic principles of Medicare are determined by federal legislation, responsibility for health under the Constitution falls under provincial jurisdiction. Therefore, there are certain variations in the plan from province to province. It is not surprising that the first breakthrough of the legal framework contributed to the development of hospitals network in the country; at the same time, medical care qualitative indicators were complied with the national requirements. The third stage (1968-1979) covered the adoption of the legislative documents that formed the Canadian system of medical insurance for Medicare and established the allocation of funds for hospital and community-based medical care. In 1984, a Health Care Act was adopted in Canada, which consolidated the basic principles of Medicare. Medical care had always been a centerpiece of Canada’s welfare state program, since it expected the provincial and territorial governments to be responsible for the management, organization and delivery of health care services for their residents. The specifics of the theme predisposed application of comprehensive approach to the research methodologies, among which there should be mentioned such as: structural-functional analysis, which includes the study of functional dependencies of all elements of the social state. Adhering to the problematic principle of presentation of the material, the author used the institutional method, focused on the study of institutes through which the activities of the health protection system are implemented. At the same time a number of such special methods were used as statistical retrospective and prognostic. Scientific novelty: the mutual precondition of socio-economic, demographic, socio- political factors on the process of formation of the Canadian system of medical services was substantiated , the reasons and the4 main stages of the formation of free medicine in Canada were determined, as well as advantages and disadvantages of the modern Canadian health system. Conclusions An important conclusion of this review is that the Canadian healthcare system also has a spectrum of drawbacks that require bridging the gaps. Currently Canada’s healthcare system faces challenges of staff shortage and access to health care. Nonetheless, it should be emphasized that Canada’s Medicare is a source of pride, funded by the state and provides universal health care coverage care to all residents of Canada.