Released on June 14, 2000
Saskatchewan is taking the lead in defining a new vision of medicare to meet
the challenges of the 21st Century.
Premier Roy Romanow today announced The Commission on Medicare. The
commission, headed by health consultant Ken Fyke, will identify challenges
facing medicare, outline potential solutions and engage the public and health
care providers in a discussion of new ideas.
"Forty years ago, this province pioneered publicly funded, publicly
administered health care in Canada," Romanow said. "Today, we will once again
lead the way in finding solutions to strengthen medicare and protect its core
values into the future."
Romanow said that medicare faces many challenges today, including new medical
treatments, rising costs, an aging population and shortages of key health
professionals.
Identifying those key challenges will be the commission's first task. Second,
it will recommend an action plan for the sustainable delivery of health
services across the province. Finally, it will identify longer-term
opportunities for reform that will ensure a strong future for a publicly funded
and administered medicare system.
The commission will deliver its first report by the end of 2000 and complete
its work by the spring of 2001.
"Ken Fyke has a solid track record of leadership and innovation in health
care," Romanow said. "We are asking him to lead a process of research,
dialogue and discussion that will result in creative solutions to preserve and
strengthen our system of medicare that binds us together as a province and as a
country."
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For more information, contact:
Jeff Brown
Communications Branch
Saskatchewan Health
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-4088
Provincial Commission on Medicare
Terms of Reference
Values
The people and the Government of Saskatchewan share a profound commitment to a
publicly funded, publicly administered health system.
In particular, Saskatchewan is committed to a health system that:
Embodies the principles of The Canada Health Act: Universality,
Portability, Accessibility, Comprehensiveness and Public Administration.
Promotes the collective good and overall health and well being of the
population;
Provides a high standard of quality in the services provided;
Treats people in a caring and compassionate manner;
Clearly defines accountability and responsibility;
Distributes costs in a way that is fair and equitable;
Ensures access to services based on health need and not on the ability to
pay;
Uses public resources effectively.
Mandate
The Commission on Medicare will provide recommendations to the people and the
government on the continuation of publicly funded, publicly administered
Medicare in a manner that responds to the unique needs of Saskatchewan people,
contributes to improved health and well being, and will be sustainable and
affordable to citizens over the long term. Within this context, the Commission
on Medicare has a three-fold mandate:
1. To identify key challenges facing the people of Saskatchewan in reforming
and improving Medicare, including but not limited to:
improving an accessible, equitable, quality health system that serves the
collective good of all residents of Saskatchewan;
understanding the effect of changing populations on future health service
needs;
identifying financial challenges; and
considering the supply and roles of health care providers.
2. To recommend an action plan for delivery of health services across
Saskatchewan through a model that is sustainable and embodies the core values
of Medicare. This action plan will:
describe what services are needed, how and where to deliver them, taking
into account the health needs of citizens;
balance and integrate services (i.e., prevention and treatment,
institutional and community-based care) to improve the health and well
being of Saskatchewan residents; and
consider the share of public spending allocated to the health system
relative to other program priorities and health spending as a percentage
of the provincial gross domestic product (GDP);
3. To investigate and make recommendations to ensure the long-term stewardship
of a publicly funded, publicly administered Medicare system. These
recommendations should ensure that we:
have an accessible, quality health system for all;
consider the appropriate criteria for services to be publicly funded and
administered into the future;
understand the need to balance health spending with other areas of public
investment; and,
consider the balance between health services and other underlying factors
that contribute to the health of individuals.
So that the people of Saskatchewan have an opportunity to participate in the
Commission's work, the Commission shall solicit comment and information from
the public and health sector stakeholders.
The Commission will provide the first of its reports to the Premier in the Fall
of 2000 on the challenges facing the people of Saskatchewan in reforming and
improving Medicare. The Commission will provide a second report to the Premier
before the end of 2000 with an action plan for delivery of health services
across Saskatchewan, and will provide a final report by the Spring of 2001 on
the long-term stewardship of our publicly funded, publicly administered
Medicare system
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Kenneth J Fyke B.S.P., M.H.S.A., LLD (Hon)
Mr. Fyke is currently Chair of the Board of Directors, Canadian Blood Services
(CBS), a new agency responsible for providing Canadians with safe blood and
blood products. In addition, he provides consultative services in the areas of
public policy and operational reviews within the health services sector.
Mr. Fyke has over 35 years of experience in senior administrative positions in
the Canadian health field. He is a former Deputy Minister of Health in the
provinces of Saskatchewan and British Columbia, working with governments lead
by numerous political parties. He was the first President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Greater Victoria Hospital Society, one of Canada's earliest
amalgamated hospital systems (1984). He was also the first Chief Executive
Officer of the Capital Health Region in Victoria, where he developed a regional-
integrated health service consisting of 9500 staff, 1000 physicians and an
operating budget of $500 million (1996).
He represented Canada at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland and
at the Pan-American Health Conference in Washington, D.C.
In 1989, Mr. Fyke was instrumental in the development of the Victoria Health
Project, which received national recognition and an international award for its
innovations in community based care. During 1990/91, he served as a member of
the British Columbia Royal Commission on Health Care and Costs (Closer to Home).
In 1990 he appeared before the Standing Committee on Health & Welfare, Social
Affairs, Seniors and the Status of Women of the House of Commons and the
Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology of the Senate to
discuss reform of the Canadian Health Care System.
Mr. Fyke has a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from the University of
Saskatchewan and a Master of Health Services Administration from the University
of Alberta. He received the Robert Wood Johnson Award for the outstanding
graduate in Health Services Administration in 1971. In 1999, he received the
Degree of Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa from Royal Roads University for his
leadership in Canada's health care system. In 2000, he was the recipient of
the Lieutenant Governor's Silver Medal for Excellence in the Public Service.
Mr. Fyke frequently contributes to educational events, has served as a
preceptor for students of several universities and has written, spoken and
consulted widely on health policy, management and governance issues. He has
contributed to reviews and plans for health services restructuring in the
cities of Calgary, Toronto and Regina. In 1999, he led a team of Canadian
health professionals, to review the hospital and health services in Abu Dhabi,
UAE.
Mr. Fyke is Past-Chair of the Physician Manager Institute Advisory Committee
(CCHSE-CMA), and is a former member of the Board of the Canadian Health
Services Research Foundation. He sat as a member of the Canadian Blood
Services Transition Bureau prior to his appointment as Chair, CBS.
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