Dr. Jane Philpott, former federal Minister of Health and current Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen University, has written a beautiful book which every healthcare and political leader in Canada should read (in my opinion, regardless of political stripe). Both as a memoir of her medical career beginning in Africa and an early adopter of the “Medical Home” vision for family medicine, and a detailed template for universal primary care for every Canadian, she calls for a new “Canada Primary Care Act.”
She writes,
“The transition to universal primary care will happen faster if there is a shared vision with loud public demand for and expectation of such a system. We will not be successful unless clinicians are on board. Most of all, we will need the unrelenting determination of political leaders in all orders of government, of all stripes, who will fight for this vision on behalf of Canadians and not stop until it is accomplished.”
Health for All: A Doctor’s Prescription for a Healthier Canada by Jane Philpott https://a.co/21IOl3H
She goes on to compare primary care to education in Canada–every child is expected to have access to publically funded education. She says Canadians should expect the same with access to primary care within 30 minutes of their home. And she says this can be accomplished if there is the will of leaders.
I admire Jane’s forthright writing about her journey as a caring physician for her patients and global health. And her days as a politician.
Here is a piece from The Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-its-time-for-canadians-to-have-the-right-to-a-family-doctor/
You can find her bio here: https://familymedicine.queensu.ca/faculty-staff/faculty/jane-philpott
You can buy a copy or e-copy of the book here: https://a.co/d/62DVfYF
I endorse Jane’s book and have given it 5 stars on Amazon!