More collaboration
Health ministers agree to work closer together on cutting costs.
Health ministers from the four Atlantic provinces pledged Thursday to work more closely with each other to improve the level of services provided to Atlantic Canadians.
Speaking to reporters in Charlottetown outside the Atlantic summit on health care and drug cost sustainability, P.E.I. Health Minister Doug Currie said the benefits of increased collaboration are clear to all.
“In Atlantic Canada we have approximately two million people with a health-care budget of $10 billion,” Currie said.
“It was very clear today, as a result of the direction that came out of the June meeting, that we’ve got capacity to capture savings on improving our generic pill rates in the region.”
He said they’re also looking at ways that they can support one another in bulk purchasing of various medications.
Currie said the mandate is very clearly to re-invest back into health care.
There were presentations at Thursday’s summit from generic and brand companies on the pharmaceutical side and Currie said all are engaged in looking at ways in which they can partner.
“They want to be part of the solution and we as ministers are excited by their message,” Currie said. “But most importantly today is about making sure we can improve access, whether it be to drugs or health-care services to the patient, whom we all have responsibility for.”
A focal point of the summit enabled discussions on the ways in which regional co-operation can help enhance the sustainability of health delivery with a key emphasis on better management of drug costs.
The summit also gave participants the opportunity to share best practices in chronic disease management and innovation in drug policy co-operation.
Key outcomes of the Summit include working collaboratively to:
develop a plan to increase generic uptake in public and private drug plans;
develop and implement a strategy for improving regional cooperation in drug purchasing and enhance drug access for Atlantic Canadians.
Nova Scotia Health and Welfare Minister Leo Glavine said the growing cost of pharmaceuticals continues to place significant pressure on health-care budgets and can impact our citizens’ ability to access and afford the medications they need.
“If we move to a higher rate of generic drug use, both in the public and private plans then we can in fact save money. The picture that we had presented today is very clear. For every one per cent increase in generic drug use our region saves $22 million that we can then reinvest into other frontline health care.”
He said lowering drug costs depends on everybody continuing to work together at the regional level and at the national level.
“We continue to see further opportunities to engage the federal government in a national pharmacare program.”
As a result of Thursday’s summit the four regional ministers will direct their officials to provide detailed timelines to define potential savings and reinvestment objectives.
Ministers have asked for an update for their next regional meeting.