The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is advocating for more robust oversight of health-care spending, following a series of agreements between the federal government and the provinces and territories. In a newly released report, the CMA emphasizes the need for better tracking of health-care delivery improvements and patient outcomes, highlighting the complexities of these deals and their shortcomings.
One key concern raised by the CMA is the lack of specific targets aimed at addressing emergency room closures. The association’s report points out that no province or territory has set goals to eliminate these closures, despite the significant funding allocated to improve health care. To bridge this gap, the CMA is calling for the establishment of a national health accountability officer. This new role would focus on monitoring progress, ensuring that health-care spending is efficient, and reporting on whether the funding is achieving its intended outcomes.
In 2023, the federal government committed $196 billion over a 10-year period to improve health-care access, with approximately $45 billion being new funding. Provinces and territories were required to enhance data sharing and track progress in exchange for this financial support. Quebec was the last province to sign the agreement in March 2024.
However, the CMA’s report reveals that five provinces and territories still lack targets for providing electronic access to health data, and seven have not set goals for improving data sharing. This lack of accountability, according to the association, hinders efforts to fully utilize this historic level of funding to transform the health-care system.
The CMA is urging all levels of government to implement proven solutions to ensure that the allocated funds deliver tangible improvements. Currently, more than 6.5 million Canadians are without a primary care physician, while surgical backlogs and health-care workforce shortages continue to strain the system.
CMA President Dr. Joss Reimer emphasized the importance of accountability in achieving lasting reform. “Enhanced accountability is crucial to successfully implementing durable changes in our health-care system,” Dr. Reimer stated.
By improving oversight and setting clear goals, the CMA believes Canada can better address critical issues such as emergency room closures and health-care access.
