May 31, 2017 (Ottawa) – HealthCareCAN – the national voice of Canada’s hospitals and health organisations – is proud to be a signatory of the “Joint Statement of Action to Address the Opioid Crisis in Canada.”
“This crisis impacts all provinces and territories and spares no socio-demographic group. HealthCareCAN is committed to doing everything it can to contribute to the collaborative response to one of the biggest public health threats facing Canada,” said Bill Tholl, President and CEO of HealthCareCAN. To that end, we have committed to the following:
- By May 2017: Establishing and working with existing public health and healthcare networks to convene meetings of members to facilitate the sharing of best practices, including, but not limited to, surveillance, treatment, and overdose prevention.
- By June 2017: Holding a town hall forum on Opioids at the National Health Leadership Conference in Vancouver. This conference is attended by more than 700 health system leaders and those working at the front lines of Canadian healthcare.
- By December 2017: Working with members to leverage and share education programs about the dangers of handling fentanyl and carfentanil for first responders.
- By December 2017: Working with academic health sciences centres and other partners to identify a best practice curriculum on pain management and opioid related disorders.
- By December 2018: Once identified, working with members to roll out this curriculum to healthcare providers across the country. As many initial addictions start in hospital, there is a need to ensure that hospital based providers are current on pain management best practices.
- On an ongoing basis: Working with Health Canada, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, other stakeholders and our members to identify best practices related to the handling and monitoring of medications within hospital, with the aim of reducing the loss and theft of opioid medications.
- On an ongoing basis: Working with Health Canada and our members to ensure real-time alerts and the surveillance of opioid drugs and analogues within and outside of Canada.
- On an ongoing basis: Ensuring interaction between our members and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to aid in improving timeliness and accuracy of data regarding adverse opioid related health events requiring hospital based assessment and treatment.
“Our seven commitments reflect the unique role that our members can play in addressing this crisis,” added Mr. Tholl. “They know first-hand the importance of taking action and of working collaboratively to reduce the harm associated with opioid addiction. Our members have been at the front-lines developing innovative solutions across the continuum; from prevention of addiction, to harm reduction, to management and treatment of addiction.
Members of HealthCareCAN will be sharing these best practices with the Hon. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health, at an invitational roundtable HealthCareCAN is hosting during the National Health Leadership Conference on June 12th in Vancouver.
HealthCareCAN supports the initiatives taken by the Health Minister and federal government to date and looks forward to continued collaboration with government and other partners in ensuring an end to the opioid crisis.
HealthCareCAN is the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada. We foster informed and continuous, results-oriented discovery and innovation across the continuum of healthcare. We act with others to enhance the health of the people of Canada; to build the capability for high quality care; and to help ensure value for money in publicly financed, healthcare programs.
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Media contact:
Lucie Boileau Director of Communications, Marketing and Government Relations
lboileau@healthcarecan.ca
855-236-0213/613-241-8005 x 205 Cell: 613-462-5604