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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 14 ,2 01 9 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncana- dianchampion.com or call 905- 234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA EDITORIAL Pundits on all sides of the debate about health-care reform in Ontario tend to speak in absolutes. The sys- tem is broken and we will fix it, says Doug Ford. The government plans to privatize large chunks of the sys- tem and that's absolutely wrong says NDP Leader An- drea Horwath. Health-care unions warn of absolute disaster. Health Minister Christine Elliott is on the record promising, absolutely, that no "Ontarians will fall through the cracks" of the reformed system. Why this absolutism, this refusal to acknowledge shades of grey? It's because the discussion and debate has become so politicized, there's no room for anything other than black or white. But the truth is, as anyone with even a basic knowl- edge of the system knows very well, speaking in abso- lutes risks simplistic solutions to complex problems. The reality is more like this: The system isn't bro- ken. It works remarkably well for thousands of Ontari- ans every day. But, from a financial and infrastructure perspective, it is not sustainable. Health care is only beginning to feel the weight of an aging population, and already cracks and fissures are causing problems for too many health-care consumers as well as the people who work in the system. We would agree with Horwath and other critics who worry about the extent to which the Ford government's free market leanings will drive reform down a road toward two-tier health care. We're already seeing signs of centralization - the province's planned "super agen- cy" to oversee most aspects of the system, including primary and hospital care, is just one example. But let's keep this in mind, too. The previous Liberal government had 15 years to make measurable progress in major health-care challenges - hospital overcrowd- ing, inadequate community-based care and insufficient long-term care infrastructure are examples - and while it had some success, we're far from there yet. We need to see what the current government's solu- tions look like, and we should not get bogged down in partisan hyperbole. Let's take privatization, for ex- ample. The NDP and others insist more privatization will be the end of universal health care. But the reality is sig- nificant aspects of the system are already private and, in some cases, are working as well or better than the public aspects of the system. Have you used a lab for blood or other testing? Chances are it was private. Your dental work? Physiotherapy? Some ultrasound testing? The truth is that complete public universality hasn't been the reality for many years now. That doesn't mean we should endorse radical privatization holus bolus. But nor does it mean the private sector cannot be an important, perhaps the most important, partner in reform. Consider the example of a fully-integrated, secure, real-time online system for medical record portability. The Liberals largely failed at this. Is it so hard to envi- sion private sector innovation and agility being key ingredients to finally getting a system we should have had years ago? Here's an absolute: Reforming health care breeds anxiety. It's that important. The opposition and media, but especially citizens, have a crucial rule to play as the government rolls out its plans. One thing we know for sure about the Ford govern- ment is that while it doesn't always listen, it sometimes does - think about successive attempts to open the Greenbelt for development stymied by solid public op- position. We have to remain alert, to listen, set aside precon- ceived and partisan notions. What other choice is there? TIME FOR AN ADULT CONVERSATION ABOUT HEALTH-CARE REFORM Ontario's health-care system needs an overhaul - so says anyone who's wait- ed hours in their local emergency department or waited months to see a spe- cialist or who can't find a family doctor. On Jan. 31, the Premier's Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway Medicine released its first report. The snap- shot it gave of the health- care system was upsetting. On average: • 1,000 patients receive medical care in the hall- ways and unconventional spaces of hospitals across Ontario - each day. • Patients are waiting 16 hours in the emergency de- partment. • Patients are waiting 146 days to enter a nursing home. • Patients are waiting six days for home care. It's not that we aren't working hard. I see doctors, nurses and allied health working harder than ever before. But we need to work smarter. The Premier's Council is charged with finding an- swers to transform the sys- tem. This is only the first report so it is light on de- tails. But it is a first step to- ward a health-care system that provides the right care for the right person at the right time. With a properly inte- grated system, all the nec- essary pieces come togeth- er in a continuum of care to help the patient and their family when someone falls ill. What we have now is a series of one-offs with dif- ferent front line providers and long waits in-between. The report committed to expanding and integrating digital health networks. Doctors like me invest in digital medical records to manage patient records. Some are even able to hold virtual visits to improve ac- cess for people who live in rural, northern or under- serviced communities. But we're not yet at the point where computer systems in one office, hospital or care setting can easily talk to an- other. So patients find themselves acting as mes- sengers between providers in different care settings. If we work smarter, I be- lieve that we can find effi- ciencies - especially if the system works as a whole rather than in pieces. Any savings realized from these efforts really should be re- invested back into the front line services that patients desperately need. But we need to get this right. At the end of the day, any suggested changes to the health care system has to work in the real world of your doctor's office and your local hospital. The in- put of physicians, nurses and other allied health will be critical to the success of this transformation effort. Nadia Alam is a George- town physician and presi- dent of the Ontario Medical Association. She can be reached at na- dia.alam@oma.org. INITIAL PREMIER'S COUNCIL HEALTH CARE REPORT UPSETTING WE NEED TO WORK SMARTER, WRITES DR. ALAM NADIA ALAM Column