Hot topics in Canadian health

National pharmacare

In the 2018 federal budget, the government announced that it is creating an Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare. The Advisory Council will recommend ways to make prescription drugs more affordable for Canadians.

While it’s too early to know what a national pharmacare program will look like, there are several possible provincial and international models that can be considered.

PMPRB reform

The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) is changing the way it determines prices for patented medicines entering the Canadian market as of 2019. The United States, which has significantly higher‑than‑average prescription drug costs, will be taken off the list of comparator countries. As per Tim Clarke, the PMPRB’s changes have the potential to save Canadians $12.6 billion over 10 years.

Virtual care

Videoconferences between patients and physicians, virtual support between in‑person visits, and tools that help patients monitor their health are just a few examples of virtual healthcare.

Virtual care offers convenience, accessibility, continuous support, a reduced burden on care providers, and improved quality of care*; so there is no doubt that it will have a major impact. But exactly where it will fit into the Canadian healthcare landscape is less clear. Should it be integrated into the public healthcare system? Or, should it be covered by employer medical plans, and if so, how should these plans be adapted?

Outside influences

According to Clarke, the pace of change in the healthcare industry is accelerating, and employers and insurers need to be able to adapt quickly.

• Artificial intelligence could be used to help patients, but it could also reshape the way insurance companies operate.
• The internet of things presents enormous potential to change how prescriptions are ordered.
• Blockchain is set to revolutionize the way medical records are stored and accessed.
• Tech companies are also poised to disrupt the health industry, with many startups working to overhaul the group insurance system and multinationals like Amazon and Apple entering the healthcare market.

*Read an employer’s perspective on virtual care.