The CEO of the Huron-Perth Healthcare Alliance says one of the problems facing hospitals across the county is the Canadian Public Health Care system was built several years ago and has not really adjusted to the changing market.
The system was built around physicians and hospitals and while those are still very important parts of the system today the population that used the system has changed considerable.
CEO Andrew Williams says when the system was introduced the population of Canada was very young and now they're dealing with baby boomers and the different needs they have.
Williams says health care providers have to recognize the changing needs of their consumers and shift their focus to health promotion and disease prevention, services at home and outside of the higher acuity centres and generally look at different models of care. Williams adds it is an evolution and won't happen quickly but system has to catch up to reflect changes in the market.
