In an attempt to do more with lesss, the Government of Alberta recently released an RFP intended to supply more cataract surgeries for Albertans with less money. A noble goal.
The results of the RFP were that the number of suppliers of these surgeries was reduced from 11 to 4 and a lower price per surgery was indeed established.
Then all hell broke loose.
Doctors who lost in the RFP process, some of whom were the leaders in their field and who likely were charging more than the lowest price for their surgeries, were shocked. As were there patients. As this found its way into the media, Alberta moved quickly to try to stem the tide and find some ways to keep these doctors in the system.
Historically governments in Canada have dealt with burgeoning health care budgets by throwing more money at it (until they have no more), de-listing of procedures, and creating waiting lists (in effect, rationing health care).
Now governments are trying to stretch dollars further by commoditizing health care. Who can provide cataract surgeries at the lowest possible price and give us more?
But of course this approach gives little or no consideration to quality issues or to choice for patients.
It is unfortunate that governments in this country stubbornly refuse to deal with the core issue that jeopardizes our health care. No matter how much they try to pinch every penny, there will never be enough tax money available to meet the needs of an aging population.
They need to tap into a whole new revenue stream – the private sector. As many other industrialized nations have found, separate private and public systems can exist in parallel and cure the chronic problem of waiting lists that continue to plague Canada.
Who will have the courage in this country to challenge this sacred cow?
