For immediate release:
September 10, 2015
Halifax, NS – The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) is proud to announce its partnership with the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council in their search for effective and immediate solutions to barriers in the delivery of clinical care. The two organizations are coming together to stand against stagnation, lack of innovation and the failure to embrace better and more efficient care for Nova Scotians.
On October 13, 2015, the first of six public Healthcare Policy Forums will be hosted by AIMS, sponsored by the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council at the Halifax Public Library. These forums will bring together experts and stakeholders from a variety of fields. Over the next several months, similar forums will follow in six other venues across the province, including Sydney, Yarmouth, South Shore, Antigonish and Truro.
Each session will explore, with public input, how greater patient participation can lead to improved clinical care in our health care system. The main goal of the sessions is to build patient literacy and pave the way for patients to access their own health information, including timely access to laboratory reports; information about their personal risk factors; and general information about health and health system performance.
By interconnecting ideas and people with healthcare experts and leaders, people can achieve better policy objectives and healthcare governance for all Nova Scotians.
Dianne Kelderman, president and CEO of the Co-operative Council, expressed her motivation in sponsoring an activity led by a market-oriented think tank in order to further health care objectives for their members. “The collaboration between our institutions in this endeavour springs from the many frustrations we have experienced. Seeing Nova Scotia Health repeatedly reject community solutions and tried-and-tested methods that are being used in many other jurisdictions with successful results, while improving systems and relieving suffering of patients, is alarming,” Kelderman says.
It is highly significant that two organizations, which for better or for worse have traditionally been identified with the political right and the left, respectively, are coming together to call on meaningful healthcare reforms for Nova Scotians.
“There is no left, middle or right in healthcare. It is an issue that affects every single person in Nova Scotia”, says Kelderman.
“Across the ideological spectrum, people are reaching out in Nova Scotia, looking for basic solutions that will benefit all Nova Scotians,” said Marco Navarro-Genie, president and CEO of AIMS. “Left-Right political divisions matter little. What truly matters are effective policy solutions to stop the deterioration of our medical system and once and for all to incorporate available means and resources already in use elsewhere in order build upon and improve on what we have,” he said.
-30-
The Nova Scotia Co-operative Council is a non-partisan, economic development agency. The voice of the Co-operative sector. Committed to people owned and people led economic and social prosperity.
The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan research institute that provides a distinctive Atlantic Canadian perspective on economic, political, and social issues. The Institute seeks to stimulate public debate with well-considered argument and evidence-based data and set the benchmark on public policy.
For more information (media only), please contact:
Dianne Kelderman
Marco Navarro-Genie, PhD
902 429 1143, ext 224