CONTENT:
Running head: PRIMARY CARE SYSTEMPolicy Paper Primary Care System in Ontario ProvinceNameUniversityCourseInstructorDateIntroduction Canadians are more concerned about the nature of their health system. The number of those accessing care services is increasingly falling despite the expansion of healthcare services. Fiscal sustainability and access continue to affect Canadian healthcare and subsequently many commissions have been formed to look into this and make recommendations. One such commission is the Romanow Commission of 2002. Primary care system plays a key role in maintaining wellness and good health. Adequate funding, staffing and resources are vital to good primary care if the needs and interests of those it serves are to be met. However, less than half of the people are involved in their care. Some of the barriers that prevent patient engagement include time and long time waits. The current reform in primary care focuses on increasing access to community and family care by more than half. The Romanow Report identifies the urgency to change the current healthcare system into one that focuses on primary healthcare interventions and strategies (Roy & Romanow, 2002). The report notes that primary health means more than traditional notion of treatment. It includes illness and injury promotion and health promotion. This paper examines primary healthcare as integral part of healthcare system reform which is driven by the need to have accessible and effective primary care services, appropriate caregivers and appropriate settings by removing potential barriers. Primary Care System in Ontario and Healthcare ReformThe Romanow recommendations cover a broad spectrum of issues related to healthcare system. But for the purposes of this paper, the recommendations will be limited those related to primary care and especially in Ontario (Keshen & Blake, 2006). The report supports publicly financed and administered healthcare system and Medicare as its chief cornerstone. It recommends use of Primary Healthcare Transfer to fast-track the implementation of primary healthcare. To achieve this, the report proposes conditional funding for those territories and provinces advancing ...