RELEASE -- Reflections on the Drummond Report

February 17, 2012 - The Drummond Report recognizes that medical problems have shifted from acute (and often infectious) diseases to long term chronic conditions. Because the system remains dedicated to acute aspects of disease it has spawned a growing number of expert-based services and medical specialties that have fragmented the system and made it difficult to provide the continuity of care demanded by chronic conditions.

How Patients can Improve the Healthcare System

At the Patients’ Association of Canada, we realize that the ideal system described in the Drummond Report can never come into being without a dramatic increase in patient participation. Canada is far behind other countries in introducing such participation. Patient engagement is critical at all levels of a system responding to chronic disease. At the clinical level the capacity for self-care and participation in primary care can mitigate the need for specialist and acute treatment. At the service delivery level, the patient experience can help to identify the fragments that need connecting. At the governance level, patients are the only ones who can present their perspective because expert groups are unavoidably affected by their own interests when being asked to speak on behalf of patients.

Sholom Glouberman is available for commentary at sholom.glouberman@patientsassociation.ca, or by calling (416) 785-2500 ext. 2150.