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Can the new one size fits all super Saskatchewan Health system be all things for all the people of Saskatchewan?
We are about to find out over the next eight to 12 months.
The advisory panel on the health system鈥檚 structure completed their work and submitted their recommendations to Health Minister Jim Reiter last week. It appears as if his ministry will be adopting most of these recommendations with the most significant one being the concept of rolling all 12 of the province鈥檚 health regions into one super health-care service depot, except for the far north, which will have it鈥檚 own dedicated region with its unique needs.
That means instead of 12 provincial chief executive officers, the super health office will have just one CEO. There will be an advisory board appointed to serve the wishes of the CEO or vice-versa.
According to those who have studied health-care governance and administrations over the years, we can expect some interesting turf wars and 鈥渨ho鈥檚 the boss?鈥� issues to surface while the package is being put together.
Naturally Reiter will serve as the upfront spokesman for the unfolding super group, but being a politician, subject to portfolio changes every year or two, the public cannot expect him to be the boss, although the Sask. Party provincial government would like us to see the picture that way. It will be Reiter who will be issuing the statements and defending the decisions being made by the back room boys and girls. This group will more than likely be headed up by a team of deputy and assistant deputy ministers and their groupies.
Where the new Czar of health care (i.e. CEO) will fit into the picture, will no doubt depend on the strength of that person鈥檚 personality, skill set and ability to persuade others to do his/her bidding. It will not be a job for the faint of heart.
In other words, we could be in for some interesting times before the dust settles on this transformational switch.
As one political pundit Tom McIntosh suggested, even where the health czar sets up office will bear some significance with regards to whether the transformation will be business or politics. Either way, we should expect a significant amount of empire building en route to final deployment.
The appointment of the super board will bear close scrutiny since it will, no doubt, have to include geographical representation, paying close attention to the Wall government鈥檚 core strength in rural Saskatchewan, as well as professional expertise that will be needed at the table. So, just how large this super trooper team will be, is another issue that should attract attention.
It was rather interesting that the 33-page report, crafted by the panel chaired by Dr. Dennis Kendel along with panel members Brenda Abrametz and Tyler Bragg, included several recommendations we thought would have been addressed, at least in some fashion by the John Black and Associates Lean machine that was to have introduced huge efficiencies into the system years ago. Such things as ambulance dispatches are, apparently, still a messy matter in Saskatchewan鈥檚 health care system. And that is just one example of what we hope will be addressed with the central system.
There will be issues surrounding union negotiations and transitions. There will be questions about survival of smaller hospitals, which will probably be addressed later rather than sooner. The need to discuss communications and technology in a seamless fashion will also be on the table.
Another big concern will be the age-old question as to whether or not our roster of听 650 physicians will be buying into the plans that will be trying, once again, to sell the idea of true teamwork in the delivery of health care in Saskatchewan. After all, they still are private contractors in the system.
Let鈥檚 see what happens on all fronts.听
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