The Role of the Federal Government in Health Care

Organization and Structure

• Health Canada is a federal government department responsible for health matters.
• Headed by a minister of health, it consists of a number of sub-departments organized into functional and administrative branches, agencies, and offices.
• There mission statement: “committed to improving the lives of all of Canada's people and to making this country's population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system"
• Plays a role in ensuring provinces and territories remain compliant with the Canada Health Act
• Are responsible for the majority of health care needs in the indigenous communities, the armed forces, veterans, and correctional services employees. In 2012 the federal government passed responsibility for the RCMP to the province or territory in which they reside.
• Indigenous people on reserves who are recognized by an Inuit land claim, organization receive supplemental benefits.

Ministry Level

• The prime minister of Canada appoints an elected representative to head Health Canada as minister of health
• The minister of health is responsible for: "maintaining and improving the health of Canadians"
• Responsibilities of the minister of health include:
  • Overseeing Health Canada and other agencies,
  • Including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Institute of Health Information, Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, and Assisted Human Reproduction Canada;
  • Supervising the collection and analysis of information carried out under the Statistics Act;
  • Working collaboratively with the provincial and territorial governments.
• The Deputy Minister of Health is appointed from the civil service

Branches of Health Canada

• The office of accountability and evaluation

  • Is Health Canada's independent internal monitoring system. The bureau conducts internal audits and reports to the Deputy Minister of Health.
  • They review departments and make sure everything is running smoothly

• Chief Financial Officer Branch

  • Made of serval organizational units
  • Oversees resources and ensured finances are spent wisely and effectively
  • Ensure policies and regulations

• Corporate Services Branch

  • Provide support and services to Health Canada in human research management, occupational health and safety, emergency and security management, privacy matters, and information and technology

  

• Department Secretariat

  • Acts as the link between the executive (appointed) and the political (elected) levels of Health Canada.

• First Nations and Innuit Health Branch

  • Oversees the federally funded delivery of medically necessary health care services not covered by provinces or territories to First Nations people on reserves (status or registered Indians) and in Inuit communities.
  • These services include primary care, health promotion/disease prevention programs, health education, substance abuse, mental health, child development programs
  • works with councils

• Health Environments and Consumer Safety Branch

  • Develops and supports programs that promote a safe, healthy lifestyle and environment for Canadians.
  • Also concerned with environmental containments and other matters, including drinking water quality, air quality indices, and the use of smoke detectors.

• Healthy Products and Food Branch

  • This branch oversees several directorates (outlined later), all of which impact the daily lives of most Canadians
  • Biologic and Genetic Therapies Directorate- Controls the introduction and use of biological drugs which are made from living sources such as plants, microorganisms, or animals.
  • The Directorate also oversees the use of drugs that have radioactive properties-most commonly used to treat cancers.
  • This directorate indirectly controls blood and blood products.
  • used to treat cancers. This directorate indirectly controls blood and blood products

• The Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion- Provides strategies related to nutrition and dietary guidelines, working with public health to deliver nutrition leadership.

  • Initiatives include promotional guidelines for a healthy weight, physical activity, and healthy eating by the Canada Health Food Guide

• The Therapeutic Product Doctorate

  • Regulates the use of both prescription drugs and medical devices in Canada.
  • Pharmaceutical companies must apply to this directorate for permission to begin clinical trials for a new drug.

• Natural and Nonprescription Health Products Directorate- This directorate regulates all health products containing natural ingredients, including homeopathic medicines, vitamins and minerals, and traditional medicines.

  • Summarize and enforce licensing requirements for natural health products and stipulate packaging and labeling requirements
  • All adverse reactions must be documented

• Communications and Public Affairs Branch- performs a number of duties involving communication activities both inside and outside of Health Canada.

  • Dedicated to improving the sharing and flow of information with partners in healthcare delivery, the media, the general public, and other stakeholders.

• Strategic Policy Branch (SPB)- develops and implements the federal government's and Health Canada's butt care policies, including administering the Canada Health Act, creating health protection lotions and legislation, dealing with evolving problems on a priority basis, and authorizing agencies to report information as required.

  • Promote actionable policies that ensure die every priority-based, cost-effective healthcare initiative involving several directorates

• Health Care Policy Directorate- plays a key role in reshaping primary health care delivery with the objective of preserving the principles and conditions of the Canada Health Act.

  • Assesses provincial and territorial needs for financial support for primary health care reform initiatives.

• Office of Nursing Policy- The Office of Nursing Policy reflects the importance of nursing policy issues within health care.

  • Develops strategies to retain nurses by addressing is such as burnout and frustration related to the occupational environment.

• Marketed Health Products Directorate- part of the Health Products and Food Branch-Health Canada collects information

  • The Canada Vigilance Program-which functions under MedEffect and is the point of contact for health care providers and consumers-collects reports
  • if the product is deemed unsafe it will be pulled from the market immediately

• The Regions and Programs Branch of Health Canada- comprises the region, the Workplace Health and Public Safety Program, and the Programs Directorate.

  • Assumes the responsibility for federal employees

• The Opioid Response Branch - Newly created, this branch oversees the Controlled Substance Directorate and the paid Response, Team.

  • Works with departments to respond to the opioid crisis

• The Cannabis Legalization and Regulation branch- was created to oversee the safe, legal production, use, and distribution of cannabis in Canada.

  • Responsibilities include creating and enforcing policies and regulations regarding medical as well as recreational cannabis as mandated by law.

Agencies of Health Care

Canadian Institute of Health

• An independent organization providing ongoing information about Canada's healthcare system, and the health of Canadians

• Funded by all forms of government the CIHI reports to a board of directors

• Maps patterns of health care in Canada

• The Research Center directs funds and research across Canada

  • Works of cultural, social, and environmental factors,

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency

  • Reports to the minister of health and other organizations
  • The largest science-based regulatory agency

  Patented Medicine Prices Review Board

  • Is a “watch“ agency that monitors the price of patented drugs
  • Uses a risk-based framework
  • Based on
  • The drugs benefit the consumer
  • The impact of a drug cost on valuable and affordability

Public Health Agency of Canada

• Headed by the chief public health officer
• Plays a role in population health research, policy, and program development, national health emergencies
• Most Web-based data regarding health issues are organized and posted by the PHAC.
• Also works with the center for disease control

Global Organizations Collaborating with Health Canada

• WHO- specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) concerned with public health matters on an international level.
• Spearheads global research, provides technical support to members, monitors and assesses health trends, and sets standards within the fields of health and medicine.
• The WHO recommends policies and actions regarding population health initiatives
• Instrumental in gathering information

Public Health Threats

• Public Safety Canada: involved in emergency management: work collaboratively with Public Safety Canada to address national and global threats ranging from health and natural hazards to terrorism and cyber-attacks.

• The federal government developed the National Security Policy and National Emergency Response System (NERS).

• The establishment of these organizations and policies addresses a wide variety of emergencies and concerns that Canadians may encounter.

• North American Collaboration

  • Works with the CDC

• World Health Assembly

  • Is the policy-making body for WHO
  • WHO has 34 members for a 3-year term

• Pan-American Health Organization

  • Aims to improve health and living standing
  • Serves as the regional office where the WHO functions

• Organization for Economic Co-operation and development

  • Consists of 30 countries and adheres to the principle of a free market and democracy

  • Outbreak: a sudden flare-up of an infectious disease either globally or within a specific region, or as a localized event

  • (E.g., the seasonal flu/influenza in a long-term care facility or on a floor in an acute care hospital).

  • Epidemic: an epidemic occurs when the incidence of an infectious disease rises (usually suddenly) above the average or expected number of cases within a specific geographic area.

  • An epidemic typically involves more serious health outcomes that affect healthy individuals and those considered vulnerable (e.g., very young or older people, those with chronic health problems, and/or compromised immune systems).

  • Pandemic: a sustained, worldwide transmission of an infectious disease (e.g., the influenza A [HIN1] 2009 pandemic).

  • The severity of a disease and its mortality rate are not defining

    characteristics of a pandemic.

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