H E A L T H C A R E   P O L I C Y

Canadians often tell themselves that they enjoy “the best healthcare system in the world.” Unfortunately, the evidence doesn’t support these claims. Despite very high per-capita spending levels, Canada’s healthcare system underperforms in comparison to a number of European countries, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. In many European countries, wait times for healthcare services are much shorter than in Canada. AIMS research focuses on identifying and measuring the performance gaps between Canada and some of its peer nations and on identifying policy strategies and global best practices that can help reduce wait times and improve patient care in Canada.

AIMS research in the healthcare sector also focuses on the development of policy ideas that can help strengthen the role of consumers themselves within the healthcare system. Our work examines global practices and policy ideas that provide patients with more access to information about their own health status and treatment options, enabling them to be active, leading participants in their own team of health care providers.

POLICY PAPERS & OP-ED COMMENTARIES

 

Platform for Nova Scotia

This Spring, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) surveyed dozens of leading minds in Nova Scotia about the province’s future. Respondents discussed their concerns about Nova Scotia, including low growth, decaying public institutions, and demographic stagnation. To reverse decline, this group proposed many original and helpful insights for public ...
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Is the obesity-industry-complex making us fat?

According to the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 62 percent of Canadian adults – or roughly 24 million people - are now either overweight or obese. That’s an awfully high number of Canadians who seem to need help with their weight. Now that obesity is officially classified as a disease by ...
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Incidental Findings in Genomic Research

Genomic research has evolved into a massive international drive to understand ever more about how the human body functions, what vulnerabilities to disease can be identified, what predilections exist and how remedies can be more effectively targeted to improve health outcomes.  This research does not involve the “generic” human body, ...
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The Effectiveness of the Common Drug Review in Canada’s National Drug Strategy

Where you live in Canada and your economic status make a big difference to the sort of prescription medicine you are likely to receive. That’s not supposed to be! In 2002, Canada’s federal and provincial health ministers (except Quebec) launched the Common Drug Review (CDR), to “ensure a consistent and ...
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Canadian Health Consumer Index 2010

This is the third annual Canada Health Consumer Index (CHCI) produced by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy and the Belgian Health Consumer Powerhouse, this year in cooperation with AIMS. It shows three distinct leading provinces, but also tells of story of a health care system that needs help. The ...
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MEDIA MENTIONS

 

Drugs coming out of Canada are Reimportation

AIMS' 2007 study Drug Re-importation in North America and Europe: An Overview by Brian Ferguson was referenced in an article by the Epoch Times discussing the reality of drug imports ...
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Media Release: Bridging the Left and Right

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 ...
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It’s 2015, so why can’t I email my doctor yet?

It’s time for the provincial government to get out of the way of smart, cost-effective communication between doctors and their patients.At a time when surgeons can perform Internet-enabled operations that ...
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Helping Yourself By Helping Your Doctor

Every day, Canadian patients benefit from remarkable cures of diseases that were previously fatal.We expect a lot from health care, and so we should, because health care takes about half ...
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