The Art and Science of Transforming Canada's Health System

Abstract

This article considers whether greater attention to the art and the science aspects of organizational change can help achieve a smoother transition to future regionalized health services in Canada. The reported problems with the current system are considered and a key-point checklist based on the art and science of transformation is proposed for adoption by health system planners. It is argued that this will help address the current shortcomings of Canada's health system and improve the future delivery of Canada's health care services.

Navigating conflicting value systems: a grounded theory of the process of public health equity work in the context of mental health promotion and prevention of harms of substance use

“…The driving force of PH ethical frameworks are not only the community and population health-oriented nature of PH [ 25 ], but also those of social justice and equity [ 14 ]. Thus, the social justice foundations of PH give rise to a different value system than guiding practice in the overall health care system, which despite being considered universal and publicly funded in Canada, continues to be driven by a rationalized illness orientation with associated values of cure, efficiency and cost-effectiveness [ 26 ]. In turn, this creates many ethical tensions at the PH policy and program level that arise when working within communities and at the population level [ 4 , 5 ].…”