A new report suggests the need for new investment to help change the way hospitals work.
The Ontario Hospital Association document states that rising demands, costs, aging infrastructure, and changing demographics are putting pressure on hospital efforts to be efficient.
President Anthony Dale says that while the achievements made have been remarkable, those efforts alone will not be enough to address the challenges faced.
“While the degree of efficiency achieved over the years has been remarkable, it’s clear that addressing the challenges of the future will require further capacity planning and long-term investments in technological and clinical innovation, rather than relying on traditional ideas and approaches,” states Dale in a release.
The report notes provincial spending on hospitals is the lowest per capita in Canada at $1,935 per person.
To reach the national average, the province would need to invest another $4.4 billion.
“Just as we’re adapting our economy in the face of trade conflicts and a changing world, we need to prioritize health care as one of our competitive advantages,” says Dale.
“Technical and clinical innovation within health care will also become increasingly important.”
The report notes that with the improvements made to dates, Ontario has the second-lowest hospitalization rate, the lowest average length of stay and the lowest cost of an inpatient stay among all provinces.
