Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Results

Overview

Ministry Linkage to the Five Great Goals

Government has set out five overarching goals to guide the work of ministries in achieving the full potential of British Columbia. The Five Great Goals for a Golden Decade focus on literacy and education, healthy living and physical fitness, supports for disadvantaged populations, job creation, and environmental stewardship.

The work of the Ministry of Health is guided by the government’s Five Great Goals. While the ministry’s primary contribution to achieving the five goals can be found in the goals focused on health and wellness (Goal 2) and providing supports to disadvantaged groups (Goal 3), the work of the ministry ultimately contributes to the achievement of all the government’s goals. Following is an overview of the key initiatives for B.C.’s health system that support the attainment of the Five Great Goals for a Golden Decade.

The Ministry of Health will:

• Provide health promotion and disease prevention programs that will help people stay healthy so they can learn. For instance, the ministry will contribute to healthy childhood development by providing hearing screening, sight testing and dental checks for children before the age of six.

The Ministry of Health will:

• Lead government’s ActNow BC initiative through which all ministries and all sectors will contribute to supporting British Columbians to make healthy lifestyle choices in their schools, workplaces and communities. The ActNow BC initiative will promote physical activity, healthy eating, living tobacco free, and making healthy choices during pregnancy.
• Strengthen health protection programs to prepare for and respond to major public health risks such as SARS, West Nile, influenza, meningitis, and natural or accidental disasters.
• Continue to deliver expanded immunization programs for children and seniors.
• Work to continue to reduce inequalities in health status among British Columbians, with a particular focus on improving Aboriginal health and wellness.
• Expand the BC HealthGuide and BC NurseLine program to provide citizens with health information and advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with translation services in over 130 languages.

The Ministry of Health will:

• Expand home and residential care options for seniors and the disabled, including building 5,000 new residential care, assisted living and supportive housing with care spaces in partnership with BC Housing and community affiliates by December 2008.
• Invest in strengthening and modernizing health services for seniors.
• Continue to enhance mental health and addiction services across the province, and participate with other ministries, health authorities, BC Housing, municipalities and community organizations to develop and implement strategies to address mental health, addictions and homelessness.
• Work with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Ministry of Education to better integrate services for children and youth with special needs.

The Ministry of Health will:

• Work with ministries across government on the ongoing implementation of the Drinking Water Protection Act to ensure safe, quality drinking water for British Columbians.
• Work with ministries across government to protect and enhance the province’s air quality by moving ahead on the recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer’s Report on Air Quality in British Columbia.

The Ministry of Health will:

• Continue to foster innovation in the expanding health sector while creating safe, healthy and rewarding workplaces that will attract skilled workers and professionals to British Columbia.
• Work with the Ministry of Advanced Education, post-secondary institutions, the federal government and other provinces and territories to address the long-term need for a stable supply of health workers.
• Encourage health research and innovation by completing a $100 million investment in the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

Cross Ministry Initiatives

The Ministry of Health is an active contributor to several cross ministry initiatives. Most significantly, the ministry leads government’s ActNow BC initiative, which involves all ministries and all sectors in supporting British Columbians to make healthy lifestyle choices.

The ministry will also continue to work with other ministries across government to support a number of key government initiatives. Examples of the ministry’s actions in these areas include:

• First Nations — the ministry supports government’s efforts to improve First Nations’ economic and social position in B.C. The Ministry of Health will work with federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as Aboriginal organizations, to eliminate health inequalities between First Nations people and the general population.
• Literacy — the ministry supports government’s literacy initiative by delivering programs that help ensure children are healthy and ready to learn. New healthy childhood development programs such as hearing screening, sight testing and dental checks for all children before age six, can help children be healthy when they reach school-age.
• Children’s Agenda — the ministry supports government’s focus on children by developing and implementing numerous healthy child development programs and healthy living initiatives.
• Crystal Meth Strategy — the ministry is working with other ministries and organizations to combat crystal meth and other substance use in British Columbia. The ministry supports these coordinated efforts by designing and delivering prevention and addiction treatment programs.
• 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games — the Ministry of Health is contributing to B.C.’s preparations for hosting the world at the 2010 Games. The ministry is chiefly involved in ensuring emergency preparedness programs are in place and in planning for the effective use of emergency services, such as the B.C. Ambulance Service, during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
• Asia-Pacific Strategy — the ministry supports government’s initiative to open new opportunities for trade and leadership across the Asia-Pacific Gateway. The ministry supports this initiative through the promotion of the world-class services of the BC Centre for Disease Control. The BCCDC is poised to become the Pacific centre of excellence in disease control.
• Regulatory Reform — the ministry is continuing to support government’s commitment to reduce the regulatory burden and develop a modern regulatory framework. The ministry will continue to identify reduction and reform opportunities, and focus on improving regulations to ensure they are consistently results-based, cost-effective and flexible, and promote competitiveness and innovation.

Performance Plan

British Columbians are supported in their pursuit of better health through health protection and promotion and disease prevention activities.

British Columbians in general are among the healthiest people in the world. We want to support the excellent health status of the majority of our citizens while also helping those in the population who do not enjoy good health or are at risk of diminishing health from factors such as poor dietary habits, obesity, inactivity, injuries, tobacco use and problematic substance use. Services such as health promotion and protection, and chronic disease prevention and management, are important to maintaining and improving health outcomes while containing overall health system costs.

Providing British Columbians with self care tools and resources can empower individuals and families to stay healthy and manage minor and chronic conditions safely, in collaboration with a health care professional where necessary. If we can keep people healthy and out of the health care system, we win on two fronts: people have a better quality of life, and scarce resources can be freed up for non-preventable illness.

Key strategies include:

• Working with health authority partners and other government ministries and organizations to develop and implement ActNow BC, a program to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent disease by providing people with the information, resources and support they need to make healthy lifestyle decisions. Specifically, ActNow BC will promote physical activity, healthy eating and weight, living tobacco free and making healthy choices during pregnancy.
• Assisting people to stay healthy across their life-span through the development of a staying healthy framework. The framework complements the illness care components of the health system; provides a system-wide approach to staying healthy; and focuses on public health renewal, population health promotion, prevention services in primary care, and self-care.
• Supporting healthy childhood development through programs to identify problems with hearing, vision or dental health for children before they reach Grade 1, and providing the supports and services necessary to address their needs.
• Working with the Ministry of Education under the broad Health-Promoting Schools initiative to address elementary students’ physical activity levels with the Action Schools! BC program, phase out junk food sales, implement the School Food and Vegetable Snack Program, and provide information on healthy lifestyles.
• Providing British Columbians 24 hour-a-day access to health information, advice and resources to assist their self-care and self-management by expanding the BC NurseLine and other components of the BC HealthGuide program.
• Working with health authorities and other partners to develop a comprehensive approach to self-care across the continuum of care, from birth to coping with end of life.
• Working with the federal government and other provinces to develop a pan-Canadian Public Health Strategy, which will set goals and targets for improving the health status of Canadians.

Performance Measures:

B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer tracks 91 indicators that survey the overall health of the population. From monitoring the quality of our natural environment, to assessing the condition of the broader determinants of health, like employment, education and income inequality, the indicators give a comprehensive understanding of our province’s health. The latest iteration of this annual report can be found at: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pho.

The ministry has chosen to track two indicators found in the Provincial Health Officer’s report: smoking rates (age 15+) and physical activity levels (age 12+). These indicators will help assess the effectiveness of programs to encourage tobacco reduction and physical activity. Long-term targets have been set in accordance with the ActNow BC initiative.

For smoking rates, the target is to continue B.C.’s downward trend of tobacco use by a further 10 per cent — from the 2003 prevalence rate of 16 per cent to 14.4 per cent of the population by 2010.

For physical activity, the target is to increase by 20 per cent the proportion of the B.C. population currently classified as active or moderately active from the 2003 rate of 58.1 per cent to 69.9 per cent of the B.C. population by 2010.

*	Data collected through the Canadian Community Health Survey. The most recent available data will be used for reporting purposes.

The second major approach to keeping people healthy is through providing effective public health services to prevent illness and disability. The ministry and its partners play an important role in monitoring and protecting the health of the population. Legislation, regulation and monitoring of food, air and water quality lay the foundation for communities and citizens to live in healthy and safe environments. Immunization programs and infectious disease and injury prevention and control measures also help to improve population health, prevent illness and reduce health care costs.

In addition, as part of promoting and protecting health, the ministry and its partners are focusing on reducing inequalities in health status among the B.C. population. In particular, we are working together to improve the health status of Aboriginal people in British Columbia. In general, the Aboriginal population does not enjoy the same level of good health as the rest of our province’s population.

Key Strategies:

• Protect health by implementing core public health programs, including immunization programs, infectious disease and injury prevention and control measures, monitoring and regulating water and environmental safety, reproductive health, food security and health emergency management.
• Continue to prepare and respond in a coordinated system-wide manner to major public health risks, emergencies or epidemics (e.g., West Nile, SARS, pandemic influenza, meningitis outbreaks, and natural or accidental disasters). Work with other provinces and the federal government to reflect best practice implementation of the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan.
• Build on the excellence of the BC Centre for Disease Control in protecting British Columbians, and promote it as a leader for the Pacific world.
• Work with provincial ministries, health system partners, the federal government and Aboriginal organizations to eliminate health inequalities between First Nations people and the general population.

Performance Measures:

One important element of effective public health is immunization, particularly for infants and the vulnerable elderly. To this end, the ministry will measure both the percentage of two year olds with up-to-date immunizations and the percentage of residents of care facilities who receive influenza vaccinations to protect them in flu season.

Also, the ministry will judge efforts to improve the health status of Aboriginal peoples by tracking post-neonatal infant mortality rates, and comparing them to the general population. Over the past decade the gap between the Status Indian neonatal (<28 days) infant mortality rate and the rate in the general population has been virtually eliminated. However, a gap does still remain in the post-neonatal group (28–364 days of age); accordingly, the ministry will focus on improvements in the post-neonatal subset of infant mortality rates.

1	In its 2004/05 Annual Report, the Ministry of Health reported the rate of 69% for 2004/05 based on partial data. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has been given the responsibility for data collection for this measure and is developing new reporting methodology to standardize and improve data quali
2	A five-year moving average (1999–2003) is used for this indicator. Given the relatively low number of infant deaths, a five-year average mitigates year-to-year variation and provides a better indication of longer-term trends.

Patients receive appropriate, effective, quality care at the right time in the right setting. Health services are planned, managed and delivered in concert with patient needs.

All British Columbians should be able to access appropriate health services when they need them, be that for a visit to a family doctor, prescription drug therapy, emergency treatment, elective surgery or ongoing care. The ministry and its partners have been working diligently to ensure hospitals, community services and health professionals are used in the most efficient and effective way possible so that people get the right type of care in the right type of setting that will lead to the best health outcome. The key approaches have been to ensure there is an adequate supply of key providers, to increase the range and availability of services provided in the community, and to ensure that our hospitals are used effectively to provide emergency and acute care, such as surgery or cancer treatment.

In the past year, British Columbia has been an active participant in the development of new national wait time benchmarks covering services in the priority areas of cancer treatment, cardiac care, sight restoration, hip and knee replacements, and diagnostic services. Overall, British Columbia is performing well in providing timely access to services in these areas, although the rapidly increasing demand for hip and knee replacements is causing challenges in providing timely access for those particular procedures. In the year ahead, we will continue to pay particular attention to reducing waiting times for procedures in the five priority areas, with a particular focus on hip and knee replacement surgeries.

Key Strategies:

• Investing in services that meet people’s needs across their life-spans, including health promotion and disease prevention services, primary care, maternity care, acute care, cancer care, home care, rehabilitation services, residential care, mental health and addiction services, and end-of-life care.
• Continuing to focus on reducing wait times in key surgical and medical areas, including cardiac treatment, diagnostic imaging, joint replacements, cancer services and sight restoration. We will establish a new surgical patient registry to help manage elective surgery waiting times by ensuring the highest priority patients receive the first available spots, and develop other innovative approaches to managing increased surgical demand, particularly for hip and knee replacement procedures.
• Expanding primary care capacity and services delivered by doctors, nurse practitioners, midwives, pharmacists and other key professionals to provide effective first point of contact care and help keep people with chronic diseases as healthy as possible.
• Increasing the range of supportive living environments and community care options, across the spectrum from home care to residential facility care, for elderly and disabled individuals so they can remain as independent as possible in their own homes and communities while also having the full support of residential care if their health conditions require the highest level of care. Part of this strategy is building 5,000 new residential care, assisted living and supportive housing with care beds by December 2008.
• Provide British Columbians access to prescription drug therapy through the PharmaCare program, and develop a National Pharmaceuticals Strategy to provide all Canadians access to catastrophic drug coverage, accelerate access to breakthrough drugs, strengthen the national evaluation of drug safety and effectiveness, and pursue national purchasing strategies to obtain drugs and vaccines at the best price possible.

Performance Measures:

Measuring access to appropriate care is currently hindered by a number of factors, including the variable reliability of wait time data and the absence of clinical assessment tools that are accepted and consistently applied across the province. With the recent establishment of the first set of national wait time benchmarks, each province and territory is now working on establishing comparable indicators of access to health care professionals and diagnostic and treatment procedures. The ministry is actively participating in this process and is taking concerted action to improve wait time data to facilitate improved management and public performance reporting of waiting times.

Currently, the province maintains a public website with information on the percentage of total surgeries completed within certain times as well as monthly data on the median wait times and number of waitlisted patients for selected procedures. The Surgical Wait Time website (http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/waitlist/) is updated regularly with information to help patients review their own wait times based on the statistics of specific specialists and surgeons.

Meanwhile, in this service plan we will continue to focus on the following indicators to determine our progress in creating the right balance between care provided in the hospital and care provided in the community, and in providing timely access to needed health services:

a) Timely access to residential care — the percentage of clients admitted to a residential care facility within 30days of approval.

This indicator tracks the percentage of seniors and people with disabilities who are admitted to residential care within 30 days of being approved through assessment. Clients approved for residential care have complex care needs that require close attention. Improving access to this type of care leads to better outcomes and use of resources.

b) Timely access to cancer treatment — radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are principal treatments in cancer care. Ensuring treatment is available and provided in a timely manner is important to achieving the best health outcomes for patients.

c) Timely access to hospital services — hospital admission from the emergency department.

A hospital admission can either be planned, such as scheduled surgery, or unplanned. This measure focuses on unexpected hospital admissions that occur through hospital emergency departments. Many people are appropriately treated and released from emergency departments, but some people require an extended course of treatment and must be admitted to hospital. Measuring the amount of time from the decision to admit a patient from an emergency department to when the patient is admitted to an inpatient bed provides an indication of access to appropriate levels of care.

1	In 2005/06 the ministry adopted a new method of data collection for access to residential care. This figure is preliminary as it is based on partial year data for 2005/06. The final baseline for this measure will be the 2005/06 end of year results as published in the ministry’s 2005/06 annual report (published in June 2006).
2	Major hospital sites only. Major hospital sites are those with over 35,000 emergency room visits per year and include Burnaby, Kelowna, Lions Gate, Nanaimo, Prince George, Richmond, Royal Columbian, Royal Jubilee, Royal Inland, St. Paul’s, Surrey Memorial, Vancouver General and Victoria General Hospitals.
3	In 2005/06 the ministry adopted a new method of data collection for this measure. This figure is preliminary as it is based on partial year data for 2005/06. The final baseline will be the 2005/06 end of year results as published in the ministry’s 2005/06 annual report (published in June 2006).

B.C.’s health system is committed to providing top quality care and services. When people use the system we must ensure the care they receive is centred on their needs, safe, evidence-based and will lead to the best health outcomes. Since one size does not fit all in health service delivery, the ministry is working with health authorities, physicians and other providers to design and deliver customized care that addresses the unique needs of patients or specific patient groups, such as those with chronic diseases. Implementing a quality focused, patient-centred approach can improve quality of life and health outcomes for patients and provide better use of health services.

Key strategies include:

• Providing targeted services for patients who have extensive health care needs or are at high risk. For instance, targeting programs for the frail elderly can provide needed services in a more coordinated manner, and lessen known risks in that population (e.g., hip fractures from falls).
• Increasing the emphasis on the effective management of patients with chronic diseases to prevent or slow disease progression. Focus areas will continue to be diabetes, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and dementia.
• Expanding end-of-life care services, including hospice and home-based palliative care, to provide dying people with greater choice and access to services.
• Ensuring the quality and safety of health services across the continuum of care by reviewing safety issues and by developing and implementing safety guidelines, best practices and initiatives.

Performance Measures:

Measures under this objective centre on improving chronic disease management, focusing specifically on the treatment of congestive heart failure and diabetes. Improvement targets have been set in accordance with best practices in treating these chronic conditions.

The ministry is also tracking an indicator to help us assess the availability of increased care options for persons at the end of life.

a) Use by physicians of appropriate drug therapies to treat congestive heart failure (CHF), measured by the percentage of patients suffering from CHF who are prescribed: a) ACE inhibitors; b) Beta blockers.

ACE inhibitor and Beta blocker drugs are recognized for their importance in treating patients suffering from congestive heart failure. Targets have been set in consultation with the Chronic Disease Collaborative, a collection of physicians working to implement best practices for chronic disease management.

b) Improved management of diabetes measured by the percentage of patients with diabetes who undergo at least two A_1C tests per year.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases. It affects about five per cent of British Columbians and is steadily increasing in prevalence. By taking two A_1C tests per year, patients and their physicians can be aware of abnormalities faster, and lower complication rates. This means a healthier life for the patient and a reduced impact on the health system.

c) Decrease in percentage of natural deaths occurring in hospital.

As part of a comprehensive plan to improve end-of-life care, the ministry is monitoring the number of natural deaths that occur in hospital. A decrease in the rate will serve as a proxy measure for improvements in the availability of a range of appropriate non-hospital choices for end-of-life care. It is recognized, however, that some deaths appropriately occur in a hospital setting. Accordingly, a long-term target has not yet been set as the ministry continues to work with partners like the Canadian Institute for Health Information to research and develop best practices for end-of-life care.

The health system is very complex. The diversity of health needs across the province means the system is always caring for unique patients through different caregivers, in different settings, every day. While we have made good progress, the ministry and its partners will continue to work to improve the integration of those services so care can be provided in the most coordinated and seamless manner possible, which benefits both patients and health service providers.

In addition, the ministry is also committed to improved collaboration and coordination with other provincial government ministries and with agencies outside the traditional health system. Coordinated action and improved integration will allow government to provide better support services for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors.

Under this objective, the ministry has a particular focus on mental health and addiction services. People with mental illness or substance misuse disorders often must access various providers to receive care and support services. The ministry and its partners are working to ensure services, from child and youth to adult programs, are integrated and available within people’s home communities to improve and simplify the patient experience, while ensuring the appropriate care and services are delivered.

Key strategies include:

• Providing a full continuum of high quality mental health and addiction services within each health authority, which better integrates primary, secondary, community and tertiary care and is integrated within the larger care networks.
• Expanding drug and alcohol treatment for at-risk and addicted people who are seeking help.
• Specifically addressing the need to provide integrated programs for youth addictions, including both detoxification and outreach programs. Particular focus will be placed on contributing to government’s integrated approach to addressing crystal meth use in British Columbia.
• Working with other government ministries to ensure initiatives, programs and services are integrated to achieve maximum benefit for those in need, including people suffering from mental illness and/or substance misuse, children with special needs, children and seniors at risk, and persons with disabilities.

Performance Measure:

The ministry will measure the continuity of care in mental health services by tracking the percentage of persons hospitalized for a mental health diagnosis who receive community or physician follow-up within 30 days of discharge. A high rate of community or physician follow-up reduces the chances that a mental health client will suffer a relapse and have to be readmitted to hospital. It also indicates strong communication between discharge planners, community services and family physicians.

The public health system is affordable, efficient and accountable, with governors, providers and patients taking responsibility for the provision and use of services.

The ministry’s strategic direction for the health system must be well articulated and communicated to the public and to those who deliver services to the public. The ministry is committed to leading and fostering a culture in which health system activities are evidence-based, well planned and understood, and in which accountability structures exist to ensure strategic directions guide service delivery activities. Further, it is important that the ministry effectively support its service delivery partners (health authorities and health professionals) to achieve the strategic priorities of the health system. It does so by supporting health research activities and the development of best practices for service delivery, and developing legislative, regulatory and policy frameworks to manage the health system and protect public health.

Key strategies include:

• Translating health care needs into clear strategic direction and measurable expectations that will guide operational management and delivery of health services.
• Facilitating the delivery of health services by partners through the development and use of best practice guidelines, standards, benchmarks and protocols.
• Providing legislative, regulatory and policy frameworks to ensure policy direction is clear and consistent and allows services to be delivered appropriately and cost-effectively.
• Providing strategic communication support to ensure accurate information is available in a timely and coordinated manner.
• Completing the commitment to provide $100 million by 2007 to the Michael Smith Foundation to expand health research and technology, and continuing to create opportunities for health partners to share knowledge and best practices to facilitate continuous improvement in service delivery.

Making the right investments in information management systems and new technologies will support the health system in meeting the goals and objectives set out in this service plan. Technology can improve system integration and efficiency, improve access to services across the province, assist managers and practitioners to make evidence-based decisions, and help citizens access valuable health information in a timely and convenient manner.

The ministry and its partners are working to realize the potential in each of these areas through implementation of B.C.’s eHealth Strategy. eHealth represents a major step in transforming the health care system into a seamless continuum of care, supported by a seamless web of health information. It is also a powerful tool to allow providers to apply the highest standards and best practices to improve the quality and safety of services for British Columbians. Further information on the eHealth strategy can be found at http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/cpa/publications/index.html.

Key strategies include:

• Enhancing patient care by enabling province-wide integration of and access to clinically required, person-specific data, while protecting personal privacy (electronic health record).
• Expanding telehealth to improve rural and remote residents’ access to health services and specialists.
• Improving the clinical and management utility of health data for decision-making through broadened availability of quality data and analysis.
• Expanding public access to health services and health information through web-based applications.

Performance Measure

eHealth is about more than just information technology — it is about changing and modernizing clinical and business practices in the delivery of health services. Therefore, it is important to ensure physicians and health professionals are engaged in the design of the process changes and the selection and implementation of new supporting technology. Accordingly, the ministry will track physician engagement in the implementation and uptake of eHealth technologies.

Skilled and caring health professionals are the cornerstones of our health system. Thousands of British Columbians seek medical attention every day, confident they are in the care of competent professionals who hold themselves to the highest standards. To be sustainable the system must ensure it has enough, and the right mix of, health professionals to provide the services that will meet British Columbian’s needs now and in the future.

B.C. has made significant progress over the past four years in addressing our health human resource needs, but there is more work to be done. In early 2006, the ministry will publish a health human resource plan that highlights the many initiatives underway, and provides information on our strategies to address anticipated future gaps in the supply of health professionals. The plan will be available at http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/cpa/publications/index.html.

Key strategies include:

• Building on B.C.’s 10 year health human resources strategy, and collaborating with other provinces and territories, to ensure a stable supply of health professionals now and in the future.
• Aggressively recruiting foreign-trained doctors and nurses through the newly expanded B.C. Provincial Nominee Program, which allows applicants to gain permanent residence status more quickly and permanently practice in British Columbia.
• Working with the Ministry of Advanced Education and health system partners to implement human resource training plans, including increasing education and training opportunities. Key initiatives include expanding B.C.’s medical school, with campuses in Victoria, Prince George and Kelowna, doubling of the number of post-graduate residency spaces to 256 by 2010, and investing in the continued recruitment, training, and retention of nurses.
• Integrating nurse practitioners into B.C.’s health system, and increasing the number of nurse practitioners graduating in the province, including new graduates at University of Northern B.C.
• Addressing succession planning needs through initiatives to develop future leaders capable of managing the increasingly complex health system.
• Creating safe, positive work environments that attract and retain talented people.
• Implementing a ministry human resource plan that supports employee wellness and assists the ministry in meeting its strategic goals.

The ministry is committed to working with its partners to manage the health system efficiently to ensure resources are spent where they will have the best outcome. The ministry monitors and evaluates the delivery of services and the health of the population and works with its partners to ensure services delivered in the system meet the needs of the public. As part of a commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making, the ministry uses its evaluations of health system performance to inform strategic direction and facilitate course correction where warranted. It also uses this information, along with population demographic and health need projections, to plan investments in the health system’s physical infrastructure.

Key strategies include:

• Providing three-year funding commitments to health authorities, updated annually, to enable them to plan and act with certainty, and developing and implementing three-year performance agreements to detail responsibilities and expectations for service delivery.
• Effectively managing the Medical Services Plan and PharmaCare programs to ensure needed medical and pharmaceutical services are available and sustainable.
• Working with health authorities and other partners to plan and manage strategic capital investments to renew the health system’s infrastructure, including facilities, equipment and information technology. Priorities include: expanding hospital services in Surrey and Delta; completing the new Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre; expanding B.C.’s medical school; providing 5,000 new residential care, assisted living and supportive housing with care beds; and investing in high tech medical equipment such as MRI’s and CT Scanners.
• Working with system partners to ensure overall health system costs remain affordable and within budget.
• Monitoring and reporting publicly on health system performance and the health of the British Columbia population.
• Utilizing strategic partnerships and innovative approaches to improve services to the public within the available fiscal resources.

Ministry Performance Plan Summary