The CMA is advocating that the trade of medical goods and medications be protected to avoid disruptions to patient care. Specifically, that the government:
Continue to ensure pharmaceutical products and medical devices are not included in any countermeasures on tariffs.
Improve safeguards for Canadian health data.
Improve labour mobility so physicians can work across the country.
Make it easier for qualified physicians to immigrate and work in Canada, including by fast-tracking immigration steps for US physicians.
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BUDGET: Provide CMA’s perspective on the Government of Canada’s budget, particularly as it relates to modernizing Canada’s health care system by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, and promoting equitable access to care.
ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN: Advocate for measures to alleviate the administrative burden on physicians and support their professional wellbeing, including investment to facilitate the development of EHRs and EMRs in Canada, improved remuneration for the completion of federal health forms, the development of a Federal Disability Benefit, ensuring that physicians are not captured in the definition of "promoters" in the Disability Tax Credit Promoters Restrictions Regulations, providing clarity and guidance on federal forms, and advocacy on discontinuing the requirement that employees present sick notes to their employers.
AGEING WITH DIGNITY: Advocate for a pan-Canadian plan to improve elder care, including investments in long-term care standards, enhanced home and community-based care, and supports for older persons, an older adults care benefit program to deliver funding to older adults and caregivers to cover out of pocket health care costs, improved national standards and investment in the area of palliative and end of life care, and the development of a United Nations document supporting the rights of older persons.
INTEGRATED HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCES
Advocate for an Integrated Health Human Resources Strategy, including creating retention incentives and addressing administrative burden for health care professionals, increasing the number of doctors and nurses and ensuring that every Canadian has access to a family doctor or primary health team, increasing access to virtual care, creating an action plan to get internationally trained health care professionals to work, improving workforce data collection across health systems and investing in a supply needs-based planning tool, and facilitating team-based health care.
NET ZERO: Advocate for sustainable health systems in Canada, including reaching net-zero emissions by 2050; advocate for the establishment of a national climate and health secretariat within the federal government to develop a pan-Canadian approach to addressing the impacts of climate change and health; and advocate for a targeted health infrastructure fund as part of the federal government’s long-term plan for public infrastructure.
MEDICAL MIS/DISINFORMATION: Provide CMA’s perspective on the impacts of medical misinformation and disinformation, including on public trust in science, medicine, and public health experts.
FEDERAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR A NEW PRIMARY CARE ACCESS FUND: Recommendation for a funding commitment to ensure that every Canadian has access to a family doctor or primary care team.