Health Care Innovation Working Group (2012-2019)

The Health Care Innovation Working Group (HCIWG) is composed of provincial and territorial Ministers of Health. The HCIWG focuses on innovation to enhance provincial and territorial capacity in order to better meet existing and emerging challenges in our health care systems.

Canada’s health care systems need to remain sustainable and to ensure quality health services for all Canadians in the face of challenges such as chronic diseases, pharmaceutical costs, a growing and aging population and the disparities in health outcomes for Aboriginal peoples.

Provinces and territories continue to innovate in order to improve the effectiveness of the health care systems. Working within the constraints of declining federal share of funding for health care, provinces and territories have found ways through the HCIWG to achieve savings while improving quality and patient care. Going forward, the HCIWG will focus on using technology and innovation to improve affordability, predictability and patient care.

The successful achievements of the working group include:

collaborative efforts on pharmaceuticals resulting in price reductions of nearly 70 of the most commonly prescribed drugs in Canada (effective April 1, 2018). This work has resulted in over $1.98 billion in annual savings for public drug plans through the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA);
jurisdictions across the country are implementing models of good practice in team-based approaches for providing care;
promoting guidelines for treating heart disease and diabetes;
increasing focus and awareness of ensuring appropriate care; and,
creating innovative models for seniors’ care that prioritize home and community care over long-term care institutionalization.

The HCIWG was first established in 2012.