Report: What Sweden is doing better than we are

A recently published report authored by Zahida Esmail, regional practice initiatives lead with VCH,  sheds light on what the Canadian health system may be able to apply from the Swedish experience.

Zahida participated on the Sweden Study Tour in April 2012. The tour brought together a small group of Canadian health care leaders to explore the current developments in Sweden’s health services policy and the organization of their health care system.

Zahida’s insights into why Sweden generally outperforms Canada on health indicators can be found her newly released report: Sweden – A Star Performer in the Eyes of an Emerging Health Leader: Lessons in Quality and Patient Safety.

Some highlights from the report:

  • recent quality and patient safety initiatives
  • bundle payments to reimburse private practitioners for total hip and total knee replacement surgeries
  • annual regional comparisons of quality and efficiency to improve transparency
  • standard dress codes to improve infection control
  • performance based funding to encourage high quality care
  • improved rational use of antibiotics, and decrease inappropriate drugs for elderly patients with psychosis

Zahida is also the recipient of the 2012 Emerging Health Leader Scholarship, sponsored by ARAMARK Healthcare.

Information regarding the 2013 Sweden Study Tour and the 2013 Emerging Health Leader Scholarship will be available on the College’s website later this fall.

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