David D. Jones
Managing Director, Merck Canada
As health systems face mounting pressures, modernizing cancer care delivery could improve patient experience and access.
Health care systems across Canada are facing significant pressures from human resource shortages, wait times, and overcrowding, putting strain on patients, families, and staff alike. While scientific progress accelerates globally, a disconnect remains between these advances and how care is delivered in practice.
This is particularly evident in cancer care. With two in five Canadians expected to receive a diagnosis in their lifetime, there is an opportunity to build care pathways that put patients and their preferences at the centre. Yet the system is struggling to keep pace.
According to the Canadian Medical Association, Canada has one of the longest specialist wait times among comparable nations. A 2020 peer-reviewed study determined that a treatment delay as short as four weeks can increase cancer-related mortality.
From chronic disease management to mental health to primary care, Canada’s health systems are being asked to do more, and patients deserve more.
Shaping cancer care around patients’ needs
True innovation means delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and by the right clinician. Aligning care with patient needs can reduce emotional distress and help patients remain anchored to their routines and support systems. But alignment requires more than intent. It requires health systems and public payers to actively embrace available treatment modalities and ensure they are accessible within publicly-funded programs as soon as possible, not treated as exceptions negotiated case by case.
There are innovative treatment options and modalities across several therapeutic areas, including oncology, that remain inaccessible to many patients in Canada. The science has delivered; now policy must follow, as leading nations are already integrating new care pathways into their publicly-funded healthcare systems, and Canadians should not be watching from a distance.
See how we’re bringing forward innovative solutions to help solve some of the world’s most challenging diseases. Learn more: merck.ca.
This article was made possible by the support of Merck Canada.