Regionalization of health services in Canada: a critical perspective

Abstract

Since the introduction of universal health insurance in Canada in the late 1960s, the federal and provincial governments have been concerned with cost savings, efficiency of service delivery, equity in service provision, enhanced citizen participation, and increased accountability of decision-makers. A plethora of government royal commissions and task forces have recommended a similar range of options for addressing these concerns. Central to the reforms has been a proposed regionalized health system with an intermediary body responsible for functions previously assigned to local or central structures. For its supporters, regionalization offers a means of better coordinating and integrating health care delivery and controlling expenditures, and promises a more effective provision of services and an avenue for citizen participation in health care decision-making. All provincial governments except Ontario have introduced regional structures for health care, with the hope that these changes will increase efficiency, equity, and responsiveness. However, despite the alleged benefits, regionalization presents significant challenges. It faces obstacles to integrating and coordinating services in a manner that produces economies of scale; it requires an enhanced level of information that may be difficult to achieve; it is unlikely to involve citizens in health care decision-making; and it may actually lead to increased costs.