Government of Canada continues investing to improve the health of Canadians - Helping identify savings and efficiencies in the healthcare system

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE, June 15, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, announced $14 million in federal funding for the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to help strengthen the delivery of health services in Canada.

The federal investment will support the Foundation's work to identify efficiencies in the healthcare system while promoting quality care. One of its priorities will be evaluating and disseminating best practices in the delivery of palliative care services.

The Minister made the announcement at the National Health Leadership Conference. In a keynote address to national health leaders she outlined the Government of Canada's priorities which included patient safety and innovation as the government works with all partners to make the health system more efficient, truly patient-centred, and more sustainable over the long term.

Today's funding for the Foundation reaffirms the Government of Canada's commitment made in Economic Action Plan 2015 to continue helping improve the health of Canadians.

Quick Facts

• The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement has a mandate to promote the use of evidence and spread leading practices to strengthen the delivery of health services in Canada.
• The Government of Canada is the single largest contributor to health research in Canada, investing roughly $1 billion every year, primarily through grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
• Economic Action Plan 2015 provides an additional $15 million per year to CIHR, including $13 million to continue to expand the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research and $2 million to support additional research to better understand and address the health challenges posed by anti-microbial resistant infections.

Quotes

"Our Government is committed to helping ensure the health and safety of Canadian families and I am proud of the investment we announced today from Economic Action Plan 2015. This investment will truly make a difference in the way Canadians receive quality healthcare across the country by focusing on finding efficiencies in the healthcare system while promoting quality care for Canadians and their families."

Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health

"Across Canada there are many leading healthcare organizations that have developed innovative ways of providing high quality patient care that improve health outcomes and value-for-money. This federal investment will allow the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to continue working with these leaders to spread best practices across Canada."

Maureen O'Neil
President
Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement

Associated Links
Health Canada Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation 
Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement 
Canada's Strategy on Patient-Oriented Research

Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/media

SOURCE Health Canada

Michael Bolkenius, Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Federal Minister of Health, [phone]; Health Canada, Media Relations, [phone]; Public Inquiries: [phone], 1-866 225-0709