Innovation Procurement in Health Care: A Compelling Opportunity for Canada

The sustainability of Canada’s public health-care system will depend in large part on innovations that can enhance the efficiency, safety, quality, and productivity of health and health-care services. Although innovation procurement has been embraced by leading OECD countries, Canada has yet to recognize it as a tool to inject innovation into the health-care system.

This report attempts to contribute to a better understanding of arguments for supporting procurement of innovations by 1) examining current thinking and trends linking procurement with innovation policy; 2) reviewing recent transformations in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service aiming to leverage procurement processes; 3) assessing the perceptions of senior Canadian health-care administrators toward innovation and procurement; and 4) suggesting actions that will help Canada to effectively use this innovation tool to improve health-care system performance and boost Canada’s competitiveness.