Unleashing Innovation in Health Systems: Alberta’s Symposium on Health

Premier Ralph Klein challenged delegates at a recent international health symposium to be innovative as they explored what the “third way” in health care might look like for Alberta. Unleashing Innovation in Health Systems: Alberta’s Symposium on Health reports on the proceedings of a three-day conference in May 2005, where 27 leading health experts from nine countries shared their insights and experience about what makes a high-performing health system. Their advice is outlined here under three headings: people and culture, processes and structures, and technology. This report also captures the thoughts of more than 400 invited delegates, including key health-care policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from the province. Using quality “as a compass” to guide health care choices, the conclusion looks at what factors can best help Alberta to deliver the right mix of services, when people need them, and at a price taxpayers can afford.