The government has appointed two leaders in healthcare—both locally and nationally—to lead a task force on healthcare in the province.
Health Accord NL will focus on creating a 10-year plan for the path of healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador that will include short, medium, and long-term goals.
Dr. Patrick Parfrey, a well-known doctor involved with several initiatives in the province, and Sister Elizabeth Davis, a former CEO of what became Eastern Health, have been appointed to co-chair the team.
Premier Andrew Furey says it’s not about reducing services to save money but rather finding better ways to provide care and reinvesting any savings back into the system.
He says it’s not about cuts to health care but moreso about reinventing the system so that it caters to what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians want and need to stay healthier for longer.
Health Minister Dr. John Haggie notes that Parfrey and Davis both bring a “wealth of experience” that will help establish new practices for the delivery of healthcare.
Meanwhile, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association is pleased with the appointment of Parfrey and Davis as co-chairs on the task force.
The association calls the duo patient advocates and experts in the field, saying they were the “obvious choice” to lead a team on healthcare reform and innovation.
They say they will be working with the task force in their research to help further the province’s medical system.