The President of NAPE is concerned with what he calls privatization creep in the province’s health care system.

Jerry Earle says there are multiple and “alarming” examples, particularly as it relates to the use of technology and AI in health care.

Earle says AI has some practical uses in health care, but monitoring patients remotely through a company based in Ontario, is not an adequate replacement for hands-on personal care.

He says they’re hearing about a “Halo” system in long-term care where for all intents and purposes a robot will watch long-term care residents.

“If they go to get out of bed, the robot will send a message to somewhere in Ontario as we understand, and somebody in Ontario will call the nursing unit and say ‘Mrs. Smith has just fallen out of bed’ well, it’s a little too late then” says Earle.

“If we had sufficient staff on units in long-term care facilities they’d be better able to care for, and provide the services. It’s reducing the services and then replacing it.”