The Montreal Economic Institute is recommending that politicians look to the operation of a Swedish hospital run by Capio, a private company, that is accessible to all and funded by the government at lower cost than public hospitals. Its Economic Note takes issue with the Quebec Health Minister giving the province's hospitals the ultimatum that ER stays could no longer exceed 24 hours, and presents Sweden's Saint Göran hospital as a potential solution to the wait time issue. MEI explains that ER waits are anecdotal at Saint Göran, with only 1% of patients spend more than eight hours in emergency. In Quebec, MEI points out that one in 15 patients spend more than 24 hours in emergency, while ER patients at Saint Göran typically see a doctor in 26 minutes. The case of Saint Göran illustrates the application of the following basic economic principles:
- Instead of concentrating decisions within a provincial department that is assumed to be omniscient, responsibility is entrusted to hospital administrators, who in turn leave decisional latitude in the hands of department heads and employees; and
- Everything is measured, including the degree of patient satisfaction. Indicators show Saint Göran employees are happier at work than the employees of comparable public hospitals in Sweden, and staff turnover rate is lower.
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Urgences : un hôpital suédois montre que l’attente n’est pas inévitable - IEDM