The Committee’s study also examined the role of technological innovation in the training of health professionals. Witnesses highlighted how technological innovations are being used to train health professionals, as well as how technology could be used to plan and determine how many and which types of health professionals need to be trained to meet the needs of health care systems across Canada.

1. The Use of Technology in the Education and Training of Health Care Professionals[258]

The Committee heard that medical schools across the country are using technology in the training of physicians in several ways. Dr. Alireza Jalali, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Ottawa explained how he incorporates e-learning in the training of physicians, including web-based courses where lectures are posted on-line through podcasts and wikis. The use of e-learning tools means that students could access the lecture material outside of the classroom, allowing for classroom time to be used for hands on applications of the lectures. Dr. Jalali also explained that simulation technologies allow students to practice applying their skills on models rather than real patients. For example, he explained that high-fidelity mannequins have been created for this purpose, as well as virtual reality programs that simulate a hospital operating room. Finally, the Committee heard that educational curriculums in medical schools are also being adapted to reflect the realities of an e-health enabled environment.[259]

2. Technology and Health Human Resource Planning[260]

In their appearance before the Committee, representatives from the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) explained that in order for students to determine which area of medicine to study, it is necessary for them to have an understanding of which areas of medicine are most in demand, or are needed to meet the current and future health needs of Canadians. As a result of a lack of health human resources planning, many physicians were trained in fields where they cannot find employment or are currently under employed. In order to determine which types of health professionals need to be trained, the Committee heard that it is necessary to develop data and modelling tools to monitor trends. While some jurisdictions in Canada have been able to develop and utilize sophisticated health human resource data and modelling tools, other jurisdictions lack capacity in this area. Furthermore, as health care providers move across jurisdictions, it is necessary for provinces and territories to have an understanding of what is occurring in other jurisdictions. Consequently, the AFMC recommended that the federal government establish a national health human resources data and modelling centre, which could pool provincial and territorial health human resource data and identify and monitor trends in this area. An understanding of these trends would in turn allow jurisdictions to determine how many health professionals need to be trained and in what areas.

3. Committee Observations

Witnesses highlighted the use of technologies in medical education and training in Canada. The Committee heard that health human resources data analysis and modelling tools are also necessary to help jurisdictions across Canada to determine how many different types of health professionals need to be trained, as well as which skill sets are necessary to meet the current and future health needs of Canadians.

The Committee’s study demonstrated how innovation is occurring across the health care sector from leadership in the use of telehealth and telerobotics in health care delivery to cutting-edge research in genomics and nanotechnology. The Committee learned that Canadian researchers are delving into the unknown to gain new knowledge about the human body in order to foster innovation in personalized medicine. The study also examined the challenges facing innovation, including the need to share best practices in health care delivery across the country so that these innovations do not remain mere pilot projects. The Committee also identified issues related to access to health care technologies and in particular, the costs of these new technologies, which could be prohibitive to both individuals and health care systems. Finally, the Committee’s study focused on identifying ways that the federal government could promote innovation in health care, including facilitating the commercialization of health research and fostering collaboration between the health and industry sectors to address the key issues facing Canadian health care systems today, including the rise of chronic diseases and the aging of the population. The Committee believes that its findings and recommendations outlined in this report both highlight the great work of those driving innovation in the health care system, as well as identify how the federal government can continue to help lead the way in supporting these efforts.