LAST CALL FOR PAPERS
Individuals interested in presenting papers at the conference should
send a one-page abstract detailing their intended presentation by
December 1, 1998. Please include an e-mail address. Individuals will
be notified as to the status of their paper by December 10, 1998.
Individuals interested in acting as expert discussion leaders should
send a short note by December 1, 1998, outlining their qualifications.
Conference travel and accommodations will be paid for discussion
leaders.
HEALTHY PEOPLE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES:
A Canada - United States Dialogue on Best Practices in Public Health
May 8 and 9, 1999
Royal York Hotel,
Toronto, Canada
The rapidly evolving nature of health care delivery and health policy
in both Canada and the United States has opened the door for a
positive dialogue on best practices in public health. To this point,
commentary has tended to focus on national differences in access and
funding. In turn, this focus has limited the public policy debate, and
obscured the identification of best practices which might transcend
national borders. This conference is designed to promote a sharing of
successful contemporary Canadian and American experiences.
The conference is intended for health practitioners, public policy
analysts, policy makers and health administrators who deliver
healthcare services and/or develop health policies. The emphasis is on
dialogue between American and Canadian participants. Formal
presentations by experts from both sides of the border will be
complemented by group discussions and extensive participant involvement.
Four themes will be addressed at the conference:
1. INTEGRATING PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
This section of the conference will explore programs and policies
designed to achieve a greater degree of integration between preventive
measures and conventional medical care. Topics might include but are
not limited to :
How can the concept of healthy public policy affect the delivery of
healthcare services? Does it add value to the service individuals
receive? How do organizational changes, such as regionalization in
Canada and managed care in the United States, affect the ability to
integrate preventive measures? What models or frameworks might assist
a practitioner or administrator in such integration?
2. PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
This theme will examine innovations in conventional medical practice,
and explore the impact of complementary and alternative medicine on
healthcare delivery. It may also address the utilization of
unconventional practitioners, such as midwives and dental therapists,
in the healthcare system. Topics could include but are not limited to:
What examples exist of unconventional medical therapies that are
successfully integrated in a 'conventional' healthcare system? What
are the barriers to and incentives for integration? What models and
frameworks of midwifery utilization can be brought to bear on the
discussion? What are the legitimate public health concerns with these
new forms of delivery and services ?
3. OUTCOMES
This theme will address evaluation frameworks and methods in public
health, with a focus on best practices in outcome measurement. Topics
could include but are not limited to:
What examples of successful outcome measures in public health can be
provided? How can different organizations adapt these? What are the
unique problems for community health organizations in addressing
health outcomes? How have these organizations successfully managed and
delivered outcomes?
4. ETHICS OF HEALTHCARE
This section will explore the organizational context within which
healthcare decisions are made. The intent is to examine trade-offs and
determine effective models for ethically-sound decision-making. Topics
could include but are not limited to:
How do we decide what to trade-off on a daily basis or in a particular
context? What are the best practices in ethical decision-making
considering the complex interplay of economic, political, professional
and moral concerns within healthcare organizations ? How can we modify
our healthcare organization to enable more effective ethical
decision-making structures ?
The conference will examine topics across these four themes with a
focus on public health and best practices. The papers should stimulate
discussion and promote sharing, but need not themselves be
comparative. The comparative dimension of the conference will be
addressed through the dialogue of American and Canadian participants,
and through the bi-national structure of the conference.
The conference will span two full days and take place at the Royal
York Hotel in Toronto, Canada. The conference is hosted by the Canada
West Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit research organization
based in Calgary, Alberta, and with a mandate to serve as a catalyst
for informed public policy debate. Funding for the conference has been
provided by the Donner Canadian Foundation.
Please address all correspondence, including requests for information
and registration materials to :
Carey Hill, Conference Organizer
Healthy People and Healthy Communities
The Canada West Foundation
550, 630 3rd Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 4L4
Phone (403)264-9535
Fax : (403) 269-4776
E-mail : [log in to unmask]
Or [log in to unmask]
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