Sir Winston Churchhill was attributed with the quote “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. He supposedly said it in the mid-1940s as we were approaching the end of World War ll.
To be clear, I don’t think that COVID-19 is a "good" crisis. But I do think that the coronavirus pandemic has given us an amazing opportunity. Strong vision and leadership could see P.E.I. emerge from this unprecedented challenge with a revamped and far superior health-care system. We have been given an opportunity to conduct health care in a radical and different way that could provide extraordinary care to Islanders and set a high standard for the rest of Canada.
I am not talking about version 1.2. or version 2.0 of our current health-care system. I am referring to a complete retooling, rebuilding and redefined system. We have accepted normalized deviance in the system to the detriment of the patient. Having patients waiting for days on emergency department stretchers for admission is inhumane. Having patients unable to get timely access to primary care is unacceptable. Having wait times for surgeries for months is a failure. Having to wait months for imaging does not work. Minimal supports for long-term care shouldn’t happen. Overcrowding kills. Now it time to demolish the system and rebuild it for the 21st century. Prince Edward Island should and can have a health system that is nimble and responsive.
Innovators, disruptors, friction thinkers, diverse representation is needed. So, too, are senior front-line operational clinicians, community partners and businesses. Imported or homegrown. Not just to “help” the system but to lead the system being free thinkers outside the “cage” of what was; and dream of what could be. If we drop institutionalized systemic politics and personalities, anything could be possible. If we don’t, we will get the same old system, perhaps with different colours and maybe new curtains but the same nonetheless.
The fallout from COVID-19 has been significant: the acute illness itself, delay of chronically ill Islanders not receiving care in the community, missed or undiagnosed medical conditions, and medical conditions related to economic burnout. Prince Edward Island cannot afford to return to the status quo health-care system. We need to move forward. Time to hit CTRL ALT Delete on the health-care system. Let’s provide extraordinary care to islanders. Don’t waste this opportunity.
Trevor Jain is an emergency and disaster medicine physician who works at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital emergency department and UPEI. He has had multiple deployments with the Canadian military, working in different health-care systems around the world in different environments.
