We're all right Jack?
"Planning for Canada's Health Workforce: Looking Back, Looking Forward" is a readable overview that presents a pastiche of data collected by a number of organizations. The paper deals with a policy area of immense importance to the future sustainability of Canada's health system and therefore warrants attention. In the remarks that follow, we would like to amplify the following points: There is a major disconnect between the tenor of the invited essay and the profound sense of urgency in addressing the emerging shortages of health human resources (HHR) that are evident both nationally and internationally. There has been, in fact, very little progress in the comprehensive measurement of the health workforce since the 1964 Hall report. Perhaps most important, there is an absolute need to involve the practising community more in the collection and analysis of health information.
Haddad
Henry
H
Canadian Medical Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Scully
Hugh E
HE
D002170:Canada; D005544:Forecasting; D006285:Health Planning / Q000639:trends*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends