HSA welcomes Fraser Health Authority decision to drop privatized physiotherapy plan
Last November, rehabilitation therapists in the Fraser Health Authority were alarmed by the health authoritys announced plans to -partner" with private vendors to provide post-surgical physiotherapy.
However, the FHA has recently abandoned those plans.
HSA President Reid Johnson says the health authority is making the right decision. -Currently, the FHA performs between 2,400 and 2,800 arthroplasty surgeries each year, including hip and knee replacements," he said. -The health authoritys plans included various alarming elements, including diverting patients covered by extended health plans to obtain private rehabilitation therapy," he said.
When the union learned of the -request for expressions of interest" issued by the health authority to various for-profit rehabilitation service corporations, HSA was immediately concerned.
-The union questioned various aspects of the process, including whether excluding service provision to patients based on their ability to pay violates the Canada Health Act," he said. -Our members who work in rehabilitation therapy were concerned about the potential impact to patients of such a ‘partnership with for-profit rehab service providers," he said.
-HSA will continue to emphasize that publicly provided rehabilitation services remains by far the most rational, cost-effective model. Ultimately, publicly provided rehab delivers the best results for post-surgical patients. That should be the ultimate measure," Johnson said.