A new program aimed at improving access to care in remote regions was presented Friday morning among others by the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, and the CEO of CTS – Catalyseur Technologie Cheers, Jean-Pierre Robert.
As part of the First Line in Health 2024 conference, they praised the potential of the Harfang program which will ultimately implement technologies adapted to regions to promote access and equity in health care.
“Innovation in health is clearly one of the priorities for our government,” declared Mr. Fitzgibbon in a speech at the Palais des Congrès. Our network faces significant challenges; Quebec society is faced with an aging population, and it is also faced with a significant increase in network operating expenses. »
Like his colleague Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, Mr. Fitzgibbon believes that the contribution of the private sector to health is an opportunity. “I think we must increasingly focus on collaborations with the private sector, research organizations and businesses,” he maintained.
In Quebec, nearly one in five people live in a remote region and do not have the same access to health care as residents of large centers. Several disparities are observed, including additional costs, more difficult access to services, a lack of specialized resources as well as gaps in health awareness for people who live in rural areas.
These inequities have consequences on the health status of Quebecers living in remote regions, including their life expectancy.
Initially, the Harfang program will survey health establishments and CISSSs in targeted locations to assess their specific needs. Then pilot projects that put forward technologies will see the light of day before being implemented on a more permanent basis.
“Normally, companies, when they start marketing, […] they set up in large centers, and then they go elsewhere. What happens is that remote areas are often neglected. People are not necessarily aware that these technologies are there or they have less resources to evaluate these technologies and how it could help them,” commented Jean-Pierre Robert, president and CEO of the CTS, in an interview.
The Desjardins movement contributed $350,000 to the Harfang program. The Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy and the City of Montreal contribute to the project at the functional level of operations.
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