Abstract

[This article was originally published in Healthcare Quarterly, Volume 11, Number 3.]

Good health is a journey. It cannot be achieved overnight, in a month or even a year. Good health is perhaps best viewed as a quest - an evolution that takes ongoing commitment and often requires compromise, sacrifice and a lot of simple hard work.

Indeed, the creation of a reliable and accessible healthcare system is no different. Few countries have adopted the same approach to delivering healthcare and each approach comes with its own unique rationale and lengthy list of pros and cons. In the end, the perfect system is elusive; however, for those of us who work within these systems, the quest for perfection is ongoing. There is a constant need and drive to make improvements and innovations to design a system that meets the needs of patients and providers without leaving behind a wake of frustration and financial burden.