TOP of Mind - THE CHANGE FOUNDATION's E-Newsletter February 2010 Can how we pay providers pave the way to improved patient care? Solution-seeking spring symposium to probe question and feature former US Gov Howard Dean Does the way health-care providers are paid motivate change? Can incentives be aligned to support integrated care and improved patient experience? Is pay for performance, service-based, or blended models the way to go? What's worked well where, and why? Guided by leaders from inside and outside Canada with the experience and expertise to provide answers, about 100 front-line planners, health policy thinkers and decision-makers from Ontario will fix their minds on those issues April 26th during an invitational symposium, Tools for Change: levers and Incentives for Integrating Patient Care in Ontario. The symposium, co-sponsored by The Change Foundation and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will focus on funding strategies, barriers and innovations to kindle ideas and alliances in Ontario, and prompt recommendations for short and long-term objectives. Says Steini Brown, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health System Strategy Division: "We welcome this opportunity to partner with The Change Foundation to learn more and think more widely about innovations in provider payment, key to advancing Ontario’s overall health system reforms. The central question is: how do we get to a system of funding and incentives that best enables providers to achieve seamless, coordinated care for patients across all settings?" The symposium’s learned line-up (to be released later this month), will be moderated by Change Foundation research advisor Steven Lewis, and feature US physician and former governor of Vermont, Howard Dean author of Prescription for Real Health-Care Reform (2009). A speaker from the UK is also expected (TBC), as well as a host of home-grown health-care leaders. Six topical case studies, four from Ontario and one each from the UK and US, will be prepared for the symposium. The Ontario case studies will spotlight promising regional innovations with wider potential, including Peterborough Primary Health Care Services, the Timmins Family Health Team, North York Hospital, Central CCAC and the recently integrated St. Joseph’s Health System, Hamilton.