Canadian Healthcare Technology Logo
  • Issues
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Events
  • Vendors
  • About Us

Philips

AGFA 1400x150

Petal Health

Petal Health 1400x150

Government & Policy

BC spends millions on private surgeries and DI clinics

September 7, 2022


Andrew LonghurstVICTORIA, BC – Over the last six years, B.C. spent nearly $400 million on contracts with private surgical and diagnostic imaging clinics. According to a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the province awarded $393 million in contracts to private clinics to provide services within the public system.

“We’ve seen some positive recent moves by the B.C. government to enhance access to MRIs and reduce surgical waitlists in the public healthcare system,” says report author and health policy analyst Andrew Longhurst (pictured). “But these numbers show a troubling, continued reliance on contracting out to for-profit clinics.”

Annual payments rose from $47.9 million in 2015/16 to $75.4 million in 2020/21, an increase of 57 per cent. The report found the largest annual increase was 21 per cent in 2016/17, the year following the BC Liberal government’s plan to increase surgical privatization.

Longhurst was also concerned about extra-billing, a practice where clinics bill patients privately for medically necessary procedures that are already covered by the public health care system. Extra-billing violates both the Canada Health Act and BC Medicare Protection Act.

“Instead of tackling unlawful extra-billing head on, the province’s strategy has been to increase outsourcing to private surgical clinics but make those contracts subject to compliance with provincial and federal law. In other words, we’re using one form of privatization – outsourcing, or contracting out – to curb another – two-tier healthcare where those who can afford it pay privately,” Longhurst said.

In emails obtained by Longhurst through a freedom of information request, B.C.’s Deputy Health Minister Stephen Brown discussed continuing contracts with the owners of False Creek Surgical Centre despite an audit finding it had engaged in extra-billing.

Health Minister Adrian Dix was asked about the report at a news conference in August. Dix took issue with the report, calling its findings inaccurate.

“To do a report that talks about diagnostic care and MRI, and not say that the number of public MRIs has gone up dramatically while the number of private MRIs has gone down dramatically, and to say that is the corporatization of healthcare is just not accurate.”

Dix pointed to the government’s efforts to increase public MRIs, knee replacements and hip replacements in recent years. “It’s always patients first. The best way to serve patients is to build a public healthcare system. That’s precisely what we did, what we’re doing, and what we’re continuing to do. People may want to make a point, but the evidence goes overwhelmingly in the other direction.”

PreviousNext

CHT print

CHT print

e-Messenger

  • Niagara Health to deploy top-flight CT scanners
  • BC extends cost-reduction search to regional authorities
  • Osler uses Sectra’s AI service to enhance patient care
  • Waypoint Centre to deploy A4i platform
  • Island Health brings virtual psychiatry to rural communities
More from e-Messenger

Subscribe

Subscribe

Weekly blasts are sent each month, via e-mail, to over 7,000 senior managers and executives in hospitals, clinics and health regions. Learn More

Infoway

Infoway

Zebra

Zebra

Zebra

Zebra

Advertise with us

Advertise with us

Sectra KLAS

Sectra KLAS

Stratford Group

Stratford Group

Pure Storage

Pure Storage

Medirex

Medirex

NIHI

NIHI

CHT print

CHT print

Advertise with us

Advertise with us

Sectra KLAS

Sectra KLAS

Stratford Group

Stratford Group

Pure Storage

Pure Storage

Medirex

Medirex

NIHI

NIHI

Contact Us

Canadian Healthcare Technology
1118 Centre Street, Suite 204
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada L4J 7R9
Tel: 905-709-2330
Fax: 905-709-2258
info2@canhealth.com

  • Quick Links
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
    • Events
    • Vendors
    • About Us
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Resources
    • White Papers
    • Writers’ Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Administrative Solutions
    • Clinical Solutions
    • Companies
    • Continuing Care
    • Diagnostics
    • Education & Training
  •  
    • Electronic Records
    • Government & Policy
    • Infrastructure
    • Innovation
    • People
    • Privacy and Security

© 2025 Canadian Healthcare Technology

The content of Canadian Healthcare Technology is subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Send all requests for permission to Jerry Zeidenberg, Publisher.

Search Site

Error: Enter a search term

  • Issues
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Events
  • Vendors
  • About Us