That this Canadian Medical Association statement on eye care be approved.
1. The medical profession in general and ophthalmologists in particular have a responsibility to provide leadership in developing plans for effective, efficient and realistic eye care in Canadians.
2. The principle that the provision of eye care includes both medical and non-medical personnel is recognized and accepted. Any such personnel should be organized and administered to ensure adherence to all of the following specific principles:
a) provision of quality eye care includes both medical (including surgical) and non-medical acts,
b) only duly qualified and legally licensed physicians must be allowed to provide the medical aspects of eye care,
c) duly qualified and legally licensed physicians must also be free to provide complete eye care,
d) the duly qualified and legally licensed physician must be free to delegate appropriate eye care acts at his discretion to persons acting under his control and his responsibility,
e) non-medical personnel should be free to perform independently only non-medical eye care acts: and they should perform independently only those acts that they are legally authorized to perform independently, and
f) guidelines for referral between non- medical and medical personnel are essential.
3. Within the broad limits set by the above, many patterns are possible. However, in order to be effective, efficient and realistic, any eye care plan or plans that are developed should meet the following criteria:
a) every citizen should have reasonable access to the eye care system through duly qualified and legally licensed medical or non-medical personnel of his choice in his own population-area,
b) every citizen should have reasonable access to treatment of ocular disease by duly qualified and legally licensed medical personnel either by direct personal appointment, or by referral from other primary eye care personnel,
c) treatment for especially complicated cases should be available to every citizen upon referral from medical personnel to specialized medical personnel in one or more adequately equipped centres in each province or region,
d) programs designed for the promotion of eye health should be provided in every population-area. These should include prevention and early detection of eye disease and injury, and may be provided through programs and services that serve general needs or special needs such as:
i) pre-school needs
ii) school needs
iii) industrial and occupational and recreational needs
iv) specific survey (e.g., glaucoma) needs
v) special purpose (e.g., driving and sports) needs
vi) geriatric needs
vii) ocular rehabilitation needs
e) training institutions must be equipped and staffed to prepare graduates appropriately for their assigned roles in eye care term,
f) optical appliances should be available in every population area, and other ocular prostheses should be within reasonable access- all at reasonable cost,
g) methods of financing should provide for the maximum quality eye care for every one at the lowest possible cost to the government and to the private citizen,
h) eye research programs should be appropriately staffed and funded, and
i) the organizational structure of eye care services should establish and maintain lines of control and responsibility that are consistent with the principles and criteria enunciated above.
That this Canadian Medical Association statement on eye care be approved.
1. The medical profession in general and ophthalmologists in particular have a responsibility to provide leadership in developing plans for effective, efficient and realistic eye care in Canadians.
2. The principle that the provision of eye care includes both medical and non-medical personnel is recognized and accepted. Any such personnel should be organized and administered to ensure adherence to all of the following specific principles:
a) provision of quality eye care includes both medical (including surgical) and non-medical acts,
b) only duly qualified and legally licensed physicians must be allowed to provide the medical aspects of eye care,
c) duly qualified and legally licensed physicians must also be free to provide complete eye care,
d) the duly qualified and legally licensed physician must be free to delegate appropriate eye care acts at his discretion to persons acting under his control and his responsibility,
e) non-medical personnel should be free to perform independently only non-medical eye care acts: and they should perform independently only those acts that they are legally authorized to perform independently, and
f) guidelines for referral between non- medical and medical personnel are essential.
3. Within the broad limits set by the above, many patterns are possible. However, in order to be effective, efficient and realistic, any eye care plan or plans that are developed should meet the following criteria:
a) every citizen should have reasonable access to the eye care system through duly qualified and legally licensed medical or non-medical personnel of his choice in his own population-area,
b) every citizen should have reasonable access to treatment of ocular disease by duly qualified and legally licensed medical personnel either by direct personal appointment, or by referral from other primary eye care personnel,
c) treatment for especially complicated cases should be available to every citizen upon referral from medical personnel to specialized medical personnel in one or more adequately equipped centres in each province or region,
d) programs designed for the promotion of eye health should be provided in every population-area. These should include prevention and early detection of eye disease and injury, and may be provided through programs and services that serve general needs or special needs such as:
i) pre-school needs
ii) school needs
iii) industrial and occupational and recreational needs
iv) specific survey (e.g., glaucoma) needs
v) special purpose (e.g., driving and sports) needs
vi) geriatric needs
vii) ocular rehabilitation needs
e) training institutions must be equipped and staffed to prepare graduates appropriately for their assigned roles in eye care term,
f) optical appliances should be available in every population area, and other ocular prostheses should be within reasonable access- all at reasonable cost,
g) methods of financing should provide for the maximum quality eye care for every one at the lowest possible cost to the government and to the private citizen,
h) eye research programs should be appropriately staffed and funded, and
i) the organizational structure of eye care services should establish and maintain lines of control and responsibility that are consistent with the principles and criteria enunciated above.
That, recognizing the importance of comprehensive nutrition counselling services, the Canadian Medical Association urge that such services be made widely available within the framework of the health care system.
That, recognizing the importance of comprehensive nutrition counselling services, the Canadian Medical Association urge that such services be made widely available within the framework of the health care system.
That the Canadian Medical Association draw the attention of its members to the need for first aid knowledge by the general public and that members be encouraged to become more active in the promotion and teaching of first aid.
That the Canadian Medical Association draw the attention of its members to the need for first aid knowledge by the general public and that members be encouraged to become more active in the promotion and teaching of first aid.
The Canadian Medical Association, recognizing the vital role of ambulance services in providing mobile life support for the acutely ill and injured, recommends that
i) ambulance services be considered, where practicable, a direct extension of a hospital emergency department and integrated with the emergency services,
ii) ambulance services incorporate standards of personnel education, vehicular design and life support equipment commensurate with those of the overall emergency care system.
The Canadian Medical Association, recognizing the vital role of ambulance services in providing mobile life support for the acutely ill and injured, recommends that
i) ambulance services be considered, where practicable, a direct extension of a hospital emergency department and integrated with the emergency services,
ii) ambulance services incorporate standards of personnel education, vehicular design and life support equipment commensurate with those of the overall emergency care system.
The Canadian Medical Association, recognizing that noise pollution is a significant and increasing health hazard in the work and home environments of most Canadians, calls on all levels of government to delineate, legislate, monitor and enforce laws on the question of noise.
The Canadian Medical Association, recognizing that noise pollution is a significant and increasing health hazard in the work and home environments of most Canadians, calls on all levels of government to delineate, legislate, monitor and enforce laws on the question of noise.
That physicians make themselves more aware of the health hazards associated with noise and wherever possible take the necessary steps to reduce such hazards, particularly in their own working environments.
That physicians make themselves more aware of the health hazards associated with noise and wherever possible take the necessary steps to reduce such hazards, particularly in their own working environments.
In the event that governments fail to resolve the discriminatory effect of the GST on medical practices, that the Canadian Medical Association discuss with its members appropriate methods of passing on these additional costs to their patients.
In the event that governments fail to resolve the discriminatory effect of the GST on medical practices, that the Canadian Medical Association discuss with its members appropriate methods of passing on these additional costs to their patients.
That the Canadian Medical Association in consultations with Industry Canada and Health Canada, consider the issue of industry enforcing payments (license fees) from physicians for use of medical procedures or technology.
That the Canadian Medical Association in consultations with Industry Canada and Health Canada, consider the issue of industry enforcing payments (license fees) from physicians for use of medical procedures or technology.
That the Canadian Medical Association and the divisions continue to denounce the current inappropriate collection and use of prescriber profiles by private industry and insist that any further collection, sale and other use of prescriber profiles be conducted in an ethical and legal manner (including individual physician knowledge and consent).
That the Canadian Medical Association and the divisions continue to denounce the current inappropriate collection and use of prescriber profiles by private industry and insist that any further collection, sale and other use of prescriber profiles be conducted in an ethical and legal manner (including individual physician knowledge and consent).
That the Canadian Medical Association, in consultation with its Divisions, develop a set of guiding principles for negotiations, applicable for use by all Divisions, thereby introducing a consistency and national authority in the approach to negotiations by the Divisions.
That the Canadian Medical Association, in consultation with its Divisions, develop a set of guiding principles for negotiations, applicable for use by all Divisions, thereby introducing a consistency and national authority in the approach to negotiations by the Divisions.
That the Canadian Medical Association investigate in principle the feasibility of developing a national physician-owned and operated voluntary pension plan.
That the Canadian Medical Association investigate in principle the feasibility of developing a national physician-owned and operated voluntary pension plan.
That the Canadian Medical Association endorse the following definition of women's health and use it to guide the association's work in this area:
Women's health involves women's emotional, social, cultural, spiritual and physical well-being, and it is determined by the social, political and economic context of women's lives as well as by biology.
That the Canadian Medical Association endorse the following definition of women's health and use it to guide the association's work in this area:
Women's health involves women's emotional, social, cultural, spiritual and physical well-being, and it is determined by the social, political and economic context of women's lives as well as by biology.
That the Canadian Medical Association and its Divisions work with Canadian medical schools to facilitate access to medical education for Canadian aboriginal students.
That the Canadian Medical Association and its Divisions work with Canadian medical schools to facilitate access to medical education for Canadian aboriginal students.
That the Canadian Medical Association and its Divisions work with governments and other groups to examine the principles and applicability of the Canada Health Act to the delivery and funding of contemporary medical and health care services in Canada.
That the Canadian Medical Association and its Divisions work with governments and other groups to examine the principles and applicability of the Canada Health Act to the delivery and funding of contemporary medical and health care services in Canada.
The Canadian Medical Association deems that whenever a government designates a medical service as having a payment of nil it shall be considered uninsured and therefore billable as a private service to the patient or his/her private insurance.
The Canadian Medical Association deems that whenever a government designates a medical service as having a payment of nil it shall be considered uninsured and therefore billable as a private service to the patient or his/her private insurance.
That the Canadian Medical Association, through its Divisions, lobby provincial and territorial governments to maintain subsidies for Canadian Medical Protective Association insurance costs while pushing for tort reform.
That the Canadian Medical Association, through its Divisions, lobby provincial and territorial governments to maintain subsidies for Canadian Medical Protective Association insurance costs while pushing for tort reform.
