Improving Health Care

In addition to providing the patient perspective to decision-makers, CBCN also engages with health technology assessment (HTA) bodies, members of the public service, other patient groups, and government officials to influence health policies and promote patient-centered approaches to decision-making.

CBCN routinely connects with many health care decision makers. Some include Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA), provincial and federal ministries of health, patient groups representing people with cancer and rare diseases, and coalitions focused on improving healthcare. We do this to promote reforms to the healthcare decision-making process and to support optimal outcomes for Canadians with breast cancer and their families.

Our key objectives in engaging Canadian decision makers are to promote:

1. Greater transparency and accountability by Canadian health agencies. CBCN supports initiatives and recommendations that will lead to timely decision-making around health and increased clarity around decisions and the impacts they will have on Canadians.
    
2. Increased opportunities for patient engagement throughout the healthcare system. CBCN believes that patient values should inform healthcare decision-making and we actively work to ensure that the patient voice is being used to support effective health policies.

One way we work to advance these objectives is by responding to evolving healthcare policies and reforms that impact people in Canada affected by breast cancer. Learn more about our campaigns to improve health care below.

Demographic Health Data
Canada’s health system cannot fix what it does not measure. Right now, there is no standardized, national approach to collecting demographic health data. Without this information, we cannot fully understand who is being left behind or where gaps in care exist. As a result, inequities persist, often unseen and unaddressed.

CBCN is calling on every province and territory to develop a publicly available framework for demographic health data collection by 2028. We recognize and appreciate that some provinces and territories have made more progress than others. That is why, at a minimum, we are asking every region to develop a framework that aligns with CIHI’s pan-Canadian standards on race based and Indigenous identity.

What CBCN is Doing
Our key objectives in advocating for improved standards on race-based and Indigenous identity are:

1. To let decision makers know that people with breast cancer want Canadian health data for Canadian health care decisions. We saw how valuable health data was during the COVID-19 pandemic when public health officials were able to identify gaps in protection and act quickly. Now, those lessons can be applied to improve breast cancer care across the country.
    
2. Mobilizing patients, caregivers, and advocates to raise their voices and demand change. Our nation is on the cusp of a health information revolution – itis just a matter of when and how. Canadians with breast cancer recognize the value their health data has to enhance their treatment and care, as well as its ability to help others. Our objective is to bridge the gap between those with lived experience decision makers who can make the change happen.

We invite you to add your voice to this call. Demand better data. Demand better healthcare. Use our shareable call-to-action letter, fill in your information, and email it to your Minister of Health today! You can also download the letter.

If you require an accessible copy of the letter, please email cbcn@cbcn.ca.

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