Conclusion

-3-

Amend Equipment Allocation Models

Paying reasonable travel costs as part of MSP will allow these
casts to be recognized, tracked and analyzed.

The cost side of benefit/cost analysis for new medical
equipment and services must include travel money saved by
individuals. With such costs available and taken into account
we believe justification will be found to provide a much
broader range of equipment and services in rural British
Columbia.

Keep People in their Communities

All efforts should be made to allow people to access health
care services in their own community or region, Beyond the
cost and time savings to patients there are significant social
and family benefits to local health care services.

Minimize Travel Time

Accessibi]

We accept that not all medical equipment and services
available in Vancouver can be available in rural British
Columbia. We believe far more can be located in the regions
than is currently available. When ‘travel is required all
efforts must be made to keep time away to minimum.

several things can be done to accomplish this.

Facilities should be in place in the outlying areas
of British Columbia to allow diagnostic make up
prior to sejected medical procedures. “An example
of such equipment is a CAT scan. Diagnostic
information could be transported to larger medical
centres in advance of a patient's transfer.

Further development of tele-medicine would allow
consultation between local professionals and
specialists in larger centres.

ity to health care concerns us all. We call on the Provincial

Government to have reasonable medical travel cost covered by MSP. Once
covered these medical travel costs should form part of the analysis for
locating more medical equipment and services in the regions of British

Columbia.