André Picard

Where does our healthcare system stand? What are the challenges and opportunities to improve the coordination and effectiveness of services across the nation? How do we re-orient our attention and investments to build a true “health system” rather than the current illness-treatment system? What is the special role and opportunity for community-based agencies, including Community Health Centres? One of North America’s foremost thinkers shares his insights and vision.

What can we do to raise awareness of these mental health issues and how can we create an environment for citizens suffering from these illnesses to feel safe enough to talk? This discussion will look at cross-disciplinary approaches to observe mental health and draw on best practices.

In this presentation, André discusses the key challenges facing healthcare communication. How can we effectively get the prevention message out? From Politicians down to frontline Healthcare workers, how do we make sure consistent information gets out? André will explore some tools and strategies to effectively communicate information to various audiences.

With the legalization of cannabis, Canada has embarked on one of the world’s largest natural experiments. What will it mean to the health of Canadians? To the healthcare system? To employers? To the tax system? Just as importantly, what will happen to the medical cannabis regime – which has been in place for two decades – now that cannabis is widely available? So far, the predictions about the impact of cannabis have largely not proven true – usage is not up, tax dollars are not rolling in, and the black market is thriving, not dying. As an Award-Winning National Health Writer with the Globe and Mail, André has covered the evolving status of cannabis for many years. He helps organizations make sense of the regulatory challenges, shifting views about medicinal use, evolving research landscape, and the future of cannabis in the professional and personal lives of their community members.

Key Takeaways:

• How we can better educate, both the public on purchasing the products & patients about the drug as a treatment for conditions.
• How cannabis use should be treated in professional environments & what obligations organizations have around employees who use cannabis medically.
• The key ways policymakers can optimize the current system.

André discusses all elements of elder abuse and includes reference to the Kerby Centre, Canada’s first shelter for battered seniors.

In this customized presentation, André discusses the latest hot-button issues in healthcare.