By Bert Zethof

Drug addicts often have to hit rock bottom before they choose to go clean.

The health care model in BC and in many other jurisdictions is now at rock bottom in terms of financial sustainability. For decades now, politicians have been unwilling to make the tough choices needed to transform the health care delivery model into one that is economically sustainable.

Budget pressures and service levels are now so far beyond acceptable, that politicians and senior health care leaders are willing to make previously unpalatable decisions.

The situation provides an opening for innovation to happen.

We already see examples of it in the Western World. Take the story in Malcolm Gladwell's book called Blink. An Emergency Room in a poor Chicago neighbourhood used statistical analysis to identify the few indicators that can help health care workers to quickly triage people complaining of chest pains. The new approach has proven more efficient than relying solely on a physician's diagnosis.

The business community has expertise, technologies, methodologies and services that can help to transform the health care model. As an example, there is growing interest in Lean Healthcare which is based on the philosophies of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and kaizen used by such companies as Toyota to achieve efficiences and high quality.

Another example of a useful application from the business world is described by Peter Senge in his book called Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future. A German health care complex uses patient centred care to achieve better health outcomes and more satisfied patients. The approach is founded on the business principles of customer-centric marketing.

The transfer of ideas from business to health care offers tremendous potential for health outcomes, more efficient use of tax payers' money, and enhanced economic and community development.

To realize the prize:

Politicians and health care leaders - encourage ongoing stakeholder dialogues for change and drive the implementation of good ideas.

Business leaders - pro-actively explore how your ideas can improve the health care model and offer to demonstrate your ideas.

Taxpayers/voters/patients - let go of pre-conceptions, do a reality check on your expectations and consider the new possibilities.