CSMLS Calls on Ontario Party Leaders to Make Health Care a Priority on Eve of Leaders Debate
OTTAWA, September 26th, 2011 – As Ontario’s party leaders prepare for this week’s televised debate, the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) is calling on the leaders to make health care a key priority during the election.
Health care continues to surface as a top priority issue for Ontarians. It is the hopes of Canada’s medical laboratory professionals that the Ontario leaders’ debate will provide an opportunity for the party leaders to lay out their plan for health care, and more specifically, the medical laboratory profession.
“As a group, our profession is the third largest health care profession in Canada,” states CSMLS Executive Director, Christine Nielsen. “Up to 85 per cent of decisions about diagnosis and treatment are based on the results of laboratory tests.”
A critical link within the medical laboratory profession’s national scope, Ontario’s medical laboratory professionals play a vital role in the province’s health care system. Ontario can play a key role in collaborating with the federal government and other provinces, and demonstrate leadership for medical laboratory professionals.
CSMLS urges the party leaders to focus on the critical health human resource needs for the medical laboratory profession. These include addressing the serious shortage of medical laboratory technologists, the need for sustainable investment to support clinical placements and education, and the urgent need for long-term investment to support bridging programs in Ontario for internationally educated health care professionals.
“During this election campaign, there is a prime opportunity to make tangible commitments for health care and our profession,” adds Nielsen. “Through bold leadership and collaboration, we can ensure that Canada’s health care system is not compromised.”
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The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) is the national certifying body for medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory assistants, and the national professional society for Canada's medical laboratory professionals. Incorporated in 1937, CSMLS has over 14,000 members.
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Alana Fontaine, 613-233-8906 (office), 613-299-4017 (cell), csmls@impactcanada.com
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Learn more at medlabmatters.ca/ontario