I think long-term care is a big issue too. That's where the problem comes in the hospitals. Lots of the people there have long-term illnesses. In the hospital they use the term “bed-blockers”, but if there was long-term care in hospitals or nursing homes or whatever, it would reduce the pressures on the hospital itself in terms of reducing wait times in the emergency department. I think the committee should look into that.
Home care is great. I know from personal experience that home care works. If you put more money into home care, I think the pressure on hospitals will be reduced as well. I've had personal experience with home care. It works wonders. It would also reduce the overall costs in health care. Lots of seniors want to be in their homes. They don't want to go to a nursing home. They want to be looked after, and with a little bit of home care, I think we can keep them out of the nursing homes and out of the hospitals.
Another thing is the one-stop shop, the clinic where a person can go in and get a blood test and an X-ray. As Sonia suggested, if we had 24-hour health clinics where they do the X-rays and blood tests and all that, that too would reduce the pressures on the hospitals.
I'm wondering, Mr. Davies, what came out of those studies by the committee. Were the recommendations implemented? Did anything come out of those, or are the reports sitting and collecting dust? What happened with those recommendations?
I think we should follow up on that, as a committee, and see where we're at. Maybe those recommendations could be implemented, and maybe that would be a step in the right direction to maybe cut costs or improve health care.
Thanks, Mr. Chair.