Canadian Medical Association
 
   
 

WHAT Health care Should BE:
Time for Bold Solutions
Aug. 17-18, 2023

Ottawa, ON

This is a pivotal moment in Canadian health care.

We are starting to see real investments in the health system and a national commitment to improve the health of all Canadians. That is heartening. Now, the work begins on how to translate those commitments into action and find sustainable, long-term solutions to ensure better access for patients and healthier working environments for providers.

We need you – your ideas and innovations – at the table with us.

Join us Aug. 17–18 for the 2023 CMA Health Summit, both in person in Ottawa and online, as we outline our vision for What Health Care Should Be.

Register now

Plan to attend and lend your voice to the solutions needed to rebuild health care – including how to address workforce challenges, create safe environments for patients and providers, and expand access.

The 2023 Health Summit is your opportunity to engage with leading experts on doing health care differently. You’ll be able to work together with colleagues, learners, health leaders and people with lived experience to help build a better future of health.

Your participation, insights and feedback will allow the CMA to continue advocating for bold health reform and turn those health care commitments into tangible actions for the benefit of all Canadians.

Patients Included icon

Patients with lived experience participated in the design and planning of this CMA Health Summit.  Read more about the Patients Included ™ conference charter.

Program at-a-glance

(all times are ET)

Thurs., Aug. 17

7–8 am

Breakfast

8–8:30 am

Conference opening

8:30–10 am

Canada has new health care agreements: Now what?

10–10:30 am

Break

10:30 am–12 pm

Scaling up team-based care

12–1 pm

Lunch

1–2:30 pm

Protecting the profession: What does it mean to feel fully safe?

2:30–3 pm

Break

3–4:30 pm

Solutions that tackle administrative burden

4:30–5:30 pm

Guest keynote: How do we combat misinformation in health care?

 

Fri., Aug. 18

7–8:30 am

Breakfast

8:30–10 am

Recognizing the blind spots in the private-public health care discussion

10–10:30 am

Break

10:30 am–12 pm

Amplifying Indigenous voices in health care reform

12–1 pm

Lunch

1–2:30 pm

Building a movement toward a net-zero health system

2:30–3 pm

Conference closing

About the Health Summit


Real reform depends on real talk.

The Canadian Medical Association’s Health Summit Series brings together leading experts, advocates, health care providers and patients for candid, national conversations about tough challenges – and sustainable solutions.

Our recent Health Summit Series: Bold Choices in Health Care featured three virtual sessions that attracted nearly 900 participants. Hosted by CMA President Dr. Alika Lafontaine, the panel discussions focused on bold solutions to stabilize and transform the health system, like sustainable health funding, integrated team-based care and workforce planning. Guests included former politicians, hospital administrators, people with lived experience, and nurse and physician advocates.

The 2022 CMA Health Summit Series attracted more than 1700 participants for four virtual conversations on how to do health differently in Canada.

The 2021 CMA Health Summit Series brought together hundreds of participants for an interactive conversation on how to improve health, the health system and the health workforce.

Keynote speakers have included Dr. Verna Yiu, former president/CEO of Alberta Health Services, Dr. Jane Philpott, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the School of Medicine at Queen’s University, and Dr. Jillian Horton, an award-winning physician, musician, writer and podcaster.

The first in-person CMA Health Summit was held in 2018 in Winnipeg.