JointHealth™ express March 28, 2019
On election day, make your voice count.
The general election in Alberta is scheduled for April 16, 2019. What changes would you like to see in models of arthritis care?
Arthritis is a chronic disease that has a devastating and debilitating effect on the lives of more than 6 million Canadians. According to the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute, more than 500,000 Albertans are living with arthritis – approximately one in five. Within a generation, more than one in four Albertans is expected to have the most disabling and life-threatening types – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability and work disability in Alberta, with nearly three out of every five people with arthritis of working age, costing Alberta’s economy $3.3 billion in direct and indirect costs.
Considering the prevalence of the disease and its significant cost to individuals and society, arthritis should be an issue of great importance to candidates running for office.
ACE sent an open letter and a survey to candidates running in the Alberta election. As part of its core government outreach activities and in the spirit of non-partisanship, ACE outlines the impact of arthritis in Alberta and asks each candidate to share how government can improve prevention, treatment and care in Alberta.
The questionnaire asked the following questions:
If you have comments, questions, or concerns about any of the answers provided, please take the time to contact the parties.
Did their responses help you decide how you will vote? Tell us what you think of their answers. Please contact us by email.
On election day, make your voice count.
The general election in Alberta is scheduled for April 16, 2019. What changes would you like to see in models of arthritis care?
Arthritis is a chronic disease that has a devastating and debilitating effect on the lives of more than 6 million Canadians. According to the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute, more than 500,000 Albertans are living with arthritis – approximately one in five. Within a generation, more than one in four Albertans is expected to have the most disabling and life-threatening types – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability and work disability in Alberta, with nearly three out of every five people with arthritis of working age, costing Alberta’s economy $3.3 billion in direct and indirect costs.
Considering the prevalence of the disease and its significant cost to individuals and society, arthritis should be an issue of great importance to candidates running for office.
ACE sent an open letter and a survey to candidates running in the Alberta election. As part of its core government outreach activities and in the spirit of non-partisanship, ACE outlines the impact of arthritis in Alberta and asks each candidate to share how government can improve prevention, treatment and care in Alberta.
The questionnaire asked the following questions:
- What will your government do to bring a high quality, standardized evidence-based model of arthritis care for all Alberta residents?
- What will your government do to introduce patient education and exercise programs, such as GLA:D, that have been proven to significantly reduce hip or knee osteoarthritis symptoms?
- What will your government do to improve the uptake of biosimilars and increase accessibility to life saving medications and reduce out-of-pocket costs for Alberta residents living with inflammatory arthritis?
- What will your government do to improve the healthcare and lives of Aboriginals living with arthritis in Alberta?
- How will your government establish better prevention programs and facilitate flexible work arrangements to help reduce the direct and indirect costs of arthritis to Alberta employers and the Alberta economy?
- Will your government take steps to increase the number of rheumatologists and trained arthritis professionals to ensure timely, specialized care for Alberta patients with arthritis?
If you have comments, questions, or concerns about any of the answers provided, please take the time to contact the parties.
Did their responses help you decide how you will vote? Tell us what you think of their answers. Please contact us by email.
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.