U of T Program Helps Executives Meet Challenges of
Canada's Health Care Sector

TORONTO, June 3, 2002 -- As debate swirls about the sustainability of Canada's health care system, over 30 senior health care executives from across the country have enrolled in a week-long program at the University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. They aim to gain a better understanding of the key trends and issues shaping the sector. The program, Understanding the New World of Health Care, 2002: The Year of Dialogue and Decisions, features some of North America's leading health care policy and management experts together with outstanding faculty from the University of Toronto, Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Victoria.

"This is a critical year for the future of health care in Canada," says Prof. Joseph D'Cruz of the Rotman School. "Throughout the week, participants will work in teams to craft a presentation to former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow, who is scheduled to attend on the final day of the program."

Session leaders of the program, that starts on June 9, include:

• Michael B. Decter, Chair, Canadian Institute for Health Information; President, Lawrence Decter Investment Counsel Ltd.; Senior Advisor, Health Investments, Lawrence & Company Inc. (former Deputy Minister of Health, Province of Ontario); Author, "Healing Medicare: Managing Health System Change the Canadian Way" (McGilligan Books, 1994); "Four Strong Winds: Navigating the Global Challenges to Health Care" (Stoddart Publishing, 2000).
• Sherry A.M. Glied, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Head, Division of Health Policy and Management, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; (formerly a Senior Economist on the President of the United States' Council of Economic Advisors with special responsibility for health care policy); Author, "Chronic Condition: Why Health Reform Fails" (1998);
• Alan R. Hudson, M.B., Ch.B., President and Chief Executive Officer, Cancer Care Ontario; Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto; Honourary President, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
• Hugh E. Scully, M.D., Past President, Canadian Medical Association; Senior Staff Surgeon, University Health Network and Professor, Departments of Surgery and Health Administration, University of Toronto;
• Peter Singer, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.C.. Sun Life Financial Chair in Bioethics and Director, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics; Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto; Canadian Institutes of Health Research Investigator; Associate Editor, "Canadian Medical Association Journal"

Understanding the New World of Health Care is offered through a partnership between the University of Toronto, Harvard University's Division of Health Policy Research & Education. The program is designed to equip leaders in the health care field with new insights for understanding and contributing to the development of the Canadian health care system. Sessions cover such topics as: Economics of HealthCare, Improving Quality of Care and Reducing Adverse Events, and Canadian Competitiveness - Challenges for the Health Care Sector.

Program Directors are: Joseph D'Cruz, D.B.A, Professor of Strategic Management at Rotman; Martin McKneally, M.D., Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery and Joint Centre for Bioethics at U of T, and Miles Shore, M.D., Bullard Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Visiting Scholar at the Kennedy School of Government.

"The program builds on the expertise of an existing program at Harvard University," explains Rotman's Joseph D'Cruz. "By integrating Canadian experts and perspectives into our course, we are able to help participants gain unique insights about the health care sector in this country."

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For more information or to arrange an interview with Alan Webber: 

Ken McGuffin  
Media Relations Officer  
Rotman School of Management 
Voice:  (416) 946-3818  
Fax:   (416) 978-1373 
E-mail:  mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca  

Greer Hozack, MBA’99 
Co-chair Unilever Speaker Series 
Rotman School of Management 
Voice: (416) 538-3886 
E-mail: Greer_Hozack@embanet.com