Connecting the Dots: Why Better Chronic Disease Management Leads to More Resilient Healthcare Systems

“Canada can build a more resilient health system. If we organize around chronic disease as a core system priority. Invest in learning systems that enable early equitable action and pair national alignment with practical delivery models that reduce fragmentation…it’s how we move from good intentions to real progress, and it’s how we build a system that’s not just resilient in theory, but resilient for the people who rely on it every day.” - Kim Hanson

Despite significant investments to “modernize” Canada’s health care system – including a $196 billion federal commitment over ten years and the re-tabling of the Connected Care for Canadians Act – the country continues to grapple with entrenched inequities in access, data fragmentation and limited performance accountability. At the heart of these challenges is the insufficient prioritization, investment and integration of chronic disease prevention and management across the health system.

Canada lacks a national integrated chronic disease framework and a coordinated approach to prevention, early detection, and management for conditions that account for the majority of deaths, avoidable hospitalizations, and health system spending. Without a structured chronic disease strategy, the health system remains reactive rather than proactive and rigid rather than resilient. Data collection and analysis remains fragmented; population health planning lacks clear anchors; and disease-prevention models struggle to scale – leaving the Canadian healthcare system less able to adapt and absorb emerging challenges or deliver consistent value to patients.

On April 9th, the RHC and PHSSR hosted a webinar featuring Dr. Sara Allin (Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto), Kim Hanson (Breakthrough T1D), Dr. Jason Field (Life Sciences Ontario), and Dr. Na-Koshie Lamptey (Public Health Ontario). Together they discussed how addressing three interlinked challenges - (1) data fragmentation; (2) access gaps; and (3) system prioritization - can significantly improve both the treatment of chronic disease and health system resilience across Canada.

To learn more about these challenges, along with actionable recommendations to strengthen Canada’s health system, review PHSSR Policy Roadmaps: Acting Early on NCDs - Canada.