Moira Stilwell: Let’s build on our community, education, and health care successes

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      I have had the privilege of serving as MLA since 2009. I initially decided to run because I wanted to use my 30 years of experience in medicine and health-care management to serve the people of Vancouver-Langara and British Columbia.

      What a learning curve this has been! I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it, and believe there is much more we can do to keep British Columbia strong.

      My focus over the past term has been three-fold: community, education, and health care.

      Community

      I believe that success starts at home, and depends on ensuring a strong, inclusive, and vibrant community. Working with Vancouver-Langara residents, I have:

      • Supported local settlement services, so that newcomers to B.C. can access assistance as they integrate more easily with Canadian society;
      • Been a voice for fiscal responsibility, including supporting balanced budgets; and,
      • Invested in local economic development and infrastructure (Langara College upgrades, improvements at Van Dusen Gardens).

      Education

      Working with stakeholders and educators across the province, we’ve begun to create a learning culture that values science, math, and engineering. We have a looming skill shortage in the province, and we need to ensure our children are getting the skills they need to pursue the jobs of tomorrow. It is why I started the Year of Science: to fund programs that encourage children to foster a passion for discovery and knowledge.

      Another significant concern is ensuring the cost of postsecondary education isn’t prohibitive. I have created a plan to reduce student loan interest rates. I believe they can be brought down to prime plus one. This will help decrease the financial burden of postsecondary education, which in turn will also help secure a knowledge-based economy. If I am re-elected, I will work hard to turn this plan into a reality.

      Health

      During my time as MLA, I have kept up my practice as a nuclear medicine physician. Medicine will always be my first love, and my knowledge as a health-care manager and physician has proven critical to my success in advocating for my constituents. Prior to running for office, I volunteered with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I advocated for policy changes in screening that lead to faster diagnosis of breast cancer, which in turn improved outcomes, decreased costs and saved lives.

      I know firsthand that the status quo of health care isn’t sustainable. We need to be innovative. We need more “system” in our health-care programs. We need to provide better and more comprehensive services to our sickest patients, so we can improve outcomes and reduce costs.

      We do excellent work in B.C. when it comes to providing trauma care. We are world leaders in HIV/AIDS, and cancer care and control. But we can and need to do more for those with chronic diseases.

      A poorly managed chronic disease multiplies until the patient has many. Then, they spend time in emergency rooms, acute care beds, and eventually long-term care beds. All of these services are amongst the most expensive we provide.

      We need to identify those patients who are costing our system the most, and spend more money on them up front. There are a number of studies (Denmark, the U.K.) where people are having success doing just that. By spending more—initially—on the people who are using the system the most, overall costs were reduced and overall health increased.

      We’ve started to work on this: by introducing nurse practitioners, by looking at primary care reform, and by increasing collaborative care. With your support on May 14, we can build on our successes.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      colleen moore

      Apr 5, 2013 at 6:10pm

      Stilwell's Ministry plays April fools joke and keeps BC's severely disabled transportation subsidy for April and claws it back and moves it ahead a month. Disabled clients received the same treatment last year as her Ministry took an entire month of subsidy it never provided. Leaving those with special transportation needs to go without for an entire two months while clawing back amt. Stilwel's Ministry is breaking the law because the transportation subsidy was created because of discrimination.

      Astro

      Apr 5, 2013 at 7:19pm

      Very interesting comments from Ms. Stilwell. It is too bad she didn't follow her own advice. WRT the education system, she says, "create a learning culture that values science, math, and engineering." This was happening in BC schools before the BC Liberals came into power. I know because I was teaching to these goals when the BC Liberals came into power.

      Just Wondering

      Apr 5, 2013 at 7:26pm

      Does Moira Stilwell support Brian Day and his private clinic and in turn the privatization of the medical system? I ask because I have to wonder why she is in politics, especially with her education

      Sketic

      Apr 8, 2013 at 4:32pm

      Bye Bye Moira don' let the door hit your ass on the way out you neo-con BC destroying record Deficit running BC Rail scandal Fie-berals.

      New Government in May 2013...

      Rick Dinning

      Apr 28, 2013 at 6:43pm

      Who are these filthy commies posting nasty messages on Dr. Stilwell's website?