Letter: Ban medical tourism in Ontario

As Ontarians who value our publicly funded health system, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is urging the government of Ontario to immediately ban medical tourism in hospitals across Ontario.

Medical tourism refers to the establishment of for-profit businesses where out-of-country patients can pay their way to preferential treatment.

Mount Sinai, Sunnybrook, and University Health Network in Toronto have already embarked on such initiatives and there are proposals to establish additional programs in other large centres.

It is unacceptable to be marketing “pay-for-treatment” health services to patients from abroad for both ethical and public policy reasons. For-profit health care gives priority to those who can pay over those most in need, and runs counter to the principles and spirit of the Canada Health Act.

Besides eroding the quality and accessibility of health services for all Ontarians, this two-tiered approach will erode public support for our cherished health system. Medical tourism opens the door to lawsuits driven by for-profit interest groups. They will use wealthy and/or vulnerable clients to argue that if out-of-country patients can pay their way to preferential treatment, so too, should Ontarians.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario urges all Ontarians to speak up and tell the Premier, Ms. Kathleen Wynne, and the Minister of Health and Long Term Care, Dr. Eric Hoskins, to immediately ban medical tourism to protect and strengthen our health care system.

Maria Casas
policy and communication executive officer
RNAO Sudbury Chapter