In its policy and research role, the Royal College informs and influences health and public policy; we act as a partner and collaborator with other health system stakeholders to effect positive change for Canada’s health care system. The following are areas in which the Royal College has focused its most recent policy-development and research activities.
Information you can use
The Royal College regularly performs environmental scans of the extensive and complex information available about Canada’s health care system. To find information on key trends affecting our health system, read our latest scan Cutting through the health system information fog.
National Physicians Survey
Every three years, the Royal College, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Medical Association survey all physicians in Canada, medical residents and students. The data provide meaningful information about the attitudes of Canada’s present and future doctors on a wide range of critical issues. Read more.
Collegial relationships lead to effective collaboration
The Royal College and the College of Family Physicians of Canada have been working to enhance relationships between specialists and family physicians. Their work has led to the creation reports and guides on the issue of collaboration as well as the establishment of the Collaborative Action Committee on Intraprofessionalism.
Human resources for health
Physicians face employment challenges The Royal College is examining the driving factors that may be contributing to the relatively new phenomenon of specialty medical workforce unemployment or under-employment in Canada. Please read more.
Dialogue Series
The Royal College’s health human resources Dialogue Series brings together health system stakeholders who are working toward the establishment of a sustainable health care workforce.
Coping with labour and medical workforce shortages
Governments and regulators are adopting new approaches to address labour and medical workforce shortages, including amendments to the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). The Royal College has produced a discussion paper analyzing the AIT amendments and their potential implications for the medical workforce and access to quality care.
Knowledge repository
This repository of health human resources and health system issues provides access to journal articles, reports and task forces on the issue of health human resources. Read more.
International Health Workforce Collaborative
This health policy conference brings together policy makers, researchers and practitioners from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia to discuss health workforce issues. The Royal College leads the Canadian portion of this collaborative and hosts the conference’s website.
Private vs. Public: Safeguarding the quality of medical education and the workforce
The College has developed a statement in response to shifts in health care delivery and medical education and training to settings outside the traditional teaching hospital, a reality which may have profound implications on the education of future doctors and access to care. Please read more.
Patient Safety
The Royal College is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards and quality of health care. As such, it supports and contributes to several initiatives that play a key role in advancing patient safety. Please read more.
