Web-based service accelerates access to information and decreases health care costs

McKesson Canada brings RelayHealth to Canada: new web-based service will transform the way health care providers and patients collaborate and exchange information

TORONTO, November 7, 2011 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Today at the Ontario Hospital Association's HealthAchieve 2011 Conference, McKesson Canada announced the launch of RelayHealth, a new web-based service that provides complete and secure information flow between patients and all of their health care providers coast to coast. Focused on the patient point of care, RelayHealth will accelerate information exchange, facilitate collaboration between health care providers, advance patient quality of care, and reduce overall health care costs.

"We live in a world where information can be shared openly and securely, regardless of location. When it comes to health care, a patient's quality of care can be jeopardized if their physician or specialist cannot access the most current and accurate information," says Dale Weil, Senior Vice President, Integrated Healthcare Solutions and Pharmaceutical Solutions, McKesson Canada. "By enabling information exchange among practitioners, laboratories and specialists, RelayHealth reduces duplication, provides faster diagnosis, decreases wait times and ensures that patient data is accessible anywhere, at any time. RelayHealth takes a patient-centred approach and puts the focus where it is needed - on the patient."

As noted by both Canada Health InfoWay and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Canada lags in the adoption of technology in health care. In its report "Healthcare Transformation in Canada", the CMA noted that health care information technology (HIT) must shift from multi-billion dollar investments at the hospital level to a renewed emphasis at the patient level (family physician consults) where the majority of Canadian patients interact with the health care delivery system. The report states that existing top-down investments have not yet resulted in significant benefits to providers or patients, due to the fact that all jurisdictions have focused their investment on large-scale HIT systems and architecture, with very little investment being made at the points of care where the actual benefits of HIT will be realized.

"RelayHealth promises to quickly automate and connect all ambulatory points of care to support clinicians, providing timely clinical value to patients and providers," says Diane Salois-Swallow, CIO at York Central Hospital, Southlake Regional Health Centre/ Stevenson Memorial Hospital within the Central Local Health Integration Network. "This service puts patients in the centre of care, with the potential of them becoming more self-sufficient and being able to make more informed decisions about their health and those of their family members."

RelayHealth is intended to be made available at no cost to patients through their health care systems and providers. It provides patients with the tools they need to better manage their own health and that of their dependents. All they need is a computer, Internet access and a password. It allows physicians and other health care providers, as well as patients to: share lab and diagnostic test results; make physician referral requests; book appointments; make prescription and refill requests; and reduce duplicate testing and medical errors.

"This innovative service truly fosters proactive collaboration between the different medical providers allowing patients to have one touch-point for all of their health needs," says Joseph Galli, Director and Co-founder of the Canadian Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Foundation in Montreal, Quebec. "RelayHealth will help health organizations, governments and institutions to improve patient health outcomes, integrate health information, and deliver accessibility and cost efficiencies."

"RelayHealth can send and receive information by integrating with current provincial systems and databases which reduces complexity," adds Dale Weil of McKesson Canada. "The advantage of using this service is that it achieves savings in the shorter term for the health care system and it will help increase patient satisfaction. Also, because RelayHealth is delivered as a service, it accelerates implementation at a lower cost than other major health information technologies and it requires less maintenance. It is a convenient service that provides the same view, same patient information across the entire health network."

Founded more than 100 years ago, McKesson Canada is dedicated to delivering vital medications, supplies and information technologies that enable the health care industry to provide patients better, safer care. Our solutions empower pharmacies, manufacturers, hospitals and other health care institutions by enabling them to get closer to 12 million patients they serve every single day, while contributing to the quality and safety of care in Canada. For more information on RelayHealth, visit www.relayhealth.ca.

Health spending in Canada to reach $200 billion in 2011

Compensation of health professionals, evolution in the use of services important cost drivers of past decade

OTTAWA, November 3, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Total spending on health care in Canada is expected to grow by more than $7 billion this year to reach a forecast $200.5 billion in 2011. This amounts to roughly $5,800 per Canadian, about $150 more per person than last year, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975 to 2011, one of two CIHI reports released today, shows that growth in health care spending is slowing down. Spending is expected to increase by 4.0% in 2011 over last year—the lowest annual growth rate seen in the last 15 years. In contrast, average annual growth in health care spending between 1998 and 2008 was 7.4%.

While health care spending continues to rise faster than inflation and population growth, it is expected to grow more slowly than the overall economy this year. Spending on health care is forecast to reach 11.6% of Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011, a slight decrease from the historic peak of 11.9% in 2009 and 2010.

"Like in many other countries in the developed world, health care in Canada has seen a period of tremendous growth and major reinvestments in the new millennium," explains CIHI's President and CEO, John Wright. "While the pace of that growth appears to be slowing down, it's important to understand how we reached the $200-billion mark this year. In light of global economic uncertainty and efforts here at home to address government deficits, it's important to examine what's been driving health care costs in order to better plan for the future of the health system."

Main factors that drove health expenditures since 1998

CIHI is also releasing another major study today, called Health Care Cost Drivers: The Facts. The report examines the key factors that contributed to the $200-billion milestone. It focuses on public-sector health care spending between 1998 and 2008—a boom period when annual health expenditure in Canada more than doubled—and identifies issues to monitor in the future.

The study shows that in Canada, as in many countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), there was a tendency to spend more on health care during a period of economic growth and higher income. From a fiscal policy perspective, the period from 1998 to 2008 saw a reduction in the interest that governments in Canada had to pay on outstanding debt, which allowed them to divert resources to overall program spending and tax reduction. The major cost drivers of public-sector health care spending in the past decade were compensation of health care providers, increased use of services and an evolution in the types of services provided and used.

Compensation of health professionals a major cost driver

CIHI's data shows that compensation paid to health care providers has been one of the most significant cost drivers of public-sector health care spending. Hospitals represent the largest category of public-sector spending (37%), and compensation represents about 60% of total hospital budgets. Between 1999 and 2008, the number of hospital workers grew by 21%, while their compensation increased faster than that of workers in the general labour market. The hourly paid hospital employees wage index from Statistics Canada increased by an average of 3.3% per year, compared with an average annual wage increase of 2.7% in the general economy.

After hospitals, physicians represent the second-largest category of public-sector health care spending (20% in 2011). Between 1998 and 2008, physician expenditures increased on average by 6.8% a year. CIHI data shows that the price of doctors' services was the most important cost driver of spending in this category, with compensation for doctors' services growing by 3.6% a year—faster than that for other health workers and the labour market in general. However, physician compensation grew more slowly than the prices of other public goods and services from 1975 until 1998.

"Over the last decade, a host of factors may have contributed to the compensation hike for physicians and other health professionals," explains Wright. "For example, increased competition between provinces to recruit and retain health providers, tighter credentialing of health professionals and stronger bargaining positions due to increased government revenues may have all played a role."

With the number of practising doctors on the rise in Canada, CIHI data shows that spending on physicians is expected to be one of the fastest-growing categories of health expenditure in Canada in 2011, outpacing growth in spending on drugs and hospitals for the fifth year in a row.

Increased use of services and evolving types of services used

Over the past decade, population growth contributed about 1% annually to health care costs. Beyond the demographic factors, the data shows that Canadians are using more health care in some areas. For example, the volume of drugs sold in Canada contributed an average increase in spending of 6.2% a year between 1998 and 2007, even after accounting for population growth and aging. Overall drug spending grew by an average of 10.1% per year during this period. This makes increased utilization the single largest cost driver of drug spending over the past decade. The increased volume was driven largely by use of anti-hypertensive, cholesterol-lowering and gastrointestinal drugs.

Canadians are also seeing their doctors more often and getting more medical procedures. Over the past decade, use of physician services grew by 1.5% annually per Canadian, after adjusting for population aging. The 10-year period also saw a significant increase in the number of Canadians receiving priority-area procedures, such as hip and knee replacements; diagnostic imaging exams, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans; and cataract surgery procedures.

A change in the types of health services used by Canadians—such as the emergence of new drugs and new diagnostic and surgical tools—has also contributed to the growth in health costs. For example, changes in the types of drugs used were an important driver of drug spending, particularly during the last five years. New cancer drugs and immunosuppressants were two of the fastest-growing drug classes during this period. Investments in technologies, such as diagnostic imaging equipment, also grew significantly over this period. Between 1997 and 2010, the number of CT scanners operating in Canada nearly doubled (from 245 to 484), while the number of MRI machines increased more than fivefold (from 55 to 281).


Aging population a modest health care cost driver

CIHI also analyzed the extent to which the aging population is driving costs.

The report demonstrates that population aging is a cost driver of modest importance relative to other drivers, accounting for less than 1% of average annual growth in health care spending (0.8% per year) from 1998 to 2008.

"There is no doubt that as we grow older, we often need more health services and that this costs the health system more money. However, while the Canadian population is aging, it is aging slowly as a whole," says Jean-Marie Berthelot, Vice President of Programs at CIHI. "Over the past decade, the proportion of health dollars spent on seniors by provincial and territorial governments has remained relatively stable at 44%. This tells us that spending on seniors is not growing faster than spending for the population at large."

CIHI data shows, however, that the impact of aging on health care spending varies considerably by province. It is more significant in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec, for example, than in Ontario and the west.

Health care spending not growing as share of provincial and territorial government budgets

Since health care delivery is a provincial/territorial responsibility in Canada, the vast majority of public-sector health dollars are spent by provincial and territorial governments. In 2010, the latest year of available data, health care is estimated to account for about 38% of provincial/territorial government spending. However, this proportion varies among provinces, from 30.4% in Quebec and 33.9% in Newfoundland and Labrador to 44.5% in Manitoba and 47.2% in Nova Scotia.

"Our study identifies several areas to monitor for the future in terms of health care spending," says Berthelot. "For example, increases in the number of health professionals, changes in their scope of practice and the introduction of new technologies—such as new cancer biologic drugs—may all continue to have a significant impact on what we collectively pay for health care. Canadian governments, and society as a whole, will need to balance the health needs of the population against overall costs to ensure Canadians have an efficient, effective and sustainable system."

About National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975 to 2011

This annual report provides an overview of health care spending trends from 1975 to 2009, as well as forecasts for 2010 and 2011. The report draws upon data compiled from CIHI's National Health Expenditure (NHEX) Database, Canada's most comprehensive source of information on health care spending. Where appropriate, the report provides data in both current and constant dollars. Current dollars measure actual expenditure in a given year. Constant dollars remove the effects of inflation to measure expenditure based on price levels prevailing in a base year (in this case, 1997). Real growth rates measure annual changes of data reported in these constant dollars.

About Health Care Cost Drivers: The Facts.

This supplement to CIHI's annual NHEX report analyzes the areas that drove health care spending in the public sector during the major growth period of the last decade (1998 to 2008), as well as issues to watch in the future. Public-sector spending represents 70% of the total health bill, a proportion that has remained relatively stable since 1997. The report examines factors within the three major categories of public health expenditure—hospitals, physicians and drugs—as well as those affecting health care spending overall.

The reports are available on their website at www.cihi.ca

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Bill Gates Calls on G20 Leaders Not to Turn Their Backs on the World's Poor

Report Highlights Role of Innovation in Expanding Development Resources for the Future

CANNES, France, November 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a report about financing for development delivered today at the G20 Summit, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, urged leaders to commit to increasing the pool of resources dedicated to development or risk causing irreparable damage to the livelihoods of millions of the poorest people. Underlying these recommendations is the idea that innovation can multiply the impact of the resources devoted to development.

Gates' report, "Innovation with Impact: Financing 21st Century Development," was presented to heads of State and Governments in Cannes, France, at the request of G20 chairman French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"Leadership from the G20 is critically important, especially in these tough economic times. We must build on the unprecedented progress in health and development achieved in the last decade," Gates said. "We must spur on even greater progress in the coming decades to improve the lives of the world's poorest."

In his report, Gates stresses the need for rich countries to continue their generosity and meet their foreign aid commitments - which are generally between one and two percent of government's budgets - while ensuring that aid is spent effectively in areas such as health and agriculture.

"If the countries that have made promises stick to them, it will generate an additional $80 billion annually starting in 2015," Gates said. "Well-designed aid reduces poverty right now and accelerates poor countries' progress toward the moment when they no longer need it."

Beyond rich countries' responsibility, Gates says rapidly emerging economies represented in the G20 also play a growing role in driving progress in development. In his report, he proposes ideas for enabling speedier transfer of the innovations these countries are pioneering - particularly in the areas of health and agriculture, such as vaccines and seeds - to transform the lives of poor people in Africa and beyond.

"In the last decade, countries like China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey have seen growth rates rise and poverty rates fall sharply. They are great examples of what we can do and achieve," Gates said.

He notes that these countries, which have recent experiences in reducing poverty and enormous technical capacity, bring unique insights and skills to create breakthrough tools for development

"I am particularly excited about the possibility of 'triangular partnerships' among rapidly growing countries, traditional donors, and poor countries, because they exploit the comparative advantages of many different countries," Gates says in his report.

Within the last week, the Gates Foundation announced two partnerships: one with Brazil to share expertise on agriculture, family health and vaccines with African countries, and another with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and Chinese companies to support innovative research and development and manufacturing of new products for global health and agriculture.

Gates' report also points to a partnership between Brazil, Japan and Mozambique that aims to help Mozambique adapt soybeans, rice and other crops to Mozambique's savanna, which has a climate and soils similar to Brazil's "Cerrado". Japan is helping Mozambique upgrade its infrastructure.

Gates stresses that growth had been very strong in a number of poor countries including in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Ultimately, developing countries' domestic resources will be the largest source of funds for development," according to Gates, who recommends measures the G20 could take to help poor countries' maximize their own resources to reduce poverty.

Ideas include directing foreign aid at helping developing countries better collect tax revenue, which could raise approximately $20 billion a year at today's GDP, and increasing transparency requirements for mining and oil companies. Gates calls on poor countries to focus resources on priorities which directly benefit poor people, like health and agriculture, and urged African leaders to meet the targets they had set in the Abuja Declaration to devote at least 15 percent of their budgets to improving health, and in the Maputo Declaration, which calls for devoting 10 percent of budgets on agriculture.

The report to G20 leaders also calls for adopting innovative ways to mobilize private sector finance and encourage private sector growth as a way to raise funds for development. Recommendations include making sovereign wealth funds available for infrastructure investments in poor countries, continuing to lower transaction costs of remittances by diaspora communities, and using pull mechanisms in agriculture to encourage innovation in agricultural technologies.

Gates also uses the report to identify new streams of funding, by directing a percentage of funds from a Financial Transaction Tax, Solidarity Tobacco Contribution, and an aviation and bunker fuel tax, to fund development and climate change.

"With its diversity and dynamism, the G20 is the key body that can bring these resources, innovative ideas and leadership together for greater impact in a new world of development," Gates said. "If the G20 takes up this challenge, I'm optimistic we can get through this economic crisis and save millions of lives and lift millions more out of poverty."

To access the full report, go to: www.thegatesnotes.com/G20

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people--especially those with the fewest resources--have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
For further information: CONTACT: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, +1-206-709-3400, media@gatesfoundation.org Web Site: www.gatesfoundation.org

Canada's Sandwich Generation making many sacrifices to support both children and aging parents

Credit Canada and Capital One Canada offer insights about financial literacy in conjunction with 5th annual Credit Education Week

TORONTO, October 31, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canadians who are part of a growing Sandwich Generation are being required to make more sacrifices in order to financially support both their children and aging parents. A new survey by Credit Canada and Capital One Canada for Credit Education Week found that a surprising 4 in 10 Canadians (39%) in the Sandwich Generation are concerned they might not be able to pay for their children's education because they need to financially support their parents. To deal with these potential monetary shortfalls, 40% of these Canadians expressed concern that they will have to borrow money from family and friends.

For those Canadians already financially supporting their children and parents, 25% believe their children have been negatively impacted because of the additional money and time provided to an aging parent that would otherwise go to their kids.

"What's most concerning is the amount of expenses that this group of Canadians is being forced to take on at a time when they should be saving for retirement," said Laurie Campbell, Executive Director, Credit Canada. "Our latest survey also found that two- thirds of Canadians in the Sandwich Generation have become burdened with additional financial problems as they deal with the reality of these heightened responsibilities. The end result is that more than half of these people (55%) now expect to retire later than expected so they can play financial catch up."

The survey asked Canadians about the types of sacrifices they have been forced to make in order to support both their dependent children and aging parents:

...30% are taking less vacations

...43% are eating out less

...36% have had to dip into their savings

...37% needed to work more hours

...38% have had to cut back on lifestyle costs (entertainment, social activities, etc.)

"It's important for Canadians to have a long-term view of their financial obligations to themselves and their families, so that they can make smart choices about their spending and saving," said Rob Livingston, President, Capital One Canada. "We believe all Canadians should have a thorough understanding of the tools and resources available to them to make these important financial decisions, which is why we support financial education initiatives."

In 2007, Credit Canada and Capital One Canada teamed up to create the first Credit Education Week Canada, with the objective to raise public awareness and educate Canadians about the many issues and challenges they face managing their finances, spending and savings. Now in its fifth year, Credit Education Week will be looking at the Sandwich Generation and the unique financial pressures they face. From November 14-18, over one hundred events and financial literacy workshops at YMCAs and community centres right across the country will occur under the Credit Education Week banner thanks to the support and funding of all sponsors.

Credit Canada and Capital One Canada provide the following tips for the Sandwich Generation

...Talk to someone - visit your local credit counseling agency or a financial advisor to find out your options

...Save for a rainy day - Life takes unexpected twists, so putting aside some emergency savings could keep you out of trouble

...Stay within your budget - Avoid dipping into your savings because you never know when a family member might need a helping hand

...Plan early - Start saving for retirement as soon as you can, and if you have kids, start an RESP for them when they're young

...Teach your kids - Encourage your kids to get part-times jobs to help pay for their education. They'll learn about savings, budgeting and the value of hard work

...Educate yourself - There are government and community programs available to help you and your family with your new financial responsibilities

About the survey

In September 2011, Credit Canada and Capital One Canada commissioned a survey of 830 Canadians in the Sandwich Generation to gain insight into their financial challenges and situations. The survey respondents were equally distributed across the 4 major regions of Canada (West, Ontario, Quebec and East) and the margin of error is +/- 3.4%, 19 times out of 20.

About Credit Canada

Credit Canada is a non-profit charitable service that has assisted thousands of people with credit counseling and debt management programs since 1966. Credit Canada is a member of the Ontario Association of Credit Counseling Services and a Charter Member of Canadian Association of Credit Counseling Services.

About Capital One

With offices in Toronto and Montreal, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard in Canada. Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).

Tax Rules Prevent Many Canadians from Saving Enough for Retirement: C.D. Howe Institute

TORONTO, October 27, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Federal tax rules are preventing many Canadians - especially in the private sector - from saving enough for retirement, according to a report released today by the C.D. Howe Institute. Workers relying on RRSPs cannot accumulate even half the retirement wealth of career members of defined-benefit (DB) pension plans, says the report, "Legal for Life: Why Canadians Need a Lifetime Retirement Saving Limit," by James Pierlot with Faisal Siddiqi.

"Solving this 'have' and 'have-not' divide in the pension outlook for Canadians is becoming urgent," says Pierlot.

More than 12 million Canadian workers do not participate in a DB pension plan. Many of these workers need to save for retirement, and must do so in RRSPs and defined-contribution (DC) pension plans. The authors demonstrate that tax rules prevent these workers from saving enough, even as career members of DB plans accumulate retirement savings worth as much as 60% of their total career incomes.

This indicates a serious problem of inequity, the prospect of low living standards for future retirees and an increasing burden on income-support programs funded from general tax revenue, says the report. Those at particular risk of not having enough DC/RRSP contribution room include new Canadians, self-employed workers, and those who have incurred investment losses, experienced periods of unemployment or made RRSP withdrawals before retirement.

The authors find that Canadian workers with career membership in generous DB plans can and do accumulate good pensions with values ranging from $550,000, for a worker with a career-end salary of $50,000, to $2.1 million with a career-end salary of $150,000. With RRSP savings included, their accumulations of retirement wealth are even greater. The study also finds that workers with similar career earnings who save in DC plans and RRSPs are prevented from accumulating even half of these amounts.

Major reform is needed, so that all workers for whom the "tax-assisted" retirement saving system is intended can save enough for their retirements, according to the report. To make this a reality, the authors propose that Canada's annual, income-based tax limits on retirement saving be discarded and replaced with a uniform, inflation-indexed lifetime accumulation limit of $2 million - the value of pensions now accumulated by high-income workers with career membership in generous DB pension plans, especially in the public sector.

For the report go to: http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_336.pdf

Canada Ready to Accept Pan American Games Flag

Dignitaries Descend on Guadalajara for Handover Ceremony

GUADALAJARA, October 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Games Organizing Committee (TO2015), backed by a strong and unified team of representatives from all levels of government, is ready to show the Americas that Canada is preparing an exciting welcome for the largest multi-sport event ever held in the country.

Dignitaries attending the Handover Ceremony include: His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), the Honourable Charles Sousa, Ontario's Minister responsible for the Pan/Parapan Am Games, His Worship Mayor Rob Ford and Chief William K. Montour, Elected Chief, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.

As the 2011 Pan American Games continue with sport competitions in Guadalajara, TO2015 and its government partners are in Mexico to take part in their official role in the Closing Ceremony in the Omnilife Stadium on October 30.

"The handover component of the Closing Ceremony marks a key milestone on the road to the Toronto 2015 Games," said Ian Troop, TO2015 Chief Executive Officer. "With the unified support of our government partners, accepting the Pan Am flag officially means we're next!"

Along with participation from Mexican and Canadian dignitaries, specific protocol involving the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) flag is strictly followed in the Handover Ceremony.

"Having representatives of all our government partners at the ceremony provides a strong signal to everyone in the Americas that Toronto, our venue municipalities, the Province of Ontario and Canada are all working together to make sure that a warm welcome and top-notch experience awaits all Games participants in 2015," added Troop.

"Ontario is proud to be the next host region of the Pan/Parapan Am Games," said Sousa. "We are well on the way to hosting an event in Ontario that will welcome more than 10,000 athletes and officials, draw more than 250,000 visitors, create 15,000 jobs, trigger infrastructure development and showcase our province on an international stage."

"Toronto is proud to be hosting the Pan/Parapan American Games in 2015," said City of Toronto's Mayor Rob Ford. "The Games will be great for the city. They will generate investment in our sporting infrastructure, create a positive economic impact and showcase Toronto to hundreds of thousands of visitors. I look forward to representing Toronto in Guadalajara and to being part of the official handover celebrations with our other government partners."

"As a proud supporter of the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games, our Government will continue to work with our partners to create a remarkable sport experience for athletes and fans," said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). "We recognize that hosting these Games in Toronto will create opportunities for economic, cultural and community development. We look forward to working together to proudly welcome the Americas to Toronto in 2015."

Near the midway point of the two-hour Closing Ceremony that will celebrate the excitement and achievements of the Guadalajara 2011 Games, the protocol-driven flag handover segment will take place.

Following the declaration of Toronto as the next Host City of the Games, an eight-minute creative presentation will give the nearly 50,000 spectators in the Stadium, and those watching the broadcast throughout the Americas, a taste of what's to come in Toronto in less than four years.

"Every minute counts as we showcase the creative blend of culture and athletics that makes Toronto a unique region of the world," said Troop. "With a French-Canadian flair, a tribute to our Aboriginal history and a celebration of Latin American and Caribbean music, the invitation is clear: Toronto is the place to be in 2015."

The Closing Ceremony for the Pan Am Games will air Sunday, October 30 beginning at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time) on cbcsports.ca.

About the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

The Pan American Games are one of the world's largest international multi-sport events, held every four years for athletes of the 41 member nations of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). The Games comprise all Olympic Summer Games sports, as well as traditional Pan American sports. The Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games will draw 10,000 athletes and officials and feature 48 sports in 17 municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. The Toronto 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10-26 and the Parapan American Games August 7-14.

For more information about the Games, please visit toronto2015.org.

Quality of life for women an issue

Canadian researchers find that in some matters of the heart, women do not fare as well as men

VANCOUVER, October 25, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - A Heart and Stroke Foundation study has found that women under age 55 fare worse than their male counterparts following a heart attack - and their health status declines more than that of their male counterparts after one month.

The AMI55 study found that women between the ages of 20 and 55 had significantly worse physical limitations, more recurrences of chest pain, and worse quality of life than men one month after a heart attack - and, compared to their baseline scores, declined in the areas of physical limitations and recurrences of chest pain. Among men, only physical limitations worsened from baseline to one month.

"While the high prevalence of traditional cardiac risk factors like diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure contribute, they do not fully explain the poorer outcome in women," says Dr. Karin Humphries, Heart and Stroke Foundation Professor in Women's Cardiovascular Health at UBC. "This is why our study focuses on exploring non-traditional risk factors such as depression, anxiety, and social support."

Dr. Humphries attributes the slower recovery of women in part to prevalent social and cultural standards that typically place women in this age group in the role of primary caregiver.

"These women are likely not getting the support they need to recover from a heart attack," she says. "Women are less likely to attend cardiac rehabilitation than their male counterparts even when they are referred. We need to help women overcome their barriers to this essential part of their recovery."

Explanations for the difference in outcomes, she says, may be that women are presenting to hospital later, are less likely to believe they're having a heart attack, are more likely to put off seeking treatment and often ignore or under-report their symptoms. Additionally, they are less aggressively investigated for heart disease.

She adds that outcomes in younger women could likely be improved by increased awareness of risk factors and of heart attack symptoms.

The study looked at 286 patients 55 years of age or younger, including 75 females, from five B.C. hospitals. Researchers collected baseline data when patients arrived following a heart attack, and followed up on demographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics at one, six, and 12 months.

In B.C. alone, more than 1,000 adults under age 55 are admitted to hospital each year following a heart attack. Of these, 25 per cent are women.

"Our findings show that there is still a lot of room for improvement," says co-researcher Mona Izadnegahdar, a PhD candidate in epidemiology at the UBC School of Population and Public Health. "We can improve these odds by increasing awareness of warning signs and symptoms of heart attack, recognizing and managing cardiac risk factors, as well as knowing about and accessing cardiac resources such as rehabilitation programs."

The researchers also found in the same group of patients that, while chest pain was the most common heart attack symptom in both men and women, the women suffered a higher severity of chest pain. They also had a wider range of other pain symptoms than men, including neck and throat pain, and left arm and shoulder pain.

"This research is consistent with other studies suggesting that women suffer worse quality of life with a diagnosis of heart disease," says Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson. "Heart disease is a leading cause of death of women in Canada. Being aware of the warning signs and acting on them quickly can save lives and improve health outcomes."

She says that women and their family members should talk to their doctors, be aware of any symptoms, and understand that heart attacks can happen to them too.

Dr. Abramson encourages women to find out how they can protect their heart health through the Foundation's The Heart Truth™ campaign (thehearttruth.ca), which educates women about identifying their risks and warning signs of heart disease and stroke, and shows them how to make lifestyle changes and take action to reduce their risk by as much as 80 per cent.

The warning signs of a heart attack - for women and men - are:

...Chest discomfort (uncomfortable chest pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain, burning or heaviness)

...Discomfort in other areas of the upper body (neck, jaw, shoulder, arms, back)

...Shortness of breath

...Sweating

...Nausea

...Light-headedness

If you are experiencing any of these signs, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately.

The study was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2011, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.