The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) is the National Voice for radiologists in Canada. One of our main priorities is to advocate for the advancement of radiology in Canada.
For the last several years the CAR has submitted briefs to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as part of its pre-budget consultation process. The reports are intended to inform and influence the federal government as it prepares its budget and considers its spending priorities.
The Pre-Budget Submission is an example of the advocacy and government relations work that the CAR is conducting on behalf of its members.
Read the CAR's Pre-Budget Submissions below:
2022 Pre-Budget Submission
Read the CAR's 2022 PreBudget Submission
The CAR recommends:
- The Government make a $1.5 billion investment to enhance the resilience of medical imaging in Canada.
- Support the implementation of a national e-referrals program (Clinical Decision Support) to provide referring health professionals with better access to medical imaging guidelines, ensuring that patients receive the right test at the right times
- The creation of a National Data Science Institute to harness AI for the strategic prioritization of health human resources, technology, and infrastructure for medical imaging in the wake of the pandemic and beyond.
2021 Pre-Budget Submission
Read the CAR's 2021 Pre-Budget Submission
The CAR recommends:
- The Government make a $1.5 billion investment to enhance the resilience of medical imaging in Canada.
- The Government create a National Imaging Data Institute to harness AI for the strategic prioritization of health human resources, technology, and infrastructure for medical imaging in the wake of this pandemic and beyond.
2020 Pre-Budget Submission
Read the CAR's 2020 Pre-Budget Submission
The CAR recommends:
- $1.1 billion over the next five years, as part of the federal transfer to the provinces, to ensure imaging equipment meets the quality standards that patients deserve, inclusive of our seniors and indigenous communities.
- $9 million over three years to fund projects to implement clinical decision support tools for imaging referrals.
- $10.5 million over three years to establish federal frameworks to regulate the implementation of AI tools in radiology and healthcare.
- Revise the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Care Breast Imaging Guidelines, lowering the breast imaging screening age to 40 years of age.
2019 Pre-Budget Submission
Read the CAR's 2019 Pre-Budget Submission
The CAR recommends:
- Invest $625 million over five years, as part of the federal transfer to the provinces, to ensure that available imaging equipment meets the quality standards that patients deserve inclusive of our seniors and indigenous communities.
- Invest $3 million in 2019 for medical imaging equipment in Northern communities to help eradicate tuberculosis.
- Invest $9 million over three years to fund projects to implement clinical decision support tools for imaging referrals.
- Invest $10.5 million over three years through the Strategic Innovation Fund, sponsored by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to begin establishing federal frameworks to regulate the implementation of AI tools in medicine and healthcare.
Become Involved: Join the Parliamentary Outreach Program
The CAR will be offering support and materials for members who would like to make a difference and increase awareness of these and other issues. Sign up for the Parliamentary Outreach Program and join the coalition for optimal medical imaging care for patients in Canada.
The CAR will select representatives in each province to be our grassroots champions for medical imaging across the country. Each designated spokesperson will receive a toolkit to make outreach to their provincial MP. There will also be an opportunity for representatives to be selected to partake in our annual Day on the Hill in Ottawa in November.
Sign up today by contacting Natalie St-Pierre, Director, Marketing and Communications at [email protected].