Appropriateness of Care Program

The Appropriateness of Care Program coordinates a number of provincial projects aimed at improving care where evidence suggests there may be inappropriate care or unjustified variation (which can be a sign of overuse, underuse, or misuse) in care delivery. For each project, a group of clinicians with special expertise in the topic area, called a clinical development team, identifies reasons for variation or inappropriate care and develops strategies for improvement. As part of this work, teams engage with patients to incorporate their input and perspectives.

 The work of the provincial program is based on the Appropriateness of Care Framework. This framework is designed to support physicians, health care providers, patients, and families in improving appropriateness of care throughout the health system.

From 2018 to 2019 the Health Quality Council worked with the Ministry of Health to support Appropriateness of Care program leads on projects.

Some of the Appropriateness of Care Projects the Health Quality Council supported included:

  1. Imaging of Low Back: MRI and CT Imagine of Lumbar Spine
  2. Pre-operative Testing and Evaluation for Elective Surgery
  3. Row Romanow Provincial Laboratory Testing: Vitamin D
  4. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs
  5. Acute Stroke Pathway
Current contact

This work is now a part of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Clinical Excellence portfolio. For a current contact, please visit the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s website.