Conclusion
Health care is experiencing as dramatic a change as any sector, and
the repercussions are one of the top concerns of most Canadians. The
needs of the population, the economic adjustments of the government,
the advances in technology and consumer demands for specific types of
products and services are causing drastic changes in the skills and
knowledge of workers and, thus, changing the occupational requirements
of the sector.
Technology and the drive to cut costs will probably have the greatest
impact on the delivery of health care throughout the sector, which will
increase the need for technological workers. Companies that develop,
manufacture and deliver products and services in telehealth are a growth
area. Industry Canada (Health Industries Branch, 1998) reported that
more than 300 Canadian companies were active in the industry in 1997
and 20% of them had been created in 1997. This indicates a need for
highly skilled professionals and technicians.
Home health care is expected to be one of the fastest growing services
with a range of devices and technologies substituting for services traditionally
delivered in a hospital setting (HRDC, 1999 b, p. 2) which will decrease
the need for hospital and institution workers and increase the need
for home equipment technicians and lower-skilled home support workers.
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