Dr Horvat has a long-standing interest in sustainably improving the effectiveness of health service. To this end he has sought out key leaders of organizations internationally recognized for their success in this area. In 2009, Dr Horvat hosted two dialogues involving well recognized international leaders of change from Canada, Sweden, the UK and the USA. These dialogues were supported by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, Northern Health and the Northern Medical Society. Based on these dialogues and subsequent feedback, Dr Horvat has documented key activities that these leaders agree are essential for success. Dr Horvat is currently in the process of finalizing the resulting paper for the purpose of publishing.

 

Dr Horvat is a Family Physician by training who maintained a practice in Coquitlam, BC for ten years. His growing concern regarding the direction of Family Practice, and the healthcare system more generally, has led him to become involved in the work that he is doing today. Dr Horvat has considerable experience with the healthcare system from a variety of perspectives. He has been in governance roles for such organizations as the Simon Fraser Health Region, the BC College of Family Physicians and the Western Healthcare Improvement Network. He has chaired or co-chaired three conferences bringing local and international leadership to BC to foster dialogue and progress on health system improvement. He also worked with the BC Cancer Agency to assist with the launch of the Family Practice Oncology Network, and has acted as an invited "expert opinion" to the Commission on the Future of Healthcare in Canada (the Romanow Commission). Through these diverse activities, he has built up an extensive network of contacts in BC, Canada and internationally. Dr Horvat also worked with a health authority for over five years, gaining further insight into the operations of healthcare through his health authority roles (Medical Director, Northern Interior and Mecial Lead, Primary Care) as well as his contacts with the Ministry, BCMA and other organizations. Dr Horvat has recently acted as a member of the BC Primarly Health Care Council and a health authority representative on GPSC. He remains active with a number of GPSC committees and with the Division of Family Practice in Prince George.

 

 

Health system improvement