Health care co-ops

Report on International Health Care Co-op Conference, Centre for Co-op Studies, U Sask.

Report on Elder Care Co-ops.

Health Co-ops Around the World

In 1998, the OECD/LEED released a study on social enterprises, which represented the first report of the phenomenon carried out by an international organisation. A year ago, I received an invitation to be associated with a new book showing the new phase of consolidation in which social enterprise is entering. From the perspective of the diverse OECD countries members, this book offers a broader view of government support for social enterprises, ad hoc support tools, appropriate financial tools as well as the new legislation providing social enterprise with new opportunities. I depict the very inspiring case of Quebec multi-stakeholder co-ops, Solidarity Co-ops which included a closer view of the situation in the health care field. From their side, Margie Mendell from Concordia University has written a paper about financial tools for social enterprises base on a comparison between different OECD countries members. The result has been the recent release by the OECD/LEED of the book, The Changing Boundaries of Social Enterprises. It can be order under paper version at: http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?K=5KZ9HDCSX4KC&lang=EN&sort=sort_date%2Fd&sf1=kwords&st1=social+enterprises&sf3=SubjectCode&st4=not+E4+or+E5+or+P5&sf4=SubVersionCode&ds=social+enterprises%3B+All+Subjects%3B+&m=3&dc=57&plang=en Or under electronic format at: http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?CID=&LANG=EN&SF1=DI&ST1=5KZ9HDCMB3LS Happy reading! Jean-Pierre Girard

The Regina Community Clinic serves the citizens of Regina and outlying rural areas. Membership is approximately 14,000; membership is not required to access medical services. The Clinic provides health care services, health promotion, disease prevention, curative care, rehabilitative care and supportive care.

Available on the internet (see below). This guide has three sections, each aimed at different audiences. The first provides developemental resource persons with an introduction to the status of the health care sector, approaches to development that are likely to generate interest among the people involved in creating new co-ops in Canada, and the co-op movement's vision of health and social services. It also presents a history of health care co-ops in Canada. The second section, intended for both development resources persons and proponents of co-operative projects, identifies needs and different co-op models. The final section, aimed at those who have decided to start a health care co-op, presents the steps in the process of starting a co-op and the factors to be considered in drawing up a good business plan.