Commentary on health care reform and opportunities for dietitians

Health care in Canada is driven by global economic pressures. Financing solutions will be found through a national strategy for effective quality management of the health care delivery system. Achieving quality effectiveness will demand a new level of accountability and participation in planning from both users and providers. Restructuring and reform will support a shift from disease treatment and from traditional institutions to health promotion and primary care prevention in community based settings. Along with the shift in focus and delivery systems will be new opportunities for dietitians in new roles and in new settings. The specialized knowledge of dietitians, nourishing people under all life's circumstances, is highly valued by society. Now is not a time when dietitians can afford to be passive about our preferred role in the health system. This is a time to learn new skills and to move beyond the role boundaries of the past. This is a time to invest in research that leads to cost-effective, accountable practices.