Government of Canada

About: Government of Canada is a government organization based out in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Monetary policy & Productivity. The organization has 796 authors who have published 886 publications receiving 21366 citations. The organization is also known as: federal government of Canada & Her Majesty's Government.

Health Care Utilization in Canada: Twenty-five Years of Evidence

Abstract: A plethora of literature links socioeconomic status (SES) to health and health care utilization. Recent anecdotal evidence indicates that Canadians believe their access to health care is diminishing. This study describes health care utilization patterns for services provided under public health insurance (physicians, specialists, and hospitals) in Canada between 1978 and 2003. The relationship between SES and utilization, controlling for health and demographic characteristics, is examined to investigate whether changes in the equity of utilization have occurred over time. Results indicate that SES inequities in utilization are apparent, appearing to be more relevant in initial contact with the system than in the number of visits. Specialists' services are particularly problematic and becoming more so over time.

Economic evaluation of oral sumatriptan compared with oral caffeine/ergotamine for migraine.

Abstract: We conducted an economic comparison of oral sumatriptan with oral caffeine/ergotamine in the treatment of patients with migraine. Cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses were conducted from societal and health-departmental perspectives. A decision tree was used. Utilities were assigned to health states using the Quality of Weil-Being Scale. Simple and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were also carried out. From a societal perspective, using sumatriptan instead of caffeine/ergotamine resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of-25 Canadian dollars ($Can) per attack aborted, an incremental cost-utility ratio of -$Can7507 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), and a net economic benefit of $Can42 per patient per year (1995 values). From the perspective of the health department, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $Can98 per attack aborted, the incremental cost-utility ratio was $Can29 366 per QALY; the grade of recommendation based on past decisions regarding health technology for adoption into health insurance plans was ‘moderate’. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust to relatively large changes in the input variables. The incremental health benefits obtained from using oral sumatriptan rather than oral caffeine/ergotamine were achieved at moderately acceptable incremental costs, if past decisions on the adoption of other health technologies are used as a guide.

Map construction and exploration by mobile agents scattered in a dangerous network

Abstract: We consider the map construction problem in a simple, connected graph by a set of mobile computation entities or agents that start from scattered locations throughout the graph. The problem is further complicated by dangerous elements, nodes and links, in the graph that eliminate agents traversing or arriving at them. The agents working in the graph communicate using a limited amount of storage at each node and work asynchronously. We present a deterministic algorithm that solves the exploration and map construction problems. The end result is also a rooted spanning tree and the election of a leader. The total cost of the algorithm is O(n s m) total number of moves, where m is the number of links in the network and n s is the number of safe nodes, improving the existing O(m2) bound.

Innovation and Growth with Financial, and Other, Frictions

Abstract: The generation and implementation of ideas, or knowledge, is crucial for economic performance. We study this process in a model of endogenous growth with frictions. Productivity increases with knowledge, which advances via innovation, and with the exchange of ideas from those who generate them to those best able to implement them (technology transfer). But frictions in this market, including search, bargaining, and commitment problems, impede exchange and thus slow growth. We characterize optimal policies to subsidize research and trade in ideas, given both knowledge and search externalities. We discuss the roles of liquidity and financial institutions, and show two ways in which intermediation can enhance efficiency and innovation. First, intermediation allows us to finance more transactions with fewer assets. Second, it ameliorates certain bargaining problems, by allowing entrepreneurs to undo otherwise sunk investments in liquidity. We also discuss some evidence, suggesting that technology transfer is a significant source of innovation and showing how it is affected by credit considerations.