Careers in health policy include jobs as a Health Policy Analyst, Planner, Researcher, Health Care Advocate. Some typical employers are described below.
Governments
Governments have a mandate to develop policies related to maintaining and enhancing the health of populations and providing health care. These policies can be directly related to the provision of health care services and to maintaining health, such as income benefits, housing and shelter, transportation, etc. For example, governments determine priorities in areas such as drug approval processes, delivery of services to First Nations and the military, policies to help seniors to live independently, planning requirements for health care workers, research into variation in health status among different population groups, and analyzing use of health care services. Health Canada is a major potential employment site as are provincial and city governments.
Government-Funded Organizations
Various government funded organizations such as public health departments, District Health Councils, and associations such as the Ontario Hospital Association, Association of Ontario Health Centres and others determine the allocation of resources and specific policy directions.
Professional Associations
Associations such as the Ontario Medical Association, Registered Nurses Associations of Ontario, College of Physicians and Surgeons, etc., Canadian Public Health Association and all provincial public health associations carry out policy studies.
Social Service Agencies
Social service agencies such as the United Way, Social Planning Councils, Family Service Association, concerned with broad concepts of health carry out policy studies and analyses.
Non-Government Advocacy Groups
Organizations such as the Canadian Abilities Foundation, various AIDS groups, family planning organizations, Canadian Mental Health Association, Cerebral Palsy Association, Canadian and provincial Associations for Community Living, Toronto Association for Community Living, Centre for Independent Living Toronto, Canadian Association for the Repeal of Abortion Law have need of policy development expertise.
Other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)
NGOs need assistance in deciding on priorities (e.g. campaign of Doctors Without Borders to increase access of drugs in developing countries). The Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and other health-related organizations all have policy issues to deal with.
Research Institutes
Organizations such as the Canadian Institute for Children's Health, the Caledon Institute, Canadian Policy Research Network, Institute for research on Public Policy are increasingly carrying out health related policy studies and analyses.
International Agencies
These agencies are involved in analyzing/planning health care such as World Bank, World Health Organization, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the Pan American Health Organization among others.
