Using innovation in healthcare means finding new solutions to old problems that never seem to disappear, no matter how much money is thrown at them. It means taking risks, taking advantage of available resources, and taking the time to learn from our mistakes.

We need to come to an understanding of why changes in the healthcare system have only taken us further back, when there is clearly so much potential to move forward. At Roasters Foundation, we are excited to be a part of a number of projects that are helping us all move forward together.

Alternative and complementary forms of medicine are on the rise in North America

An increasingly multi-cultural and open-minded population has created a demand for natural, yet effective health remedies which may be unfamiliar to mainstream health care providers. Despite their growing popularity, little has been done to harmonize the best practices from the Eastern and Western spheres of medicine.

Roasters Foundation participated in a very special event in November 2007, an Inaugural Symposium on Complimentary and Alternative Medicine hosted by the McGill Affiliated Hospitals in Montréal. The purpose of this symposium was to:

• Bring together key stakeholders and medical experts from both mainstream and alternative medical traditions
• Find new solutions to an ailing healthcare system

We value the work that is being done in this direction and look forward to contributing to its expansion, which promises to resolve some of the issues and differences between complementary forms of medicine.