The Health Shared Services Saskatchewan (3sHealth) Act has been proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, having come into force on April 1, 2023, becoming the new legislation for 3sHealth. This new legislation includes extensive updates to outdated legislation that better reflects the reality of today’s mandates and oversight, as well as aligning 3sHealth’s legislation with that of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA).

“This legislation is a significant step in 3sHealth’s journey, bringing our governance in line with how our daily work and practices have evolved,” noted CEO Mark Anderson. “I greatly appreciate the work of our colleagues at the Ministry of Health who helped shepherd the bill through the legislative process.”

When 3sHealth was created in 2012, it operated under legislation that had been passed in 1959 to govern health care-related organizations that existed at that time. While that legislation had been updated in subsequent years, significant changes have not been made in decades. The 3sHealth Act replaces that outdated legislation, solidifying our mandate and making clear our accountability to the Minister of Health (more detail on the corporate structure and accountabilities of 3sHealth can be found on the About Us page).

The proclamation follows the adoption of new bylaws and regulations that were approved in 2022. This suite of updates modernizes fundamental aspects of 3sHealth and lays out how our organization operates.

For example, the bylaws dictate how 3sHealth and other health system partners interact, including defining who our customers are and how we interact with them. Key service partners are defined, previous references to “members” have been updated to “partners” and “customers,” and the services available to partners and customers is clearly laid out. The new category of “limited customers” is also added, allowing customers to use specific 3sHealth services if they meet criteria. The bylaws also clarify that the Benefit Plan trusts are controlled by the Board of Trustees, operating at an arm’s length from government. More information on 3sHealth's bylaws and regulations can be found in the legislation.

These changes came about as a result of consultation with partner and stakeholder organizations. This included the Ministry of Health, SHA, SCA, and the Provincial Affiliate Resource Group.