Faculty of Nursing, University of Montreal, 2375, chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal Québec H3T 1A8, Canada. damien.contandriopoulos@umontreal.ca
In this paper, we analyze recommendations of past governmental commissions and their implementation in Quebec as a case to discuss the obstacles that litter the road to healthcare system reform. Our analysis shows that the obstacles to tackling the healthcare system's main problems may have less to do with programmatic (what to do) than with political and governance (how to do it) questions. We then draw on neo-institutional theory to discuss the causes and effects of this situation.