The Saskatchewan Surgical Care Network: “Wait Time Information”
“The SSCN is committed to providing Saskatchewan residents with the most complete and up-to-date wait time information available. This web site provides information regarding: Wait Times/Lists (by Specialty)….”
RSP
If this was “T”‘s first post you would have a point. But T has a long history of saying stupid things at this site.
When Tommy set up universal healthcare there was both user fees ($5 if memory serves) and a yearly fee. The system generated some of its own costs. Now about 44% of GDP goes to an inadequate system and it isn’t enough. I go to to a Dr. when I need one. When I still worked I was amazed at what people went to the Dr. for. I got a rash, you should go to the Dr. It’s a rash if it is still there in four days then I will go to the Dr. Or a bruise, it’s a bruise if it looks like it is still bleeding in a day or two I’ll do something about it.
“Obama such an idiot is he has abandoned incrementalism.”
Agreed. It appears that Obama and Co. with the Super Majority have decided to go for the gusto. Had it been Canada’s Parliamentary system it would have been smooth sailing for Obama, but as I pointed out the other day, to the ire of T, the “people” have a voice even between elections.
Anyways, back to the original thought; Obama may have over played his hand and underestimated the American people. That being said, it’s likely that Obama knows his policies are so destructive that incrementalism will not work; hence, the emergency regarding healthcare and CapnTrade.
Anyone have trouble finding a pharmacy? Even in small towns without physicians?
The drug distribution system is private. Community pharmacists are one of the only private health care professionals around (physiotherapists too). Mail order, remote dispensing, 24hour pharmacies, specialized care etc etc. But there are rumblings of more control by provincial government.. I can only speak for Ontario, but a large percent (>60%?)of prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists are from private payers (ie employee benefits or out of pocket.
And you do have an option to pay for a drug if it’s not covered by the government. (Except for cancer drugs but that’s because they are prepared in hospitals or cancer clinics)
We have shortages of pharmacists too (about half of Ontario pharmacist come from other provinces and almost 20% from out of Canada). The shortage was resolved in Ontario with the opening of a second pharmacy school in Kitchener. From concept to the first class took about 5 years. Almost all from private money. The City of Kitchener invested $30 million in the project as well as the land.
nse: “I also know the wait times were quite reasonable and the price was right.”
About those wait times – how long are you willing to wait to get your pet into the vet, your car into the shop, the dishwasher repaired, etc.? I know people who go out of their way to defend wait lists for medical care but get upset if they have to wait until tomorrow to have the phone guy show up.
And about the price being right – just because you weren’t handed a bill upon discharge doesn’t mean the price was right. Billions of tax dollars fund the system and unless you’ve found a way to pay zero in tax, directly or indirectly, you’re paying through the nose for that care. But ignoring all that, remember that old saw – you get what you pay for.
For T, Not Stirred Enough and RSP:
When I was in South Korea, I had to undergo emergency surgery. I was diagnosed, prepped, operated on and admitted for observation the very evening I walked into the hospital (which demands you pay BEFORE you get treatment, no matter how elective or urgent). I was treated well and released at the beginning of the week (I’d spent the week-end in the hospital). Less than a week later, the doctor examined me and provided me with an English-language record for my doctor back home. I got this superb care and I wasn’t even a citizen. In Canada, my situation would have been much dire. That’s what we pay for.
North Koreans are very happy to receive the health-care South Korean physicians give them. Dental care, OB/GYN care and mental health care are given to people who suffer unbelievable cruelties north of Seoul where the health-care is universally bad.
I believe Canadians put up with our health-care system because they have no expectations and are deathly afraid of the fearsome images of the American system being fed to them by socialists in this country.
Just my thoughts.
T and co.:
Healthcare is not universal and publically funded.
40% is outside of the publc domain – most significantly pharma, but also optical and dental and dozens of other services.
Much of what is publically-funded is also publically run and that is where the system truly falls to pieces. (wait times at pharmacies and other private places are usually very short)
If you truly cared and perhaps more importantly – truly understood the difference between Publically funded and publically run, your would be fighting tooth and nail to eliminate the latter so as to save the former.
Wow!
If nothing else, this thread proves that laughter is the best medicine. Thanks esp. to Kate and Kathy Shaidle.
Like most everything else, this is about freedom. Let us be free to pay into the government health care system (or not); and let us be free to pay for private medical insurance (or not), or let us be free to simply pay for treatment when we need it.
Freedom, anyone?
Where are we going to go now if we don’t want to wait 18 months for a new knee?
Quebec.
80% of Americans are satisfied with their health current existing health care arrangements.
They will as a nation, forever regret the time when bureaucrats in government agencies (forces) are entrenched in national healthcare services.
Government run or dictated ealthcare services without competitive forces within it are ultimately gatekeepers, rationers and arbiters of life or death in the reality of our earthly existence.
Stay clear of Obamamassiah government run healthcare folks!
Osumashi Kenyobe:
Examining the thread, I see that it was NSE, not T, who was accused of lying. It’s getting hard to keep track of the players in my old age.
Though I still think personal attacks are unproductive, anyone who closes his post with accusations of stupidity and an invitation to emigrate to North Korea, as NSE did, invites a reply in kind. Though I remain skeptical of state-run healthcare, I don’t mind being paired with “T”. Grouping me with NSE, however, is an insult to which I must object.
It’s not just the wait times. There’s the opposite side of the same coin: how eager hospitals are to kick you out once you’re “cured” — even when you’re still sick.
There are just as many horror stories like that out there.
I’d bet that everyone on this thread (not just me) has at least one story of a friend or relative sent home, only to be readmitted almost immediately for the same condition.
There must be a quota of discharges they need to record everyday in order to keep the suits happy.
@The Phanotm:
I’ve bumped into that feller before. He takes pleasure in trying to kick out people what are more Canadian than he is.
Try asking him how many Canadian military vets he’s used his act on.
[And then, try asking around and compare notes.]
Phantom,
Sorry to burst your retired deadbeat bubble by I really am an engineer and a VP of Operations in a 60 million dollar a year company.
BTW, Kamp Kommandant is more fitting. Kamp Not Stirred Enough would have excellent cuisine and the best health care money could buy. The money to fund the Kamp would come from a rightoid stupid tax.
[quote]As for nationalized health care, it doesn’t seem to be the answer for the problems we’re experiencing in the states – rising costs. The few million that don’t have health care here could be covered if government officials would get serious and actually research and plan a solution. They instead have turned it into a political issue for ideological purposes. That won’t change. In the meantime, don’t touch my corporate health care. It ain’t cheap but it works.[/quote] Mazzuchelli
Mazz,
You have a good measure of the issue. It helps to look closer at the behavior of the last two generations (60 Years) and how they have abused the US system. Those that have Private (Corp or Otherwise) are paying increasing costs because 50 million Pll do not have insurance BUT are getting health care free. The Socialists don’t claim health care is not provided to the 50 million, only that they can’t get cheap (free) care.
A large percentage of the last two generations don’t carry Insurance, nor do they feel obligated to pay Taxes or Credit debt. They have repeatably declared bankruptcy when faced with a bill for the Health Care they obtained, or a Credit Card. They don’t/didn’t work nor do they have savings. They feel they are entitled to the SAME care (without the free loader label) as those that have paid their bills.
This is not a racial issue… Both Republican & Democrat administrations have ignored the free loaders & the damage they create in Society
If only Obama would kill-off the two generations of free loaders…but no that would eliminate California
Canadian Health Care
On Subject: I was diagnosed (2 years in the process) for surgery (Canadian Specialist)
in April 09. The Surgeon placed me on his waiting List “LAPARO-SCOIC ADRENALECTOMY” on JUNE 29th. The Administration has now informed me the wait time is 18-24 months…
I am pro-active (most Canadians just follow bouncing ball) and have rescheduled with the Specialist for a possible referral. I can use the Medical referral to back-door the US system (Mayo) I have basically the same coverage (Medicare) in both countries, but as Americans know, its hard to get past the closed (no new Patients)of the best clinics.
Well gosh, schtirry, sign me right up! I’ll name my unicorn Hussein, and ride him every day, ’till I get bored.
But yannow, kommandant, as much as you’re a benevolent dictator in your fantasy world, in the actual human world of bureaucracies and incometence and corruption and – well – the realities of market forces, I might be forced to opt for Kamp Krusty instead.
Kathy: While I certainly have discharge/immediate readmission stories from friends and family, thought you might be interested in another stats game our system plays, or at least played (which I’m sure will surprise no one).
Several years ago during one of the inevitable ‘Our government will lower emergency room wait times!’ kicks every party engages in (I think this one was McGuinty’s), I was injured playing soccer. Long story short, what I thought would be a bad bruise turned into my calf swelling up to the size of a World’s Strongest Man competitor’s by the next morning. Immediately called my family doctor (who I had just acquired the year before after being ‘doctorless’ for several years).
She squeezed me in, prescribed an anti-inflammatory but cautioned me that if the swelling was the same or worse within 24 hours to go to Emerg, as it could result in amputation left untreated. Sure enough, I had to head over to the local University Hospital the next morning. Since this was after the local students’ ‘bar’ night the place was packed with knuckleheads with a wide variety of injuries (and of course any head injuries, which apparently they get quite a few every Friday morning, take precedence).
Anyway, as she was filling out the forms, the very sympathetic but powerless check-in nurse advised me I would probably be looking at an 8 hour wait minimum and that I would almost certainly have better luck elsewhere. Ultimately, all was well but the interesting thing was when I advised her I would take her advice and go elsewhere.
The form she was filling out for me was promptly dropped in the garbage (or recycling bin I suppose). My visit to that emergency room and subsequent decision to leave due to unacceptable wait times (created by irresponsible drunken students no less) disappeared down the Ontario health care memory hole. Gotta play the stats game…oops, I mean, reduce those ‘wait times’ after all!
I would have stayed for what I’m sure would have been a very illuminating conversation but I was sort of more concerned with…ummmm, losing my foot at the time.
So to T, NSE, et al., this is what us “rightoid rightard prima donna ilk” are talking about. We pay a great deal of money in taxes to fund a system which treats us like numbers to be shuffled around into whatever arbitrary equations are pleasing to the government of the day. I think most people here don’t oppose a system that ensures appropriate care (possibly state funded but not necessarily) for those citizens who get a raw deal in the lottery of life, but we damn well expect better delivery of the routine medical services our confiscatory tax rates fund.
As some have already said, this is about freedom and simple common sense. There are better ways to deliver medical care. As I usually say to people when this conversation ever comes up, “Notice how you never have any problem finding a dentist?”.
Exactly, Kathy. That’s becoming more and more the rule south of the 49th as well, e. g., kicking my mother out two days after a hysterectomy. She’s made of hearty peasant stock so was unphased. Her two daughters, however, are not and were concerned and annoyed to watch her mincing and wincing around the house. On the other hand, my husband has major reactions to all anesthetics used thus far making recovery for even minor surgeries troublesome. We had to develop a strategy to sneak him out of the hospital to allow for a more stress-free recovery in a more conducive environment at home.
Anyone here want to hazard a guess as to what entity is the third largest employer in the world? Why that would be the National Health in Great Britain. Right behind China’s Red Army and India’s National Railway. More than 1.4 million individuals employed (notice I did not say working) within the system. This is a massive voting block that will not allow any changes to the system that disadvantages them in favor a more efficient or economically viable system. The same thing is going on here in Canada. We are just not as “mature” as the NHA.
Every American should run from single payer. To see the end results just look to England and Canada.
By the by, most Britons see a dentist, if at all, through the NHS.
And you know how awesome British smiles are, right?
Mr. T,
Since you are explaining your situation and giving us your anecdotal evidence as to how wonderful our Health care system is, perhaps you will indulge me with my own experiences.
As a husband and father of 3 daughters, they elected to change to a female GP (fair enough, their choice). When my GP retired, he couldn’t give away his practice, therefore I called the GP my family members were going to only to be told she was not accepting new patients. So here I am almost 50 and can’t even get a GP for annual physicals.
That being said, my wife worked for 2 cardilogists at the U of C which enabled our eldest girl to be diagnosed with Celiac about 2 years earlier, thanks to the “two tier” system that currently exists than under any pretenstion of Universality.
That same daughter is now pregant and having some difficulties because of her Celiac. Rather than finding a solution, her GP must refer her to a specialist in OB-GYN. She then has further issues and the hospital resident in OB-GYN must then send her back to the “new” doctor so she can be referred to yet another specialist dealing with internal medicine and complications in pregnacy. Why the mul;tiple layers of bureaucracy? Because results are not what our system relies upon, just more CYA at all levels.
AS you can see, I have benefitted from the system as it currntly exists as well as being a victim so I believe I am somewhat objective and as it stands, on an ongoing basis, it SUCKS.
Kate, I know we are not supposed to feed the trolls, but in this case I am trying not to feed I only, and in the words of his namesake, “Pity da fool”
RSP, I wasn’t trying to attack you but give an answer to some of the questions/statements listed here. Sorry for the confusion.
T is a troll, by the way. His posts have been most irritating.
not stirred enough said at, said: “I really am an engineer and a VP of Operations in a 60 million dollar a year company.”
Yas, that’s why you have all this time every day to troll SDA and leave puerile, sophomoric comments.
I’m the King of Siam, myself.
At any rate stirred baby, a camp guard you remain.
I will not apologize for the care I received. As stated, I had surgery this past spring and prior to that in 2004, both times my wait time was very short. Same applies for the MRI wait time; which was only a couple of weeks. I am sure there are cases where perhaps the care has been less than desirable, however, in my case I was quite satisfied even with the post-operative care and follow-up.
By the way, no one has told me what to say as some of those posting have suggested and I am not a mouth piece for any group.
Matt Hillier, what you’re describing is know as “compartment syndrome”. Google that up for a second to see what a bad idea it is to leave that sit for 8 hours, never mind overnight.
Seems you lucked out big time.
T said: “By the way, no one has told me what to say as some of those posting have suggested and I am not a mouth piece for any group.”
Well then, I guess you’re just a fortunate idiot. You missed out on the fun of sitting in the parking lot in an ambulance for 6 hours before being allowed to wait 6 more hours in emerg.
That’s another dodge to get wait time stats in line, btw. Don’t admit the patient until the crowd thins out a bit.
Then there’s the ones they “lose” in a back room for extended periods of time. Some lady died of that out west last winter, Kate posted it here.
You are in favor of rationing imposed at gun point. Live with it, and be real careful not to get sick. You can’t get that lucky twice in a row.
Posted by: The Phantom at August 10, 2009 10:12 AM
Universal, publicly funded health care is a myth. What we really have is rationing and a ban on private enterprise.
Well said. That sums it up perfectly. I would only add that now that Dr’s are Government workers paid by them. Medical practice has slide right to the bottom. Add in Quota,s by polity fiat, & its the Titanic pretending it can’t sink.
we all get old. Soon to save money it will just be a needle in the ass than goodbye. In the end even the choice will be taken away, it will become a human right to force others to die for the collective.
JMO
Well T you’re lucky you didn’t wait six hours with a broken wrist, and when I began to pass out from pain and found an empty gurney to lie on, I was chased off by a nurse and told to wait another six f*cking hours with the other people in the wait room. Yeah, love that canadian healthcare alright.
I suspect from his comments that T is a young chap, and still quite healthy. Health care in Canada is excellent when you don’t need it, especially when you’re young. That’s why it’s such an easy sell to the youts, and that’s also why many Americans in the same demographic CHOOSE not to buy insurance.
When a country has citizens declare bankruptcy because they got sick, millions of bankruptcies – it is primitive.
There are problems with all health care systems, we must preserve our universality.
Oh yes on the comment promoting private sector replacement. Who should we call – the guys in jail or those going there?
Here we are in a recession, worse in the US caused by what?
Sure we just finished bailing out banks, auto companies, others etc, you know the private sector.
That’s just what we need providing essential services. I wonder is the any corruption in the system south of us?
What a joke, send me your health card, tear it up, buy insurance and go south.
Very true RD.
It’s the public system that enables the government to act on your behalf with respect to your health. Under the single payer system everyone has a vested interest in what you do. Jay-Z said “what I eat don’t make you isht”, but that’s not the case in Canada. In Canada you can rightfully argue that someone else’s behavior directly effects your access to care. That is why I’m 100% against commie-care. I’m against any system that has me paying more for you than I’ll ever receive for myself; unless, I act destructively towards myself so I can receive more than my share of your commie-care dollars.
Welcome to the public euthanasia system, we care.
HydroQueen
You’re an idiot if you’re making an argument for government vs. the private sector for consumer satisfaction. Keep smoke’n that good Canadian Hydro.
Re the stat about the size of the UK NHS, which you probably got from Daniel Hannan … he also said that the majority of the employees of the 3rd largest bureaucracy in the world are not healthcare workers but bureaucrats. The majority.
So a hell of a lot of people have a stake in the system staying just the way it is. That’s why we should never get to that point, we will never be able to go backwards.
I think people miss the point that health care in this country is NOT free. Far from it. And the service sucks. If I could eliminate 1/2 the taxes my family pays I’d have way more dough than it would cost for health insurance.
Hey, let’s juxtapose.
April 9, 2009
Liberals And Conservatives Arguing Over Mulroney
Blog Notes: I’ll resume coverage on Canadian federal politics if and when it emerges from the current time warp.
Until then, I’ll leave that job to the Rip Van Wrinkle media.
Thank you.
Posted by Kate
August 10, 2009
Tommy Douglas…bitch, bitch, bitch, moan, moan……
Well to Herman and others you’ve been lucky, I got myself on a medical black list without even trying!!
I went to the local ER last Nov., after quite a fall, thought I’d broken my wrist or cracked a bone. Was very sore all over and seriously bruised elsewhere, but mostly the wrist/arm was the concern, was also suffering a lingering sinus infection (again) had a low fever from the day before. (likely why I fell 🙁 )
My husband, who’d seen me fall felt I should get an x-ray to see if there was a cracked or broken bone.
So to our local ER where this very young female physician came at me in an abrupt bizarre manner, straight away, didn’t even state who she was, wouldn’t let me respond after asking me to tell her about how I fell, not even to let me finish one sentence once! Cut me off and asking me the same question over and over, then asked me if I was drunk, told her I don’t drink – period. Meanwhile I’m just standing there in severe pain now not speaking at all as I can see she is doubting me and I’m trying to hold my balance and feeling like I’m going to fall over. Then out of the blue she grabbed my arm and pressed hard on the very spot that was injured! She could clearly see the dark purple mark on top of my wrist and arm was reddish, hot and swollen. Just like that.
I swore out in pain and jumped back and she went into a reading the riot act: “I’ll call the police on you, and acted like she was threatened by me, then threatened to kick me out if I was verbally abusive to her again!” Complete drama clown act, literally was standing wonding what the heck had set her off to this degree of ignorance. Told her to ask my husband about the fall if she didn’t believe me I just wanted an Xray, as he saw me fall and insisted I come here to get checked.
She refused to hear me or him, whatsoever.
Should have left then, but went for the x-ray as it was so spore and swelling up…and the place was empty, so x-ray was right away.
Next as I’m being taken back to the this abusive psycho doctor. I hear her voice saying.. “I can’t tell if it’s broke or not.” She was sitting behind some glass, not even looking in any direction.
Only way I knew she was talking to or about me was there was no other patients around there.
Someone else put on a wrist guard and said I could book an appointment with a specialists, for the following week at that hospital to see if it was broken or not. What was the use of the physician then?
She did come back as I was trying to leave, and asked if I had any other injuries, I lied and said no. She then went into another act and literally wiggled around in front of me saying “look at me now – you can take this much tylenol we’re about the same size, I take this many per day!” and proceeded to tell me how to take tylenol with the detailed directions you get from the back of the bottle. I just stared at her in disbelief and left.
I asked for nothing but the x-ray. But she had to have her little attention seeking “look at me, I’m in control and today I’m a victim of you, you annoying patient” moment it seems. What sick and twisted way to treat people medically or otherwise.
And since no injury is complete without the insult with OHIP: the hospital staff tried to rip us off for extra ‘supplies’ at the exit door. All I received, beside the physical abuse and medical indifference, was an unread X-ray and a wrist guard, nothing else. That I expected to pay for.
Came in with my own sling, however the very large framed woman behind glass, tried to charge me for it and twice for the wrist guard; I held up my arms, said I only have one…she was insistent I was stealing but sloth like in getting someone to answer though. I’m getting hot all over at this point.
Finally fed up, I was about to shove both items through her window slot – stating if they want to steal from me – here take my friggin medical item, keep it, and yours back as well! I was in the process of taking off my sling THEN suddenly the bill was corrected, hubby thew some cash down-we knew what our charge should be, while the large framed woman was stating as loudly as she could to whomever she was on the phone with ‘OH ok, yeah, no…it’s just rag’, twice.
I wrote the CSPO -the College of Surgeons and Physician Ont. Her response and was good with them though, she stated she ‘took me for a drunk’ I don’t even drink AND this was at noon for crying out loud! Tsk tsk she’ll have to do some reading up on patient care. That’s it, that’s all.
In the end, she gets away with it. And I got black-balled by this incident from all her colleges, big time.
What a wonderful way feminism created eh, if it was a male doctor who had done this I’d have been praised by the local female doctors I encountered immediately afterwards in the OHIP system instead of what did happen next.
This above medical encounter happened just after we had been accepted on a new physician’s intake list – who worked from this same Hospital. So wound up with a family physician after five years of none, who utilized the facilities and staff there – bad idea, but we had no choice as how can I get another physician if I refuse this one?
Just because I had spoken up for myself by writing this letter to CSPO, and even though I was not entirely happy with the results – life moves on. That in turn she’d and they-hospital staff, would be at least be professional and move forward – nope not when the professional feminine revenge has not been paid by this OHIP dependent sucker.
So five years without a physician went to see our newly appointed GP in her evening clinic at that hopspital, to asked for tests I felt I needed ultra scan and CT SCAN; she agreed then they were never ordered, went back and asked again, was refused and she felt I only needed hormones and anti-depressants. No tests nor proper medical history taken when given this medication. Needless to say, we don’t have a family physician again.
Became really sick with a recurrent and nasty sinus infection this past winter, had them since last summer, and now without a family physician, headed to a private clinic just to get the necessary anti-biotics needed to survive it. I was really sick, lost a lot of weight and other concerning symptoms. Thankfully that private fee for service physician was great in finding out why, treated me right away and no problems getting the tests as we paid for them. Needed these tests as it was crucial in finding out how to stop the infections instead of giving me the same kind of anti-biotics again and again that weren’t working.
Had the tests I initially asked for last fall, been done with OHIP, it would have showed my nasal cavities were infected, and closed off, because of bone spurs and overgrowths of flesh and abscesses. (sounds gross sorry) Surgery is an option but not necessary the only treatment, I’d prefer no surgery so glad that at least one anti-biotic and nasal sprays are still working.
But now a bit tight on money, we try going to an between town at a different clinic for a routine request-ultra sound. Through a walk in OHIP clinic, the kindly male physician says, have a great woman doctor I’ll send you to, in this town. I initially wanted an ultra sound right off from this appointment but no, one more person to see but I don’t have to pay, so I wait six weeks more for an appointment.
Got sucked in again! This female physician launched right into me during my appointment with her – about that ER incident, SHE brought it up. More or less saying I was making a big deal over nothing, ‘so you were hurt, so what? Why did you complain about us” her exact words. This is what she said to me. So much for patient confidentiality with this unprofessional gaggle of gals allowed to play my health care access.
Nonetheless I tried to keep the focus on why I was there and asked to get this test done. So she had to physically examine me; and true to form she went out of her way not to find the lumps, chiding me, saying that it’s just your ribs, see? So fed up I said ok, never mind, if you can’t find what I’m showing you, I’ll seek out someone else.
Oh no,suddenly she gives me some line saying she always listens to her patients, but minutes earlier had cut me off speaking after asking me something, to say she was busy and has “my other patients” waiting and there were no lumps there to her knowledge, but she would order the ultra sound anyway – all in all she did treat me 1) in a demeaning manner 2) saying she’d order me the tests then not doing so. They must have a special OHIP code for this seems to be a common occurrence here, but I’ve been out of ON for four to five years, and it’s gotten this bad?
Weeks on, 5 or 6, called to see if test had been ordered at the testing site – nope, nothing in my name requested.
Then oddly enough a day later it was finally done through the original clinic’s physicians name.
At testing the technician and another physician found the lumps, no problem. Was told by the technician, “be sure talk to your doctor about these results” and “they’ll have them by the end of this week”. That was in June.
Oh and did received a call for the same test under the ambushing doctor’s name after the fact though, covering her butt no doubt.
To date no call back about the results though, tic-tock.
Dare I complain about the Ambushing physicians treatment and lack of medical access?
Think we’ve already paid enough and it’s dangerous as they’ve the ultimate authority over anyone medically. Can’t even sue, wrongful deaths suites are dragged on until the family and loved ones are broke. I’m feel I’m already without medical care in my region forever given this web of female physicians revenge and ability to withhold medical care on a whim at such great distances, and we’re can’t afford it.
We’d go private, opt out of OHIP in a heartbeat at this point.
Cost over couple of grand in the last six months just to clear up a stubborn sinus infection and likely will have to pay for a biopsy the same way, in the coming year at this point the way I see it. The government has broken the great family physician practice and what they have left acting as medical care givers are shells of these former dedicated physicians.
And that’s our OHIP system for this person.
This from a little town, not barely an hour southeast of Ottawa; if the hospital is almost empty, or only very old people there, there’s a damn good reason for it. Go elsewhere, it’s worth your wait, or your time and or your money not to mention your health and rights to access proper medical care in the future.
(sorry for the long comment Kate)
Alexandria, sounds nasssty. My advice, be the squeaky wheel. Always -nice-, always -polite-, always -friendly-, and always on the phone. Get in good with the girlies in the office, and they will put you on top of the stack. Bring them coffee. And ask them how your tests are coming. Because they are the ones who know.
The doctor(s) literally do not have time to even remember who you are. They are chugging 6 to 8 patients an hour because they get $20 per visit (oh yeah, thats two zero, twenty), and they have to pay the staff and pay for the space. They don’t do anything relevant to your care other than write the orders.
So when you see them, you hand them ONE (1) problem at a time, you don’t waste precious moments with chitchat, and you don’t expect them to remember what happened last time. They can’t. Its impossible.
They also do not follow things up. They can’t, they don’t have time. They have even less time for people they remember they don’t like, so behave yourself accordingly.
Therefore, they way to get things to happen is to make friends with the people who actually -make- it happen, and that is the OFFICE STAFF. If they like you, your tests will get done and your stuff will get processed, they will remind the burnt out shell of a human being who is your doctor what a nice lady you are, and you will be taken care of.
If they don’t like you, y’all are screwed. Completely, utterly screwed.
Use your Powers of Nice to get yourself referred to an ENT, that’s Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon as soon as possible. -You- make sure they receive ALL the supporting charts and tests BEFORE your appointment, and then you be so nice to the guy he melts.
Remember, you are not entitled to his attention, because YOU aren’t PAYING him. The government pays him. You are merely another pain in the ass patient he has to get through before lunch. You have to -earn- his attention, and his help, by being pleasant and making his life easier. I don’t think I can stress that enough, because that’s the grease than makes the gears turn.
This is how you manage a bureaucratic system. You schmooze the bureaucrats, make them like you, and get them to do you favors. Nice, eh?
Luckily, knowing that is a huge advantage, because most people still think they are -entitled- to health care. You’re not.
You have to pay for it.
And since the IMBECILES of the world have conspired to make sure you can’t pay for it with money, you have to pay for it with schmoozing, Tim Horton’s coffee and lots of friendly phone calls.
Also, go a really good DENTIST and get your teeth x-rayed and inspected for infection. Infections in the sinuses sometimes come from the upper jaw, you could have an abscessed tooth or gum issue seeding it. Worth a hundred bucks to make sure, IMO.
Nice that you can buy dentistry, ain’t it?
HydroQueen said: “What a joke, send me your health card, tear it up, buy insurance and go south.”
I see there is no shortage of camp guards out there.
Obviously you have no sick relatives, Queenie. Otherwise your touching faith in our benign and noble government might have taken a few whacks.
Phantom, LOL: King of Siam. Hahahahaha. Me, too.
Health services aren’t perfect in the states but there are plenty of choices to turn to when necessary. The legal labyrinth of paperwork causes problems when trying to get copies of medical files forwarded to specialists.
Some doctors are just complete imbeciles to which Alex can attest. My own mother had to turn to a friend who is also an MD to get a pain prescription for a broken wrist. The treating doctor wouldn’t even give her a sling. The woman was 70 years old at the time.
Generally, however, because there is lively competition across all medical specialties, treatment is fast and effective.
An unnecessary side comment: I read a really good book several years ago by a Canuck doctor who spent FAR too much narrative complaining about his need to serve in the military in order to repay the government for his medical training. Gripe, gripe, gripe about the military, the mindset, et al. Yawn. But, it seemed like a good system to me to maintain the ranks of new doctors this ingrate notwithstanding.
??? Doctors don’t have to serve in the military “to repay the government”. They pay tuition the same as for any other university course, believe it or not.
I suppose a transplanted Canadian might join the American forces to get American medical school paid for, and get a Green Card too, but that would probably be really hard to do.
The existence of choice is the point though. In the States there are indeed some really dodgy healthcare companies, and I even worked for a couple of ’em. Briefly.
But you don’t have to go to them. You can go to the good ones, too. We can’t. We get general issue or we get to leave the country.
And frankly, even the wankiest healthcorp in the USA has better, cleaner hospital facilities that Canada, because they get -sued- for poor infection control. When was the last time you heard of a Canadian hospital being successfully sued because Grandma died of c. difficile infection?
As a former RN I would suggest these measures to improve the health care system:
– Fire half the bureaucracy. Most are redundant, overpaid, and generally useless.
– De-certify or somehow control the unions. Their “It’s not in my job description” attitude is a large part of the backlog in care and overall slowdown of the system.
– Privatize as much as possble. Hospitals should be forced to compete for patients based on fiscal efficiency and quality of care.
– Reduce and/or erradicate endemic obesity in the general population. This is the cause of numerous diseases and ailments that over-burden healthcare and result in escalated costs.