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charlene · 04-26-2006, 06:57 AM

Restless - do you live in Canada?
Some wait times can be longer than they should be but it's better than not getting any medical help because of your financial situation - or getting sub-par care ...
Two tiered health care (private vs.public) creates "have and have-nots" and that's worse. As in any industry there are horror stories and then there are the opposite. In all instances in my family and any friends who have been in the health care system over the years I have never heard of any horror stories. I can visit my doctor that I've had for 22 years, not receive a bill and be referred by her to the best doctors at some of the best hospitals in the world. I can go to the hospital emerg.dept. and be checked for a possible fracture...be x-rayed, seen by an ortho-specialist, casted and sent home in anywhere from 90 minutes to 3-4 hours. If surgery is required for a broken bone it is usually within 24-36 hours to let the swelling go down. We have several air ambulance helicopters in the Toronto area and further north are planes. The docs/nurses etc. may be in short supply but they have never been less than 100% in my experience. Between the gov. healthcare plan and insurance through employment I know I have been blessed with excellent care all of my life and my childrens.
There are some private clinics popping up for those who have the money to pay to have an immediate MRI/hip replacement/cataract surgery etc.etc. Some people have had to go to the U.S. for some cancer treatments....some of those costs are covered however. It's true as in any business, that the health care industry can be improved in many ways but it's an ongoing situation....I can't imagine having to pay for all of the medical tests/doc visits my daughter has had in the last year. It's taken a while to get thru all the visits etc. because docs/clinics are so busy but at least they are available and we have not been last in line because we don't have the best insurance that we've had to pay a fortune for.
I know there may come a time when I may feel differently but for now I am very thankful that for all of my life I have had excellent medical care. When I was born almost 51 years ago my father had to recruit people at his office to donate blood for my mother or pay for each transfusion.
The local hospital in my town is nothing more than a walk-in-clinic now.It never had a maternity dept. It is used for dyalisis mostly.
I have hospitals in each town east and west of me-no more than 15 minutes away with everything required right there. The hospital that our doctor is affiliated with is 20 minutes away as is her private office.
As some wise person once said "do the best with what ya got" and for the most part the health care industry as I've known it and read about does just that. At times, for some people I do understand that may not be good enough tho..
I depend on my medical caregivers because I pay them and I have not found any of them to be slothful. AS far as patients being slothful or dependant there are those in our society who should not be cast aside because of their circumstances - health and education of a countrys citizens are paramount to its viability and success in all areas.
www.macleans.ca this week has some interesting stories....not all are on-line tho...

04-26-2006, 06:57 AM	#7
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,001	Restless - do you live in Canada? Some wait times can be longer than they should be but it's better than not getting any medical help because of your financial situation - or getting sub-par care ... Two tiered health care (private vs.public) creates "have and have-nots" and that's worse. As in any industry there are horror stories and then there are the opposite. In all instances in my family and any friends who have been in the health care system over the years I have never heard of any horror stories. I can visit my doctor that I've had for 22 years, not receive a bill and be referred by her to the best doctors at some of the best hospitals in the world. I can go to the hospital emerg.dept. and be checked for a possible fracture...be x-rayed, seen by an ortho-specialist, casted and sent home in anywhere from 90 minutes to 3-4 hours. If surgery is required for a broken bone it is usually within 24-36 hours to let the swelling go down. We have several air ambulance helicopters in the Toronto area and further north are planes. The docs/nurses etc. may be in short supply but they have never been less than 100% in my experience. Between the gov. healthcare plan and insurance through employment I know I have been blessed with excellent care all of my life and my childrens. There are some private clinics popping up for those who have the money to pay to have an immediate MRI/hip replacement/cataract surgery etc.etc. Some people have had to go to the U.S. for some cancer treatments....some of those costs are covered however. It's true as in any business, that the health care industry can be improved in many ways but it's an ongoing situation....I can't imagine having to pay for all of the medical tests/doc visits my daughter has had in the last year. It's taken a while to get thru all the visits etc. because docs/clinics are so busy but at least they are available and we have not been last in line because we don't have the best insurance that we've had to pay a fortune for. I know there may come a time when I may feel differently but for now I am very thankful that for all of my life I have had excellent medical care. When I was born almost 51 years ago my father had to recruit people at his office to donate blood for my mother or pay for each transfusion. The local hospital in my town is nothing more than a walk-in-clinic now.It never had a maternity dept. It is used for dyalisis mostly. I have hospitals in each town east and west of me-no more than 15 minutes away with everything required right there. The hospital that our doctor is affiliated with is 20 minutes away as is her private office. As some wise person once said "do the best with what ya got" and for the most part the health care industry as I've known it and read about does just that. At times, for some people I do understand that may not be good enough tho.. I depend on my medical caregivers because I pay them and I have not found any of them to be slothful. AS far as patients being slothful or dependant there are those in our society who should not be cast aside because of their circumstances - health and education of a countrys citizens are paramount to its viability and success in all areas. www.macleans.ca this week has some interesting stories....not all are on-line tho...