Time for an update on my latest experience with our beloved health care system, the one politicians on the left consider sacred and scream hidden agenda when anyone dares to address problems within the system and offer new ideas to improve delivery and service.
My oldest daughter, 20, has been experiencing pains in her stomach for the last month. Her family doctor has said it's nothing in recent visits, but that will be the subject for a post in the future. This morning at 6 am my daughter phoned crying about pains in her stomach. I called the emerg unit and described what was going on and was advised to go to a walk-in clinic instead. The earliest any clinic here opens is 8 am so we waited and were the first ones there when it opened. After filling out the forms and waiting the doctor finally sees her, and says to take her to emerg.
Get to emerg at 8:30. Nobody in waiting room. This is good I think. By 10:30 waiting room is full, yet nobody, including us has been called in to see doctor. after going to triag nurse and venting (nicest way I can put it), she gets called in. I'm told I can't go with her because there isn't enough space. By 1pm still no sign of her. Between 10:30am and 1pm 4 people have left after tiring of waiting, including one man who scratched his eye at work. 1:45pm I hear a man cursing and swearing demanding to see a doctor. He had arrived at emerg shortly after us and had a dislocated shoulder.
It's now almost 3 in the afternoon. Girl across from me who has been there 4 hours breaks down into tears over the wait, husband not impressed. Another woman questions a nurse as to why she hasn't been called yet. Nurse states she was called twice. Woman's last name is McCullough. The person they called twice was McClinton. Apparently nobody named McClinton was at emerg. Oops. Again I question the status of my daughter, and am told she went for an ultra-sound and just waiting on the results. 2 hours later still waiting. It's now 5 in the afternoon. Go into my own tirade against admin nurse. Am told it's not their fault, only one doctor on duty. I count 11 nurses, 5 chatting and one going around getting take-out food orders for their dinner.
5:30. Daughter comes out crying. Doctor informs her she might need to get her gall bladder removed. Never explained why, what the surgery involves, what the effects on her life would be if it is removed. Advises her to make an appointment to see her family doctor and look into surgery. That's the same family doctor that has stated it was nothing to worry about twice in the last month.
So to recap, 9.5 hours in emerg, no treatment given, advised to see family doctor, might need gall bladder removed, might not. $10 parking. Lost track of how many people left after waiting hours. Patients names messed up, 11 nurses to 1 doctor, do know the nurses are having Texas Burger for dinner.
Canada's health care system in action. I could have sworn Jack Layton told Obama and the Democrats us Canadian's get treated in emerg within 6 minutes on average. wonder if he will pass the above information along to the Democrats in the States.
This is disgraceful. I wonder what our Health minister is going to do about this?
ReplyDeleteFrom having dealt with a elderly confused friend who had no family near here, and waiting in ER for 11 and then 14 hours, after being told by her doctor to go, I understand your viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteWere she still here, I would call an ambulance.
This is what the system has come to for people who are not experiencing an obvious heart attack.
I hope your daughter will be fine. If they are suggesting sugery, please insist on a second opinion.
"I could have sworn Jack Layton told Obama and the Democrats us Canadian's get treated in emerg within 6 minutes on average. "
ReplyDeleteJack can only compare his own experiences and he would have gotten treated within 6 minutes - BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT PRIVATELY!!
Last night Leslie Primeau and someone from the Nurse's union were complaining that the Stelmach government was setting the stage to force private health care on us BECAUSE
some of the helipads are being closed
and
they aren't hiring as many nurses and doctors.
Well guess what boys and girls - out here in east central Alberta, we have been trying to hire doctors - either they won't come or the doctors here kybosh their hiring. If you are a newcomer to this area, you cannot get to see a doctor without driving for an hour and then when you finally get one, they go on holidays, or they have their own medical problems so you are left, once again trying to figure out what to do about the health of you or your family.
But the liberal and the NDP see only "privatization" as the reason these things are happening.
Good luck to your daughter, hopefully things are sorted out soon.
I would suggest sending a letter to Jack and asking him for the name of the Dr that sees patients within 6 minutes! Tell him that you would like to take your daughter to him.
Paul, do you have the tape of Layton saying 'you can get treated in the EMERGENCY in six minutes.
ReplyDeletePlus, the liberals while in government pretending to care for canadians, they the liberals made CUTS to Healthcare which left provinces in a major turmoil.Do you have this piece of information so you can have it posted on your blog.
Will the LPOC take responsibility for what they have created-not in your lifetime.
Gall bladder surgery is not like it used to be. No incision. I suffered stomach pains for about 2 yrs, not often, but could usually trace it to eating popcorn or other rough food. One night I doubled up in pain and finally went to emergency. Next day, a catscan, in within 24 hrs was out of surgery. My son was not so lucky, his had developed gangrene and he was in the hospital for 2 wks.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I woke up and discovered my entire family in the room, (some from a long distance) I got scared. They just said, mom, none of us can remember you ever being in the hospital, in over 40 yrs so we come to witness it.
Did Layton tell Obama that each province has its own rules, and also some provinces have premiums.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I gather from O's plan, the federal govt will have complete control, not each state.
Waxman is luck he got sick before he forced his plan on himself.
There's only one way to get dealt with in emerg. Tell them you have chest pain.
ReplyDeleteIn the united states, if you don't have medical insurance, the government chooses a doctor for you and the doctor is given a list of specialists to whom he can refer you.
ReplyDeleteHere's the best part, if you suffer from a stroke and you dare make the mistake of walking one or two days later the HMO own staff goes to these hospitals where HMO patients are and gives orders for the patients immediate release even though the nurses feel you are not fully recovered to be sent home.
It happened to my father, two days later he was sent home to collaspe again at home to be sent back to the hospital.
This time however, the nurses made sure not to write on the chart of my father's slight improvement-she told me that the HMO staff member was at the hospital to investigate but found that the nurses had written that my father was still (let's say)ill.
My father thanks to the nurses recovered fully before being sent home.
Since Jack Layton 'says that we are treated at the emer in 6minutes, then why does he rail on the wait times-
but when our betters need medical help they either jump on a government jet like Chretien did or a private jet like Belinduh Stronach did and fly of to the USA where there is better medical service and no waiting lines.
ReplyDeleteOur is a Health Care RATIONING system. It is run by UNIONS that have monopoly control over the system.
They are the rent seekers who do not want it changed.