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| Great White North |
| Canadians still waiting: 18-week delay for medical care reduced by a day |
| 2005-10-19 |
| Large increases in health-related spending have only marginally reduced the waiting times for medical services in this country from record-high levels in 2004, a new report says. The average delay shortened by about a day from last year's 17.9 weeks, the highest number since the Fraser Institute started issuing annual reports on the topic in 1990. Queues in some areas have shortened, but wait times for joint replacements and other orthopedic surgery -- one of the most backlogged and scrutinized services -- actually lengthened by two weeks, says the think-tank in its survey of specialists. baby boomers getting older "This is occurring in spite of dramatic increases in health spending the last three or four years," said Nadeem Esmail, senior analyst with the conservative organization. "The provinces are spending more and more and more on health care, and the wait times are stalling out." The results come as provincial health ministers prepare to meet this weekend to discuss the delay problem, viewed by many as the top priority for improving the troubled health care system. Mr. Esmail said the only way to tackle backlogs is to introduce competition from the private sector, as exists in most European countries. But other experts said yesterday there is no evidence that private medicine is the secret to speedier care.Oh, no - certainly not. RTWT at the link |
| Posted by:too true |
| #6 The Dutch have improved on the Canadian system (to cut cost): instead of waiting and hoping the patient dies they "euthanasiate" him. In many cases without his consent (named murder in other countries). My previous post shoulkd have read: a person waiting for a knee operation for six months will often while trying to reduce the pain on his knee end developping a problem in the hip or in the other leg. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-10-19 17:31 |
| #5 Isn't one of the problems the exodus of medical professionals to the good ol capitalistic USA! |
| Posted by: bman 2005-10-19 17:29 |
| #4 Canadians now are unarmed Americans with a pretty crappy health-scare system. |
| Posted by: The Happy Fliergerabwehrkannon 2005-10-19 17:16 |
| #3 JFM, That's how the Canadians keep the costs down, ration by waiting. And yes, some do die and so the government doesn't have to pay anything for their surgery or the funeral. |
| Posted by: Jereck Omailet7358 2005-10-19 14:47 |
| #2 A thing not to forget is that waiting during six months is not merely a problem of suffering during six months. It is a problem of the affliction getting worse and a problem of collateral effects: for instance when a person develops a problem or in the other leg when trying to reduce the pain on his knee. End result is that what should have been a simple and cheap operation becomes far more expensive. One thing I cannot understand is how could anyone come with a such harebrained scheme, (and still more harebrained when like Michael Moore, you present it as ana example to imitate): in other countries with socialized medecine, YOU select the doctor or clinic (private doctor and private clinic), you get your operation fast and either you pay and are refunded later or, if $$$ enough then social security pays directly the clinic. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-10-19 14:35 |
| #1 Bah..what do you mean socialism doesn't work? |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2005-10-19 14:29 |