Canadian reassurance that Bernie's no anarchist

oftenreading

Of course there are geographical inequities in health care provision, just like in everything else. That's the very nature of living somewhere remote - it doesn't have the amenities of a city. There never could be all the health care resources available in remote/ Northern communities that are available in the larger cities. That's part of the complicated trade off of where one lives, at least partly dependent on what one values. For those who need specialty or subspecialty care, yes, it's available but there will be the inconveniences of travel, accommodations, being away from family or your support system, time off work. These costs are partially but not fully covered (for instance, I live on an island. If I need to go to the mainland for medical care, I would get free ferry fare for me, and a companion if I needed that). The system would be inconceivably more expensive if we tried to provide all services everywhere.

I would agree with what most Canadian posters have posted so far. Care for emergent and serious illnesses is generally very good. Care for more minor or elective issues can be a long wait. One of my family members wanted an elective procedure on an arthritic joint in his big toe. He waited for 14 months to get it done, and you know, I'm fine with that. It was causing some annoyance but didn't get in the way of his ability to work, play sports, or anything else. There's no way it should have been prioritized over people needing hip replacements, fractures repaired, or cancer surgery.

DarthMaeglin

The one area where I feel our Canadian health care system does drop the ball is in the area of mental health (another thread, I know, lol).
A friend of mine was given a leave of absence from work to seek help for 3 months. Because he didn't present as either suicidal or a threat to self or others, he was given a referral, and then had to wait for 6 months for an appointment (by which time he was back at work, in the exact circumstance that got him the leave in the first place).
In my own experience, one time I had an ambulance called to my work because of chest pains (fair enough, I understand the company's potential liability-it had nothing to do with caring for me as a person though, lol). I was transported in the opposite direction of my house, despite a request to be taken to a different hospital. Once there, I sat for some time before being taken for an x-ray, and once that procedure was performed, I was told there was nothing wrong, though the radiologist would take a closer look when they returned (they happened to be off that day). I was put out into the street in a strange neighbourhood and eventually found my way home a couple hours later (I use public transit), by which time the chest pain had returned. The next day I got a call informing me that I hadn't been imagining things, I was experiencing a spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsing lung). Later on, when it happened again, I was hospitalized for several days so it could be operated on, and it hasn't happened since (this was over 10 years ago).
So, our system is far from flawless, but it is a decent one, I would say.

PJ_Soul

That is true. As with most places still (maybe all places), Canada's system is struggling with mental health care. This is due to the failure of politicians to provide the necessary funding and support. It is the government that needs to drive a good mental health care initiative, and they are refusing to so far. What they are doing seems more like lip service. Shit like, "look how wonderful we are: we're reopening the mental health care facility that we callously closed 5 years ago" kind of crap. Meanwhile, hospitals are ill equipped to deal with acute mental illness, and end up releasing people who absolutely shouldn't be released.

callen

We shuffle our mentally ill between local jails and the street.

lukin2006

Locally where I live in Ontario the police said they are often the first person in mental distress sees. Now I assume they are taken to the hospital, now how the hospital deals with them is probably not great...hopefully no one is released until properly assessed. But like a lot of specialties in Ontario, there are far too few psychiatrist to deal with the growing list of mentally ill.

lukin2006

And more resources need to be devoted to people with mental illness, it can strike anyone at anytime and so few seek treatment because its still stigmatized in our society...unfortunately.

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
As much as people on this train loathe corporations Bell let's talk is a fantastic campaign.

PJ_Soul

I don't think most people on this train loathe corporations (well, with a few exceptions. I mean, Monsanto and Halliburton and shit like that, yeah, anyone in their right mind would loathe them). I think they more loathe politicians who allow corporations to control government.