A Sad Story About Waste In Canada's Health Care System

I just wanted to point out a case of complete waste of taxpayer's money that happened over the last few months. The money wasted must have been several thousand dollars, which may not seem like much, but it all adds up.

I'm sure half the money spent in our Socialized Health Care System is a total waste.


And So The Story Begins........

A neighbour I know was washing up some dishes about 4 months ago when a ceramic coffee cup chipped and put two shards into the skin between his thumb and forefinger.

They were deep enough that he couldn't tweezer them out, but they didn't hurt, so he just left them there.

About two months later he had some swelling so he went to his family doctor.
The doctor gave him a course of antibiotics and an appointment for 2 weeks later. Over that time it became worse, to the point that he couldn't pinch his thumb and forefinger together.

After his second visit the doctor he was sent for an x-ray of the hand at a local hospital.
I think they took 3 pictures from different angles. (not sure ?)

He waited almost a month for his next doctors appointment to see the results of the x-rays, and it only proved that he had shards of ceramic in his hand.

His family doctor then decided to send him to a specialist at another hospital to have the shards removed, but that was another month away.

Then today he saw his doctor again because the area was becoming infected again, and the two areas where the shards were had become inflamed.
The doctor gave him another course of antibiotics, but being short of cash he came to me to borrow $14.00 bucks for the pills.

I took one look at his hand, cleaned my hands and put on sterile gloves.
I cleaned the area on his hands with hydrogen peroxide, lanced the two infected areas, and removed the shards with a needle and tweezer.
Total time, ten minutes, and it restored pain free mobility in his hand.

I told him to keep the area clean and dry, wash his hand frequently, and see a doctor if it becomes inflamed again.
He also doesn't need to take a day off work to go to a specialist to have them removed.


WHY THE HELL COULDN'T HIS DOCTOR DO THAT ON THE FIRST VISIT.



A very sad story of waste, but totally true.......
It now costs thousands of dollars to have a sliver removed from your hand in Canada.

I was about to start another thread (maybe I should?), but I'll ask here.

What are your feelings about the nationalized health-care system?

(Btw, it's the same bs here in the US. Of course, here, you wouldn't get to see the doctor if you don't have insurance...)

I am seriously debating moving to France, or Britain, or Canada simply for one reason: health care.

I'm tired of having my health determined by my financial viability. It's bullplop.

But all I hear are opinions from US people who are absolutely 100% against universal health-care, and quote popularized rumors from the Red Scare as viable reasons.

Your thoughts?

I really like our health care system in Canada.
I carry a card that will get me service at any doctors office, clinic, or hospital in the country.

If I visit the U.S. or Mexico and am seriously injured my health card will get me an air ambulance back home for proper care.

I recently had severe chest pain and needed to call an ambulance to get to a hospital. They ran numerous tests that included ECG, x-ray, medications, etc....
I had so many wires hooked up to me I felt like a robot, and at least 1/2 a dozen nurses, doctors, and equipment techs looked after me for a six hour period in the emergency ward. I was then held for observation in a private room for the night with continued care and monitoring in a cardiac ward.


I was surprised to get a bill in the mail a few weeks later, but the total cost of my little cardiac episode was $45.00.


One other visit to a hospital for a serious condition I was visiting British Columbia, they kept me there for almost a week. They then flew me five hours to a hospital in Ontario where I spent another 4 weeks in their care.

Total out of pocket expense to me was $0.00.



I guess my opinion of socialized health care is a good one, because even to see my family doctor is free and I can get an appointment within a few days, my prescriptions are free, and I have full dental coverage.
If I had to pay for the pills that keep me and my husband alive it would be over $700.00 per month. Without the coverage we have in Canada I would not be writing this, I'd be dead.


You be the judge, I think it's a pretty good system, but some people still bitch about the service.

There's always something to complain about... (Honestly, I think people would complain while living it up in heaven or in a utopia...)

Sounds like a damn fine system to me. I mean, any system will have its short-comings, but overall it sounds damn fine.

Full dental coverage, too?? ...where do I sign up?


Now, how much do you guys pay in taxes for such services? (That's one of the big scares here -- higher taxes ) Do the higher taxes make life harder to live? (can't pay all the bills, can't afford food, et cetera)

And if there's too many doctors in one area, does the government force them to live someplace else?

And is someone coming around and enforcing health regiments? Fines for not doing your morning work out, punishments for eating too much of the wrong foods?

How does the country generally promote healthy living?


My questions stem from this thread. People/members are up-in-arms because of Edwards' idea of everyone being able to see a doctor, align national health-care with communism, and defend themselves with Red Scare tactics. I don't understand it... so I've been posting back and forth with people trying to understand the logic/reasons.


[edit on 5-9-2007 by Diseria]

I don't think we're taxed to death, that would defeat the purpose of the system.

Our economy is strong, and the citizenry is healthy for the most part. You don't hear of many elderly people resorting to cat food sandwiches to stay alive, and those that are homeless tend to put themselves in that position because they choose not to accept the assistance of the social safety net, or have abused it.

There is an incentive program in place for doctors to relocate to remote areas due to a shortage of doctors in some places, and many of our medical people have trained in Canada and then moved to the U.S.A. because of higher pay.
It's a bit sad, because medical school is mostly paid for by the government, and then they abandon ship when they have their degree. So we do lose some of our brightest minds to a country that didn't pay to educate them.


As far as enforcing health regiments, no.....
We get a lot of "Public Service Announcements" on TV called "Body Breaks" and others ads that promote a healthy lifestyle. Smoking cessation programs are promoted extensively, and the Canadian Cancer Society will help you quit smoking for no charge. (the smokes are taxed to the point that most kids can't afford to start).


In Canada you always have a choice, like they can retain you for mental assessment for 72 hours if you indicate you're suicidal, but it's not against the law to kill yourself, and they have to release you if that's what you've decided to do. They'll come get your body when your done with it, and even dispose of it at no charge to your family if that's a choice you've made.

Our flag may be red, but we're not Commies.
I think we have more rights and privileges than almost any country in the world today.