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Originally Posted by joeysmama
I'm not knocking your health care but I have several friends in Canada who wait a long time to be seen. One friend waited weeks to be seen for a sore throat and another was put on a wait list for gall bladder surgery. The last I heard it had been MONTHS. In the U.S. it would be DAYS. Maybe. Sometimes the next day. My cousin had pain on Tuesday and by Friday she had been in, out, and was back home painting her house.
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I'm not sure about other provinces but, here in Quebec, long waits are exactly the case....and that's if you can even find a family doctor. Wait times for specialists can be 6+ months unless you go through a hospital emergency and that's if the doctor on staff at the time thinks it's crucial.
I had a mammogram done last month (that part was quick as it was at a private imaging center) and a mass was found in one breast. Results were sent to a hospital breast clinic with a referral that I have an ultrasound/ biopsy/specialist consult...I was told it could take 6 months before I get a call for an appointment. Scares the bejeesus out of me having to wait that long
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joeysmama
I think that there are flaws on both sides and perfection resides somewhere in the middle.
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I completely agree with you. As it is, a two-tiered system already exists here with the exception of hospital care/major surgery (if I'm not mistaken). Because I can't find a regular family doctor under the public system, we use a private one where we pay at each visit. There are also some diagnostic tests that we pay for out of pocket as we don't have private insurance either.
I think that if people are willing and able to pay, they should do it through a private system and, I believe at the same time it would leave the public system less clogged for those who can't afford it but need to be treated asap.