Quote:
Originally Posted by tankdriver
Everybody makes much ado about time for Canadians, like you never have to wait for an appointment in America. But nowhere is it written that we have to adopt Canada's system. I have friends who are doctors in Vancouver. They absolutely have problems with the way Canada's system is set up. There is too much time spent waiting for helath care. Not one of them has any desire whatsoever to see America's health care system over there. Not even parts of it.
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Exactly. The way the media spins it, you'd think there was lineups of Canadians outside hospitals with their hearts connected to iPods for pacemakers, awaiting surgery.
The reality is that the quality of care in Canada, and the facilities and technology is absolutely world-class and on par with any system in the world, including the US.
I doubt there is a perfect health care system anywhere in the world - if there is, I admit ignorance as to its existence. Canada's system does have flaws, but IMO they far exceed potential drawbacks. There are waits for some procedures in Canada, but they are generally the non-critical procedures. Anyone requiring acute or critical care gets it, and receives that care in a timely mannner. I've had senior family members who recently required cardiac and cancer care - the outcomes of which were successful. In one case, major surgery was performed within hours of admittance.
In Canada, the best doctors are available to everyone. Surgical success rates are not prepared to market to the rich, and conversely potential patients aren't pre-screened on a candidacy basis for the likelihood of reducing said success rates. Care is universal and not at the whim of a company whose goal it is to derive profit from its premiums. That tenet alone is condratictory enough in nature to make me reject it in principle. When you have to balance profit vs. the best care, the victim won't often be the wallet.
Canada's system is very expensive and we all pay extensive taxes to fund it. However, it keeps my mind at ease knowing that if I get deathly ill - especially chronic illness - I will get the care I need and it will not cripple my family financially to provide it.
All IMHO.
