MOOSE JAW, Sask. – A cardiology clinic in Saskatchewan, the birthplace of medicare, has opted out of the publicly funded heath-care system after it struggled to meet its costs under the province...
The long game … just by tiny incremental degrees, corporate and wealthy entities will slowly erode public health care to eventually give rise to private health care.
And people won’t realize, or care, or want to do anything about it until we reach a point where you need a credit check to go to the local emergency clinic to have that cough checked out.
What seriously is the deal with stuff like Maple.ca? Is that something we should be opposing if we’re to sustain the public model or is there a place for it relative to other advanced economies and welfare states (i dont mean this is the derogatory connotation)?
At least in my opinion if we were in a sane world, services like getmaple.ca would absolutely have a role in publicly funded health care. Instead though, the people who could use it the most are probably the least likely to have access. Last I heard, medical services are also a rare area where AI could actually have a positive impact by pre-screening patients before they see professionals.
Unless you’re against public health care, I think you’re misunderstanding me. I was answering the question as asked. Canadians can use remote service options, but they should be billed under the public system rather than privately. I’m talking about getting OFF the two-tier slope we’re already on.
I mean, I wouldnt ever really need them for just random stuff I can see my dr for but if there was ever a difficulty in continuity of care which is available, i can see it as a worst case scenario type intervention
It doesn’t have to be primary care (though some might need it). Those with access can even talk with specialists without a referral (by voice or video, possibly also text chat), thereby jumping the queue even if it’s just for an initial consultation. It can be useful for second opinions, increasing accessibility for disabled folks, or when someone is out of refills and their doctor is on vacation, among other possible reasons. (The option to send necessary photos or such electronically isn’t currently available at most regular doctors’ offices either, and would be nice to have everywhere.)
That should not be a thing. A referral (even for the initial booking) should always have to go through some professional who can nominally tell its even relevant or therapeutically/diagnostically helpful dr = gatekeeper). I feel like thats an important part of a successfull + efficient public healthcare system.
Ironically, I feel this has to be matched by an increase in patient self-advocacy or awareness of the need to practice it. Drs are so stretched and have so many patients you need to takean active role in learning to listen to your body and mind and being able to intelligently engage with current or potential matters and to express the need for treatment or further evaluation without resistance.
Stories where people point out it where [I’m inserting a random generally outrageous example) 2 years to get a referral coughed up by their primary are outrageous to me. I simply would never tolerate that. I personally would ask once and get the referral or to set the granting of it in motion administratively speaking.
If my dr gave me any lip or resistance I would be finding another while I continue to try and get the referral and waiting to file a formal complaint with the college but that would be an extreme point I don’t think we’d ever actually get to). Just keep booking appts and sit and say whatever you need, same like last time. You just might wear them down enough to give you what you need or direct you towards someone who can and is likely willing
Don’t blame people seeking health care for going to the last option available when there are no family doctors taking patients and all the clinics are severely understaffed.
The long game … just by tiny incremental degrees, corporate and wealthy entities will slowly erode public health care to eventually give rise to private health care.
And people won’t realize, or care, or want to do anything about it until we reach a point where you need a credit check to go to the local emergency clinic to have that cough checked out.
What seriously is the deal with stuff like Maple.ca? Is that something we should be opposing if we’re to sustain the public model or is there a place for it relative to other advanced economies and welfare states (i dont mean this is the derogatory connotation)?
At least in my opinion if we were in a sane world, services like getmaple.ca would absolutely have a role in publicly funded health care. Instead though, the people who could use it the most are probably the least likely to have access. Last I heard, medical services are also a rare area where AI could actually have a positive impact by pre-screening patients before they see professionals.
What’s does “slippery slope” mean in your sane world?
Unless you’re against public health care, I think you’re misunderstanding me. I was answering the question as asked. Canadians can use remote service options, but they should be billed under the public system rather than privately. I’m talking about getting OFF the two-tier slope we’re already on.
I mean, I wouldnt ever really need them for just random stuff I can see my dr for but if there was ever a difficulty in continuity of care which is available, i can see it as a worst case scenario type intervention
It doesn’t have to be primary care (though some might need it). Those with access can even talk with specialists without a referral (by voice or video, possibly also text chat), thereby jumping the queue even if it’s just for an initial consultation. It can be useful for second opinions, increasing accessibility for disabled folks, or when someone is out of refills and their doctor is on vacation, among other possible reasons. (The option to send necessary photos or such electronically isn’t currently available at most regular doctors’ offices either, and would be nice to have everywhere.)
That should not be a thing. A referral (even for the initial booking) should always have to go through some professional who can nominally tell its even relevant or therapeutically/diagnostically helpful dr = gatekeeper). I feel like thats an important part of a successfull + efficient public healthcare system.
Ironically, I feel this has to be matched by an increase in patient self-advocacy or awareness of the need to practice it. Drs are so stretched and have so many patients you need to takean active role in learning to listen to your body and mind and being able to intelligently engage with current or potential matters and to express the need for treatment or further evaluation without resistance.
Stories where people point out it where [I’m inserting a random generally outrageous example) 2 years to get a referral coughed up by their primary are outrageous to me. I simply would never tolerate that. I personally would ask once and get the referral or to set the granting of it in motion administratively speaking.
If my dr gave me any lip or resistance I would be finding another while I continue to try and get the referral and waiting to file a formal complaint with the college but that would be an extreme point I don’t think we’d ever actually get to). Just keep booking appts and sit and say whatever you need, same like last time. You just might wear them down enough to give you what you need or direct you towards someone who can and is likely willing
im sure people going to emergency clinics to have a cough checked out has nothing to do with public health care sucking
Don’t blame people seeking health care for going to the last option available when there are no family doctors taking patients and all the clinics are severely understaffed.