[quote=“Psycho_316, post:19, topic:268606”] Remember just because its free doesnt mean its best. I can honestly say it took my partner to finally get a specialist after years dealing with a health problem. [/quote]
Canada is very similar. My 17 year old daughter needs to see an Endocrinologist but here’s the kicker. The pediatric clinic has a two year wait, and a regular won’t see her till she’s 18. *
Here’s what’s even worse … If we do manage to find a pediatric endocrinologist between now and her 18th birthday, she ages out and must now find a regular endocrinologist (which is around a 4 to 6 month wait time). And no, we can’t get her on a waitlist from now. She turns 18 at the end of September.
I appreciate the situation you’re in and wonder if free healthcare is worth it, now? I’m not saying our system is any better, just saying.
I see an endocrinologist and it’s not something to fool around with when you need help. How frustrating! Can you get her to an alternative medical doctor like a homeopath?
Its is crazy how this so called fee system works. For all intent and purposes you think it would offer a great service to the people as those that pay for medical care. But its just not the way. I have heard a lot of canadiens complain how the system isnt very good. But it also comes to the fact the best service is a paid service. I dont know exactly how it is canada, but in the uk they try to kind of just pus you off with well you “did this years ago its probably from that”. They ask if you drink and they try to point the problems to that but you dont drink lol. Its more like a a game to keep the cost down.
The federal government gives the 10 provinces some funds towards healthcare, but each province is independent on how it’s used. Even the formulary is different between them, so a drug that has federal approval might not be available country wide. On top of that, a regular appointment allots the doctor 10 minutes, a mental health appointment is either ½ hour or an hour, and you must let the booking receptionist what your appointment’s for. Doctor’s are paid by appointment. Combine that with salary caps and a new federal rule that says if you get an American or Canadian degree you must work in that country for 5 or 10 years, in order to stop rapid movement of much needed skills. I don’t know if it’s the system or the doctor’s themselves.
My sister is a naturopath but she’s in Australia. We do send her all bloodwork, etc. and she does suggest things/questions/tests we take back to our regular.
For a teen, it’s “must be stress”. As soon as we heard that we got a (actually 2) psychiatric assessments done. Both were “not stress”. Such an easy way to pass the buck. Just last week we heard it again and were able to say “not stress” when a paediatric neurologist uttered those words.
People in the United States spend more per capita on healthcare than many other countries…and many of the countries that spend less per person have better health outcomes. Makes me sad and angry.
According to some of the other posters, they feel that their country’s healthcare system falls short of service. Perhaps there’s more to it than the healthcare system. Different lifestyles that may tend towards better nutrition and exercise maybe? There’s more cyclists in Europe and Asia than you’ll ever see over here where the almighty gas guzzling SUVs and such rule the roads. Just a thought.