[OT] Canadian health care vs American health care

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Sujet : [OT] Canadian health care vs American health care
De : no_offline_contact (at) *nospam* example.com (Rhino)
Groupes : rec.arts.tv
Date : 08. Jan 2025, 19:16:55
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Organisation : A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID : <vlmfep$2bq0q$3@dont-email.me>
User-Agent : Mozilla Thunderbird
I just saw this story and thought it pointed to some interesting differences between the American and Canadian health care systems.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10946225/hyperbaric-oxygen-treatment/
Health care is a provincial responsibility in this country so each province has its own distinct health care system, although all resemble one another and all get substantial federal funding above and their provincial funding. I've never been to a Quebec hospital so I have no experience with how they treat patients. They may treat the average patient better or worse than Ontario hospitals do.
I thought it was interesting - and telling - to see patients in Quebec describe being treated as expenses while American patients are seen as customers (or even revenue streams). I think there is some truth to that here in Ontario. In general, I think that if there is a question of whether the doctor should accommodate the patient or the patient should accommodate the doctor - in terms of when and where to get together - the latter is what happens. For example, when I book an appointment with my family doctor - actually, she's a nurse-practitioner although there's very little practical difference between what she can do than what a GP can do - I either book an appointment via their online form and typically wait a solid month to see her OR, if I feel it is urgent, I can phone and usually see her the same day at her office. But if I just have a quick question, it's very difficult to ask it. For example, we once did a phone appointment to deal with sleep issues I have and she suggested that I try magnesium glycinate first and only if that failed, try melatonin. During that conversation, either she forgot to tell me the dose of the magnesium glycinate or I forgot to write it down. When I tried to determine that information via email, I got scolded for misusing the email system and told to make an appointment. I ended up making a half-hour phone appointment - all phone appointments are automatically half an hour - which meant waiting a few days, then got what I needed in less than 5 minutes. I assume she ended up billing the government for a full half hour because the system is probably set up in half hour chunks. The system is clearly set up for the doctor's convenience much more than the patients. If I could have left her a voice mail or sent an email or text that she could answer when she had a minute, it would have been a lot more efficient.
The other aspect of the article was also very interesting. Is hyperbaric oxygen an effective treatment for brain damage from drowning? Were the Canadian doctors really basing their dismissal of the technique on science or was it more a case of wanting to avoid the expense? Was the American doctor who wants to try this treatment really able to offer a cure - or at least a dramatic improvement - or is he just a snake oil salesman looking to make money? Is the American doctor a discoverer of a new treatment or just a charlatan?
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. Do you feel like valued customer when you see your doctor or more like a burden/expense they have to endure? Are you confident that the treatments your doctor performs or recommends are in your best interest or is he over-treating you (or even doing bogus procedures) to pad your bill?
--
Rhino

Date Sujet#  Auteur
8 Jan 25 * [OT] Canadian health care vs American health care3Rhino
14 Jan 25 +- Re: [OT] Canadian health care vs American health care1Pluted Pup
14 Jan 25 `- Re: [OT] Canadian health care vs American health care1BTR1701

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