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Blogs by Laura Davis
Where are all the doctors? 9/16/2008 5:52:57 AM
Is medical care really better in Canada? I'm sure that there are people everywhere who have horror stories to tell about medical treatment they have received at one time or another. Mistakes happen, doctors are human they are not infallible. Unfortunately, they are also becoming rare and therefore not prone to listen to their patients as attentively as they might have in the past, causing some real heartache and extreme hardship for a lot of people.
Where I live in Canada we have the luxury of having all medical treatments and visits to the doctor paid for by the government. Well...not really, you see it comes out of our taxes and we are one of the highest taxed countries in the world today. But, I'd rather it be that way, then have to fight with an HMO over whether or not I really need to be treated for ovarian cancer (no - I do not have ovarian cancer, but I do know of a woman who had to actually argue with her HMO for treatment. Why do HMO's not accept blood tests, and doctor's reports as actual fact? Oh ... don't get me started that's a whole other ball of wax!).
Anyway, today in Canada while everything is paid for, getting the treatment or actually finding a doctor is the tricky part. I went for four years without a doctor, because my first doctor moved out of our city. I never knew how bad the doctor shortage really was, or how much control they have over patients until this happened. I soon discovered that I was no longer allowed to pick my doctor, but I had to fill out an application and if I didn't have too many things wrong with me, I could get a doctor. But woe to the person who is actually sick in Ontario, because finding a doctor for you is going to be very tricky. Why? They don't have time for sick people! Why? Because there are no doctors here! An estimated 5 million Canadians are currently without a doctor! Beggars can no longer be choosers in Canada and if you have a complete moron for a doctor, well I feel for you, I know what you are going through - been there, done that. The doctor I'm with now, I've been with for 3 years and in all that time he has never examined me. What??? That's right - for 3 years I've been with this guy and he has yet to really listen or look at my ailments. I always go in about the same thing - why? He hasn't done anything to help me yet! So go find another doctor you say? Um - did you just read my post?
