You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[gallione11]

Originally Posted by Nyah

For me it's all about the commute. I work 6:30-3:00 and it's ideal. I really love getting into the office early and being able to leave before traffic becomes a nightmare. I'm usually home no later than 3:30 so I still have a lot of day left for myself.

I figure if I lived closer to downtown I'd probably adopt more of a 7:30-4 schedule to get a bit more sleep in the morning, but living in the deep SE that extra sleep just isn't worth the commute I'd be facing every day.

That was me when I still had to go to the office. 30 minute commute if I left early, 45-1hr if not. It helped that I was coming from a retail job with 4a-1p hours so getting to work at 6am was still sleeping in. Now that WFH is mandatory, I get to sleep in a little bit more but still at my desk at 6. Logging off at 2:30 means I still feel like I have a good chunk of the day left. Works well for weekends too since you can get errands done really early and avoid the crowds. Likewise for when I hike or do something outdoors. Less people, guaranteed parking, and in the summer, you finish before it gets too hot.



If my company ever mandated starting at 10 or 11 like that one suggestion, I'd be immediately looking for another job

[Scroopy Noopers]

If anything the last few pages highlight the need for flexibility amongst individuals. Everyone is different.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not to be a dick and I could be wrong, but was that really an urgent care situation? It seems like that's what your family doctor is for...especially since it was you that didn't get it checked out promptly. What was the logic in going to UC?

When I read your post, I couldn't help but think your situation is the type of situation they're begging and pleading people to not go to urgent care over.

Well I don't have a family doctor, and any that my wife has tried to contact over the last couple of years all say they aren't accepting new patients. I called the walk-in clinic, but they suggested the UC to me as they wouldn't be able to drain the abcess themselves

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Having to go to a hospital or UC is absolutely horrible right now. I was pretty sure I had a small abcess under my armpit, but I didn't go to get it checked out right away because every medical center in the province is an absolute gongshow right now, and I was hoping it would clear up by itself. It didn't, got worse, so I finally bit the bullet and went to the Airdrie UC yesterday. Got there at 10am, waited about 2 hours to see a doctor, they put me on an antibiotic IV and then sent me to a diagnostic clinic to get an ultrasound done on it. Waited another hour there for the appointment, went back to urgent care to review the results, only to find out I had to go back in line again, which of course was way longer. Waited an hour in line to get triaged again, then 2.5 hours more to see another doctor. First thing he said was "Why do you have an IV in your arm? You should have gotten oral antibiotics". Well great, it's not like having a needle stuck in my arm and wrapped up in gauze for the last few hours wasn't an inconvience or anything. Then he says he'll be right back to apply a numbing cream to the area and they can make a small incision to drain it. An hour later he reappears and asks "So is the numbing cream working?" to which I reply "What cream? No one came by since your last visit", which caused him to rant a bit about some new AHS system they implemented that's causing grief. So instead of making a cut right away he goes to grab an ultrasound machine to see where exactly he should cut, which made me wonder why I had to go to a seperate facility for an ultrasound earlier if they had one there. After the 2nd ultrasound the doctor says it's not one big abcess but a cluster of small ones, so he can't make an incision to drain it all

So after over 10 hours, most of it waiting in purgatory, all I end up with is a prescription for more anti-biotics, which I probably could have gotten from the local walk-in clinic in under an hour. What a complete waste of a day

I think they can bill the Province per test or something like that?

This is the thing, the system needs some serious overhauling. Its not just a lack of resources or funding, its like there is a complete runaround for everything. The Doctors and Nurses have hoops that they have to make you jump through like you're some kind of show-dog.

So I sympathize with you, that sounds like a hellish day.

I'm currently arguing with my Family Doctor because whenever I need tests or something done she tells me:

"Just go to the Hospital. They have all the equipment needed to do all of this."

Yes...but thats not what the Hospital is typically for. Thats why there are testing facilities, Urgent Care, etc. I want to go to the Hospital as near to 'Never' as I can possibly manage.

It reminds me of the Education system sometimes, the people doing the actual work, whether its Teachers, Doctors, EMTs or Nurses are doing the best they can under this weird and convoluted system that at times makes no sense.

Again though, whats the solution? I kind of feel like they need to get Margaret the grizzled 30-year Veteran Nurse from the 3rd floor and just hand her the keys and say "You've seen it all. Fix It."

[mrkajz44]

If you go to urgent care and don't have either a broken bone or are actively bleeding, you are going to end up waiting a long time. That's just how it is.

I think Hemi was likely right to go to urgent care given the situation, but it does highlight a common issue these days were people don't tackle things are early as they should and then you end up in a situation that needs to be handled today, but it's not truly "urgent" compared to others that come to urgent care.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Well I don't have a family doctor, and any that my wife has tried to contact over the last couple of years all say they aren't accepting new patients. I called the walk-in clinic, but they suggested the UC to me as they wouldn't be able to drain the abcess themselves

I'm not sure how reliable this is, but have you tried this site: https://albertafindadoctor.ca/

My doctor retired a few years ago and I found a new one like 30 minutes after I found out. It seems there are quite a few accepting new patients.

I'm surprised the walk-in clinic would give medical advice over the phone. Those are receptionists, dude. WTF are they going to know about actual medical stuff other than to say, 'if you think it's an emergency go to the hospital.'

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

If you go to urgent care and don't have either a broken bone or are actively bleeding, you are going to end up waiting a long time. That's just how it is.

I think Hemi was likely right to go to urgent care given the situation, but it does highlight a common issue these days were people don't tackle things are early as they should and then you end up in a situation that needs to be handled today, but it's not truly "urgent" compared to others that come to urgent care.

That gave me a laugh. In the waiting area there was a girl with her mother, overhearing their conversation she fell at school and gashed her chin open and needed stiches, they were there for over 2 hours. There was also another girl in a wheelchair favoring a leg that I assume was broken, she was there for over an hour before I saw her get called

To be clear I don't put any blame on the doctors, nurses, or support personnel. My blame is squarely on the UCP doing everything in their power to gut our healthcare services

[Scroopy Noopers]

2 hours in emergency waiting is pretty quick for stitches. Same with an hour for a broken bone X-ray. At least in my experience.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

That gave me a laugh. In the waiting area there was a girl with her mother, overhearing their conversation she fell at school and gashed her chin open and needed stiches, they were there for over 2 hours. There was also another girl in a wheelchair favoring a leg that I assume was broken, she was there for over an hour before I saw her get called

To be clear I don't put any blame on the doctors, nurses, or support personnel. My blame is squarely on the UCP doing everything in their power to gut our healthcare services

Wait times are just as bad in B.C. and Ontario.

The health care capacity crisis has been building for decades, in every province and under every party. It’s structural, and addressing it will require systemic reform at the federal level and in every province.

I have my doubts that Canada today even has the capacity for the kind of difficult reform required, given the unity of purpose, the willingness to disrupt entrenched systems and interests, and the increased resources (taxes) necessary.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

If anything the last few pages highlight the need for flexibility amongst individuals. Everyone is different.

Absolutely, but its also important to acknowledge that depending on the business in question that flexibility could be somewhat limited.

Sometimes people have to be there together, or when associated companies are operating.

I've said this many times in various threads, but the very new landscape of being able to work from home is going to hit some potholes until we get a system that works for the majority of people.

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

That gave me a laugh. In the waiting area there was a girl with her mother, overhearing their conversation she fell at school and gashed her chin open and needed stiches, they were there for over 2 hours. There was also another girl in a wheelchair favoring a leg that I assume was broken, she was there for over an hour before I saw her get called

To be clear I don't put any blame on the doctors, nurses, or support personnel. My blame is squarely on the UCP doing everything in their power to gut our healthcare services

Interesting. I've only been a few times, so maybe just a different experience, but I remember cutting my thumb once and it wouldn't stop bleeding and I was out with stitches about 60 minutes after I arrived.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm not sure how reliable this is, but have you tried this site: https://albertafindadoctor.ca/

My doctor retired a few years ago and I found a new one like 30 minutes after I found out. It seems there are quite a few accepting new patients.

I'm surprised the walk-in clinic would give medical advice over the phone. Those are receptionists, dude. WTF are they going to know about actual medical stuff other than to say, 'if you think it's an emergency go to the hospital.'

I used this tool and also had a new doctor within 15 minutes last time mine decided to change their practice.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Dan02

I used this tool and also had a new doctor within 15 minutes last time mine decided to change their practice.

Well I should clarify, we did have a family doctor a couple of years ago by taking the first one available in our area, but it was a disaster. He was incompetent to the point that we were forced to the hospital in an emergency situation that should have never progressed to that point. So now my wife is much more wary of who we choose next, and is only considering doctors referred to us by family or friends, so I'd add that the good experienced doctors are the difficult ones to get on with. It looks like she finally found one with availability that we're meeting with next week, so hopefully he works out better

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Well I should clarify, we did have a family doctor a couple of years ago by taking the first one available in our area, but it was a disaster. He was incompetent to the point that we were forced to the hospital in an emergency situation that should have never progressed to that point. So now my wife is much more wary of who we choose next, and is only considering doctors referred to us by family or friends, so I'd add that the good experienced doctors are the difficult ones to get on with. It looks like she finally found one with availability that we're meeting with next week, so hopefully he works out better

What area of the city do you live in? maybe users here can recommend one

[Mr.Coffee]

One key / critical thing that is happening that AHS needs a bit of leeway on is their implementation of the new computer system ConnectCare which is currently being used all over the States. So basically the whole system is overhauling how much of its work is being done and in the mid to long run this will save time and money. It’s just that they only rolled it out about 10-11 days ago, and as such they are really struggling with all the procedural kinks and changes necessary.

This would be the computer program the doctor in Hemi-Cuda’s post was grumbling about. It’s a massive change, especially for doctors. They’ll need a couple months minimum to get up to speed with this new computer system and all new procedures.

[calf]

From my experiences, ER or UC won't turn away patients at all which is fair given the lack of capacity elsewhere in the system. But there's a lot of people who go when they're impatient, and don't actually require ER/UC services.

I think hospitals should have a connected walk-in clinic that's staffed by GPs. Triage can direct people there so the ER is being used for ER matters.

Of course, that's all in theory, when we don't have a government actively driving GPs out of the province.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not to be a dick and I could be wrong, but was that really an urgent care situation? It seems like that's what your family doctor is for...especially since it was you that didn't get it checked out promptly. What was the logic in going to UC?

When I read your post, I couldn't help but think your situation is the type of situation they're begging and pleading people to not go to urgent care over.

I had a similar situation - my family doctor said she didn't have the skills/equipment to do it properly so sent me to UC.

[Canadianman]

We are in Wave 4 of the ConnectCare launch.

[White Out 403]

jesus christ ice cream trucks are ####ing loud and annoying

[Shazam]

So's your mom!