I think the problem of healthcare is far more complicated than most people here give it credit for. Throwing money from other sources at the problem is not the answer. Just see how well it worked when the Alberta government, wanting to have a higher standard of healthcare, decided to introduce an extra charge for healthcare. The result: federal gov. reduces the healthcare money to the province by that amount, we get the exact same total as the other provinces, but we have to pay part out of our own pockets. What would stop them from doing this again.
As for the long waits, people need to realise they are doing their best. Yes the system needs an overhaul, but the way I would do it is probably different than most. What I see as needed are
1) specialized nurses. We make docs. take specialties, but nurses need as much specific unit training. Unfortunately, the way the union works they can be placed anywhere at any time, meaning you can have a nurse that spent years working in and getting to know the cardiac unit to end up taking blood.
2) Clinics attached to each hospital. Lets all the idiots who think the ER is the place to go for the flu clear out of the way for people who really need to be in the ER
3)Provincial health authority instead of regional. (Although as I understand this is going through) It sounds odd, but it would clear up a lot of beds. Right now, if people want to be switched to long term care in a different region (family reasons etc.) it is almost impossible, leaving them in hospital beds where they start, wasting space.
The other thing that really causes problems is all the unions. The amount of money people in some of those unions make is ridiculous, and is really straining the system. Sometimes unions are necessary, but in health care, its gotten out of control. Starting salary of 33$ + an hour for something that requires a two year training program is too much.
Yes they need new hospital beds, but the reality is no one ever expected calgary to grow this fast. Some things you can't predict. And they are trying, with a new hospital planned for the south, and a couple of new wings being built at foothills. Unfortunately, things that require major planning like this are the last things to catch up to this kind of unexpected growth.
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