Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[TorqueDog]

I roasted them and ended with "I'm voting for the NDP. Hope you lose in May!"

[surferguy]

I also sent a cathartic #### no message into the void.

Then came back several more times to double down with more reasons why they shouldn’t be in power. I’ve been typing every hour for 4 days and still haven’t run out of reasons

[Torture]

Haven't got mine yet but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

My work phone was somehow on the Sean Chu / Farkas text list (LOL) during the municipal election so I'm sure I'm logged as a supporter in some database.

[Benched]

Got a couple NDP canvassers on the weekend. Told them to save their time - there was no chance I wasn't going to vote NDP in the election...

They looked a little lost, I guess because that's a really dumb way to put it and it IS a confusing statement.

I followed up with "I'm seeing orange". That brought smiles, a tally on a clipboard, and a 'have a nice day'.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I roasted them and ended with "I'm voting for the NDP. Hope you lose in May!"

Lol. My reply to them was NSFW.

[Fuzz]

Anyone else who has to go for blood work regularly notice that since the UCP gave the contract to Dynalife, it's gone to absolute ####? With an appointment it can be 45 minutes, and without? Ha. Hahaha. Have fun with that. Want to book an appointment? Oh ya, good luck, too. Beddington is booking May 29th. Gulf and Shumar are end of April, so that's a little better. But this is essential healthcare, and waiting a month to adjust medications isn't an option, so I guess go sit around for 3 hours?

Thanks UCP. Another shining example of privatization making things worse for us users and taxpayers, but I don't remember my taxes going down to make this happen. I'm sure some UCP buddy is rolling in the money piles though.

[Yoho]

Imagine the lucky staff that get to deal with joyful happy you there?
Only thing better would be a dialysis clinic.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Anyone else who has to go for blood work regularly notice that since the UCP gave the contract to Dynalife, it's gone to absolute ####? With an appointment it can be 45 minutes, and without? Ha. Hahaha. Have fun with that. Want to book an appointment? Oh ya, good luck, too. Beddington is booking May 29th. Gulf and Shumar are end of April, so that's a little better. But this is essential healthcare, and waiting a month to adjust medications isn't an option, so I guess go sit around for 3 hours?

Thanks UCP. Another shining example of privatization making things worse for us users and taxpayers, but I don't remember my taxes going down to make this happen. I'm sure some UCP buddy is rolling in the money piles though.

My doctor had me get some blood work for my physical last week. Checked the website to book an appointment and they were booked ahead for a month. I ended up waiting until the evening and got a spot the next day due to a cancelation. Otherwise I was screwed.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Imagine the lucky staff that get to deal with joyful happy you there?
Only thing better would be a dialysis clinic.

The volunteers at the High River hospital are well aware of the problem and tell people that don't have an appointment they can wait or come in the afternoon when it's less busy.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Imagine the lucky staff that get to deal with joyful happy you there?
Only thing better would be a dialysis clinic.

Oh hoh ho Yoho! You'll love this then!

I actually have asked a few staff(and had friendly conversations, becuase I'm sympathetic tot heir suffering and don't take frustrations out on them) about it and they are not happy at all. They say they have been given extra tasks they see as unnecessary that slow down patient turnover. They say Dynalife has overbooked far beyond capacity, leading to long waits for appointment slots, and that the "wait times" listed online are nonsensical, so patients show up thinking the wait time is 20 minutes, instead of 3 hours. I've yet to talk to someone happy about it.

My favourite so far was two weeks ago though. Because I didn't have an appointment, I went to Ranchlands for 7:15(they open at 6:30). It was not open, and had a line. Turns out, some kind maintenance person came and removed the access card scanners, so staff couldn't get in. And they did the same at Market Mall(and possibly others). Just left all their staff locked out. Brilliant move, that one.

But hey, keep ####ing that chicken Yoho!

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Anyone else who has to go for blood work regularly notice that since the UCP gave the contract to Dynalife, it's gone to absolute ####? With an appointment it can be 45 minutes, and without? Ha. Hahaha. Have fun with that. Want to book an appointment? Oh ya, good luck, too. Beddington is booking May 29th. Gulf and Shumar are end of April, so that's a little better. But this is essential healthcare, and waiting a month to adjust medications isn't an option, so I guess go sit around for 3 hours?

Thanks UCP. Another shining example of privatization making things worse for us users and taxpayers, but I don't remember my taxes going down to make this happen. I'm sure some UCP buddy is rolling in the money piles though.

Just as a point of reference, I have a new family physician here in Ontario, and I had an appointment this morning. The doc gave me my checkup, and then said I needed to get some blood work done. As I was leaving I asked the clerk at the front if I should book a time with a clinic, and she said "why are you putting your jacket on? You need to get your bloodwork done". I looked a bit shocked, and responded that I had to book that back in Alberta with Dynalife. She said it gets done in the clinic here on the spot. 5 minutes later it was all complete.

I was honestly shocked - I didn't realize it could happen that quickly. I am used to booking with Dynalife weeks out for this, and having to wait in the clinic for that service.

Ontario has it's warts, but goddamn if that didn't make me happy to have public healthcare available so easily. I know it's not like that everywhere, but simple bloodwork shouldn't require a huge inconvenience - especially if privatization is supposed to cut down on the lead time for services like that.

The physician even gave me his card and said if anyone is looking for a family doc, he'd be happy to take on more patients. My jaw just about hit the floor.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Just as a point of reference, I have a new family physician here in Ontario, and I had an appointment this morning. The doc gave me my checkup, and then said I needed to get some blood work done. As I was leaving I asked the clerk at the front if I should book a time with a clinic, and she said "why are you putting your jacket on? You need to get your bloodwork done". I looked a bit shocked, and responded that I had to book that back in Alberta with Dynalife. She said it gets done in the clinic here on the spot. 5 minutes later it was all complete.

I was honestly shocked - I didn't realize it could happen that quickly. I am used to booking with Dynalife weeks out for this, and having to wait in the clinic for that service.

Ontario has it's warts, but goddamn if that didn't make me happy to have public healthcare available so easily. I know it's not like that everywhere, but simple bloodwork shouldn't require a huge inconvenience - especially if privatization is supposed to cut down on the lead time for services like that.

The physician even gave me his card and said if anyone is looking for a family doc, he'd be happy to take on more patients. My jaw just about hit the floor.

Is it though? we were never given an explanation of why this was better, beyond the typical fake money saving nonsense. We weren't told service would get better, we certainly weren't told it would get worse.

[you&me]

I have to get bloodwork done quarterly and haven't had any issues walking in and waiting any more than, maybe, 10 minutes? This is relatively new; am I just lucky so far?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by you&me

I have to get bloodwork done quarterly and haven't had any issues walking in and waiting any more than, maybe, 10 minutes? This is relatively new; am I just lucky so far?

Must be, mind sharing what time of day and lab? I find they all seem to have different busy times, and I should pay better attention to when. I'm usually booking 3 months out, which is OK, but when something comes up you kind of want to deal with it asap.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

The physician even gave me his card and said if anyone is looking for a family doc, he'd be happy to take on more patients. My jaw just about hit the floor.

meanwhile, back in Alberta...

I've been going to a clinic about 15 years.
Several times before I've had a doctor leave and they just hooked me up with another one as I liked the location and didn't want to go elsewhere.

My doctor recently left the province. (heh. funny that) and the clinic said they're short medical staff and no longer can accept new patients or transfer patients to a new doctor.
So I get the fun of finding a new doctor in the current environment.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Just as a point of reference, I have a new family physician here in Ontario, and I had an appointment this morning. The doc gave me my checkup, and then said I needed to get some blood work done. As I was leaving I asked the clerk at the front if I should book a time with a clinic, and she said "why are you putting your jacket on? You need to get your bloodwork done". I looked a bit shocked, and responded that I had to book that back in Alberta with Dynalife. She said it gets done in the clinic here on the spot. 5 minutes later it was all complete.

I was honestly shocked - I didn't realize it could happen that quickly. I am used to booking with Dynalife weeks out for this, and having to wait in the clinic for that service.

Ontario has it's warts, but goddamn if that didn't make me happy to have public healthcare available so easily. I know it's not like that everywhere, but simple bloodwork shouldn't require a huge inconvenience - especially if privatization is supposed to cut down on the lead time for services like that.

The physician even gave me his card and said if anyone is looking for a family doc, he'd be happy to take on more patients. My jaw just about hit the floor.

Well everyone will be shocked to learn that Alberta has the most empty seats for the family medicine program in a decade. Last year they had a lot of empty seats and this year it's even more.

Other provinces aren't having this problem. I can't understand why that would be the case.


"Although some programs in Quebec have trouble filling their residency posts, most universities in Western Canada have had few or no spots remaining when the match is finished in recent years.
But last year in Alberta, 17 positions remained vacant."

I thought doctors were really greedy, and would want to come to Alberta.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmon...ince-1.6792900

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Is it though? we were never given an explanation of why this was better, beyond the typical fake money saving nonsense. We weren't told service would get better, we certainly weren't told it would get worse.

Fair point. I just got used to it because it was standard procedure. Mea culpa.

It really shouldn't be and doesn't have to be that way.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Fair point. I just got used to it because it was standard procedure. Mea culpa.

It really shouldn't be and doesn't have to be that way.

But unfortunately it will be that way, becuase our province is full of a a bunch of Yoho's who won't vote with any sense of logic, thought, or consideration.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

But unfortunately it will be that way, becuase our province is full of a a bunch of Yoho's who won't vote with any sense of logic, thought, or consideration.

To them it's worth it to make lives worse, as long as it 'pwns the libs'

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Anyone else who has to go for blood work regularly notice that since the UCP gave the contract to Dynalife, it's gone to absolute ####? With an appointment it can be 45 minutes, and without? Ha. Hahaha. Have fun with that. Want to book an appointment? Oh ya, good luck, too. Beddington is booking May 29th. Gulf and Shumar are end of April, so that's a little better. But this is essential healthcare, and waiting a month to adjust medications isn't an option, so I guess go sit around for 3 hours?

Thanks UCP. Another shining example of privatization making things worse for us users and taxpayers, but I don't remember my taxes going down to make this happen. I'm sure some UCP buddy is rolling in the money piles though.

Yeah, the daughter has fairly regular blood work that has to be done and Airdrie is a royal ####show. It's always been a ####show but since DynaLife took over, it's a ####show on steroids. Hubs had to go last week, did it as a walk in, and waited more than 2 hours.

For the most part, I've given up on Airdrie. We book appointments in Didsbury, usually able to get one right away. With her health issues, we have no choice but to book appointments, she can't sit for 2 hours. So far, she's never waited more than 10 minutes past her appointment time and that 10 minutes was because this set of labs had 1 test the lab wasn't familiar with, so they had to check to ensure they were doing everything properly, which I appreciate.

I did just book an appointment with the Airdrie lab, but I booked it for 3 months from now, it's labwork ordered by her oncologist-endocrinologist for follow up appointments, so has to be done and ready by a certain time.

I don't know about other labs, in AB but I won't even try to book an appointment or suggest going as a walk-in on a Monday, for here or Didsbury. Seems like everyone saves their labwork for Mondays and it's exponentially worse.