BC Lags Behind Other Provinces in Life Satisfaction

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

In the post you quoted didn't it say the police shot him?

Locke may just be on the wrong side of 50.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Locke may just be on the wrong side of 50.

Wha...?!? Not even close! I'm just wise beyond my years!

[KelVarnsen]

Sure you are

[Locke]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Sure you are

You know...I dont need to suffer this abuse. Most of this board has met me in person!

[KelVarnsen]

I was one of those who met you

[Locke]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

I was one of those who met you

You did? That must have been a very long time ago! And I was barely into my 20s at the time if I think what I remember is accurate.

So you know I'm not in my 50s. Arent you older than me?

[Locke]

Oh and I re-read my posts and I just wanted to clear up, I'm not actually upset, just trying to be my charming sarcastic self.

[KelVarnsen]

Charming isn't the word I would use but yes we met. Like 13 years ago. We were both young then.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Charming isn't the word I would use but yes we met. Like 13 years ago. We were both young then.

Was I in the persona of the Wealthy Industrialist of Mr. Pennypacker?

That happens sometimes.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Locke

Was I in the persona of the Wealthy Industrialist of Mr. Pennypacker?

That happens sometimes.

Better that than when you are in the candy Industrialist persona Mr Fudgepacker

[calgarygeologist]

Try to solve one problem and create a problem elsewhere:

The NDP’s efforts to improve health care through a new payment model for family physicians and the establishment of urgent and primary care centres has had the unintended consequence of cutting the ranks of walk-in clinics across the province.

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According to the medical mapping service MediMap, the number of walk-in clinics across B.C. has dropped between 30 to 50 per cent in recent years as clinics move to an appointment-only model or close their doors.

This has led some doctors to warn that there are fewer and fewer options for immediate care in the province as urgent-care-clinic appointments remain hard to book in certain communities and emergency room waiting times continue to skyrocket.

Dr. Rita McCracken, a family physician and UBC assistant professor in the family practice department, said part of the problem is the new payment model introduced by then-health minister Adrian Dix in 2023 that aims to retain family physicians through better compensation. The model encourages doctors to work in family practice instead of putting in hours at a walk-in clinic, she said.

Dr. Kevin Mcleod, a North Vancouver-based internal medicine specialist, says people now come to see him for basic ailments, such as a bladder infection, that would be better dealt with by a general physician.

“They don’t need to see me as a specialist, but they have nowhere else to go.”

Mcleod said a walk-in clinic across the street from his office has papered over a sign saying “no appointment necessary,” indicating it has moved to an appointment-only model.

According to the provincial government’s website, all or most of the walk-in clinics in communities like Victoria, Surrey, Langley and Maple Ridge are by appointment only. Nanaimo only has one walk-in clinic.

“Wait times at ERs are getting horrific right now, and this might be actually the first year that we’ll talk about ER waiting times more openly as we’re starting to monitor those across the country as well. We’re seeing now the first year in which it’s quite regular to see entire ERs close because of staffing issues because of doctor burnout,” said Jankowski.

“I just feel that health care is very much in a free fall right now, and we’re not really thinking of systemic solutions in a way that truly address this, as opposed to moving the puck from one place to another, which isn’t working.”

https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-doc...nics-disappear

[opendoor]

I think they're drawing connections between things that aren't actually related. The new payment model only came into effect last year, but the lack of walk-in clinics in some of the places they mention has been an issue for years. I know for a fact that Victoria's walk-in clinic situation has been basically the same since the start of COVID almost 5 years ago. Telehealth appointments are easy to get the same day, but in-person is tough, so people end up at urgent care or the ER.

[KelVarnsen]

In July I was able to book a doctor appointment, get diagnosed with cancer then get the surgery to remove it 6 weeks later.

Please tell us how you’d improve that calgarygeologist.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

In July I was able to book a doctor appointment, get diagnosed with cancer then get the surgery to remove it 6 weeks later.

Please tell us how you’d improve that calgarygeologist.

Congratulations. Are you mentioning this because you believe that the article based on the claims of the healthcare professionals is bogus and that heeding the warnings from the Doctors is unnecessary?

[KelVarnsen]

You constantly praise the UCP and #### talk the NDP. I want to know your solution.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

You constantly praise the UCP and #### talk the NDP. I want to know your solution.

Whatever any government and political party, left or right, are doing it obviously isn't working. The UCP and conservative governments are not fixing healthcare. NDP and left governments are not fixing healthcare. Based on your comment about your experience I'm assuming you are happy with the system because of your favourable result.

BC has an issue with family doctors so the government's solution was to offer more pay which appears to be cannibalizing other parts of the care network.

Also, I'm not constantly praising the UCP and I don't support them but I'm also not going to #### all over every thing that they do without objectively putting some thought into the policies unlike some people who can't give a conservative government any credit when due.

[opendoor]

Doctors per 100K in BC (up 19%)

2015: 229
2016: 238
2017: 239
2018: 250
2019: 250
2020: 253
2021: 259
2022: 268
2023: 272

And Alberta (flat, and down 7% from the peak):

2015: 241
2016: 245
2017: 252
2018: 252
2019: 257
2020: 254
2021: 250
2022: 246
2023: 240


I think I know which trajectory I prefer. Even if BC's model does cannibalize doctors from walk-in clinics (which is far from a given) and negatively impact some people, the relative availability of doctors has improved significantly which will improve population-level access to healthcare.

[opendoor]

And the difference is even more stark for family physicians. 6-7 years ago, BC and Alberta had identical family doctor per 100K numbers (129 and 130 respectively); now BC has 19% more than Alberta (138 and 116 respectively).

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Whatever any government and political party, left or right, are doing it obviously isn't working. The UCP and conservative governments are not fixing healthcare. NDP and left governments are not fixing healthcare. Based on your comment about your experience I'm assuming you are happy with the system because of your favourable result.

BC has an issue with family doctors so the government's solution was to offer more pay which appears to be cannibalizing other parts of the care network.

Also, I'm not constantly praising the UCP and I don't support them but I'm also not going to #### all over every thing that they do without objectively putting some thought into the policies unlike some people who can't give a conservative government any credit when due.

Let us know when that happens.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Let us know when that happens.

I wait on bated breath for the guy who can’t bring himself to criticize a single thing his UCP government does but will look for reasons to criticize any government he perceives as “not conservative” across the country to let us know.

I’m sure he’ll find the time. He’ll make the time. He’s so objective!