Hospitals are a joke, where is all the Alberta money going???

[FFR]

I went to emergency a few months ago in the middle of the night. I was admitted almost right away because I passed out in the waiting room. (Apparently that's a ticket straight to a bed - who knew!) Anyways, while I was waiting in emergency for the doctor to see me, I noticed who was taking up beds. FOUR drunk people who had been brough in via ambulance and (I think) there is . So they took up beds all night. There were also two people in who were next to me complaining of a cough. And cough only. And they took up a bed for 5 hours waiting for the overworked staff to be able to visit them (they were prescribed chicken noodle soup and bedrest, by the way). And finally, across from me was a senior citizen who had been there for 7 days and was still waiting to be admitted into the long term care facility attached to the hospital.

So I don't think throwing money at the health care system is going to change anything. Like others have said, people who are abusing the system are causing it to backup constantly, so those with actual issues are not getting the care they deserve.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Natives? I'm not going to bring up whether this is racist or not because I don't care. But honestly, do you think it's only Natives that go to the ER when they've scratched themselves?

Well, not trying to be racist or anything, but around here the Natives make up the 5% of the population that uses up 95% of the resources.

But I'm sure that's different in the bigger cities.

I don't doubt that at all.

[4X4]

So you're not in Calgary?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Natives? I'm not going to bring up whether this is racist or not because I don't care. But honestly, do you think it's only Natives that go to the ER when they've scratched themselves?

I'm sure its not meant to be racist, but they are definitely in that large group of free riders (with a huge amount of white people too) who pay nothing into the system, but drain more per capita than the system can allocate.

Its the major socio-economic pitfall of a public universal system.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Azure

Well, not trying to be racist or anything, but around here the Natives make up the 5% of the population that uses up 95% of the resources.

But I'm sure that's different in the bigger cities.

I don't doubt that at all.

Natives generally are seen in greater numbers in the health care system, whether that is due to higher rates of alcohol/substance abuse. The people who generally treat the hospital/health care system like a revolving door are generally homeless, contribute nothing to society (in terms of taxes at least) and come in because they treat their bodies like crap. Alcohol/drug abuse and obesity issues cause a huge backlog in the workings of a health care system. Millions of dollars are spent on treating patients who will go outside and proceed to kill themselves with god knows what 5 minutes after they leave the hospital grounds.

You want to start pointing fingers at people and that is where to start in my opinion.

[Traditional_Ale]

Hospitals are why I let my friends do my stitches if I can't myself. We bootleg anesthetic by robbing dental offices and mix it down with magic mushrooms...

[notoepik]

I have to say I prefer the US health care system.

At least we can be seen and get health care in a fairly timely manner.

The thing that needs some regulation and change in the US is not the health care system, but the insurance industry.

[Flame On]

/\
For the most part I think being seen in a timely manner is a Calgary problem due to a lack of resources, staff and all that other stuff that every other sector is going through in Calgary. Probably not fair to judge the entire system by the pains of Calgary.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Flame On

/\
For the most part I think being seen in a timely manner is a Calgary problem due to a lack of resources, staff and all that other stuff that every other sector is going through in Calgary. Probably not fair to judge the entire system by the pains of Calgary.

Its apparently a nationwide issue... otherwise, I'm sure Canada would do better than tied for 30th in the Euro-Canada Study.

Not to say the problem isn't exacerbated due to the labor shortage. I think much bigger issues are union complications, poor scheduling of staff, and the fact that the bloated administration is made up largely of nurses better used onsite (again, union complications).

[Resolute 14]

What? Unions serving themselves rather than the public??

How utterly shocking!

[Azure]

Originally Posted by 4X4

So you're not in Calgary?

Nope.

Pincher Creek.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Natives generally are seen in greater numbers in the health care system, whether that is due to higher rates of alcohol/substance abuse. The people who generally treat the hospital/health care system like a revolving door are generally homeless, contribute nothing to society (in terms of taxes at least) and come in because they treat their bodies like crap. Alcohol/drug abuse and obesity issues cause a huge backlog in the workings of a health care system. Millions of dollars are spent on treating patients who will go outside and proceed to kill themselves with god knows what 5 minutes after they leave the hospital grounds.

You want to start pointing fingers at people and that is where to start in my opinion.

Again, not trying to be racist, but you've just explained many Natives where I live.

Otherwise, I agree completely. Less and less people are self-conscious of what they do to their bodies because they can get free health care either way.

Not fair, IMO....but I think Canada would collectively commit suicide if our public system was changed.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

What? Unions serving themselves rather than the public??

How utterly shocking!

Exactly.

Blame the unions up here, and the insurance companies down south. Has nothing to do with not enough 'money' being in the system.

[flamey_mcflame]

Originally Posted by Azure

Thats the beauty of a public system. 5-10% of the people take up 95% of the resources, and when H&L grandmother has a problem, its impossible for her to get care.

Do you actually think out your posts beofe typing. The 5-10 percent that you are talking about are primarily.....tada.. grandmothers and grandfathers. So only CP poster's grandparents are allowed to get care.

Oh, I love that Native blast in one of your later posts. Rather than sidestep the issue, why don't you just come out and say that you have some sort of issue with native people. You're not really fooling anyone. You do get that right?? Unless native people with scratches on their arms is who you think is using up 95% of our resources. You should help our health care by waiting in front of the clinic and handing out bandages. Problem solved.

[LIP MAN]

The one main issue people never seem to discuss is what is/isn't a commodity. I am under the belief that people's health is not a commodity to be bought and sold. It is a human right to be able to seek medical attention, and what I'm gathering on this board is people dehumanizing already marginalized groups of people (the homeless, minorities) when the root issues within many of those groups are never really known or discussed in a proper context.

To say that 95 percent of a system is used by 5 percent of people all in a minority group without having any studies to show for these "facts" being bandied about is irresponsible and plain ignorant. While there are higher numbers of people in specific minority groups using the health care system, there are many issues that have lead up to these groups dating back generations.

I would say it also underlies some covert racism which is so popular nowadays in many news media outlets. As with the homeless population, where around 2/3 of the people are suffering from mental illness in some cities or have left psychiatric facilities. Here is just one example of studies discussed:http://www.camh.net/hsrcu/html_docum...oceedings.html

It's just my two cents and hoping maybe you can see where people are coming from, other than just declaring someone a pinko and brushing it off.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Originally Posted by flamey_mcflame

Do you actually think out your posts beofe typing. The 5-10 percent that you are talking about are primarily.....tada.. grandmothers and grandfathers. So only CP poster's grandparents are allowed to get care.

Oh, I love that Native blast in one of your later posts. Rather than sidestep the issue, why don't you just come out and say that you have some sort of issue with native people. You're not really fooling anyone. You do get that right?? Unless native people with scratches on their arms is who you think is using up 95% of our resources. You should help our health care by waiting in front of the clinic and handing out bandages. Problem solved.

There is a problem here in Lethbridge where the natives out on the reserve are calling an ambulance for an "emergency", so they get picked up and taken to the hospital in town here, where suddenly they are feeling OK...............when really they just needed a ride into town to party for the weekend. Since they don't have to pay the ambulance fee, it's no big deal to them.........meanwhile a real emergency goes down and there aren't enough resources.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by flamey_mcflame

Do you actually think out your posts beofe typing. The 5-10 percent that you are talking about are primarily.....tada.. grandmothers and grandfathers. So only CP poster's grandparents are allowed to get care.

Oh, I love that Native blast in one of your later posts. Rather than sidestep the issue, why don't you just come out and say that you have some sort of issue with native people. You're not really fooling anyone. You do get that right?? Unless native people with scratches on their arms is who you think is using up 95% of our resources. You should help our health care by waiting in front of the clinic and handing out bandages. Problem solved.

See, thats your problem. You think I have some sort of problem with Natives because I point out the FACT....that they are part of the problem.

Yeah, call me whatever they want, but I think its stupid that people who wander the streets all day long, and put utter crap into their body are using up so many resources.

Where I am from, that group of people are mostly Natives. Go to the bigger cities, you get into a whole different group.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

There is a problem here in Lethbridge where the natives out on the reserve are calling an ambulance for an "emergency", so they get picked up and taken to the hospital in town here, where suddenly they are feeling OK...............when really they just needed a ride into town to party for the weekend. Since they don't have to pay the ambulance fee, it's no big deal to them.........meanwhile a real emergency goes down and there aren't enough resources.

Obviously you're racist, and obviously you have a problem with natives.

[millhouse11]

I dunno, last time I was at emergency was when my wife miscarried. In the waiting room, not one native. this was at the foothills. There was one homeless dude...he was white. A bunch of elderly people. Some white 20ish guys came in because of a fight. One dude that was in the bed next to my wifes, and he was completely wasted. About 16...and white. AH, and the crazy lady...she was entertaining to listen to as she rambled on about her cats. She was white. We were only there for 20 hours, so I can't judge about the rest of the days and the year. It must've been a freak night because there weren't any natives. Maybe they had a pow-wow, or maybe they were at the Peter Lougheed. hmmm.
I did go to Canmore emergency once, and we were in and out of there in a couple of hours. Mostly young white people with broken limbs. There was a native family there. Their 10 year old son was pretty sick...couldn't have been the flu though, must've been on something. <sarcasm>

[millhouse11]

Originally Posted by fotze

You must have caught Native from that family in the Canmore hospital, rendering you incabable of seeing native.

That would explain the hankering to drink my aftershave