Comments on: The Myth of Canadian Health Care Wait Times http://notmymothersblog.com/2009/04/24/the-myth-of-canadian-health-care-wait-times/ Not your mother's blog either! Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:56:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: W Edwards http://notmymothersblog.com/2009/04/24/the-myth-of-canadian-health-care-wait-times/comment-page-1/#comment-506 W Edwards Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:44:21 +0000 http://notmymothersblog.com/?p=475#comment-506 At face value, your assessment of waiting times in Canada based on one single procedure is highly simplistic. Radiation is not scheduled until multiple other specialists are consulted and at least a CT scan is perfomed to let the radiation oncologist know WHERE to aim the radiation. Even more effective would be a PET Scan in helping that radiation oncologist make the most effective treatment plan. The radiation therapy is scheduled AFTER the specialists, diagnostic tests and staging. NOW add up all of these wait times. I have esophageal cancer stage II, in Canada, the accumulation of wait times would amount to a death sentence. In the US, under our present (8/2009) health care system, I may live to see my cancer cured. I would not have that hope or even possibility in the Canadian system. To add, consult the same site you cite. Wait times for other potentially life saving procedures are much longer than in the US. At face value, your assessment of waiting times in Canada based on one single procedure is highly simplistic. Radiation is not scheduled until multiple other specialists are consulted and at least a CT scan is perfomed to let the radiation oncologist know WHERE to aim the radiation. Even more effective would be a PET Scan in helping that radiation oncologist make the most effective treatment plan. The radiation therapy is scheduled AFTER the specialists, diagnostic tests and staging. NOW add up all of these wait times. I have esophageal cancer stage II, in Canada, the accumulation of wait times would amount to a death sentence. In the US, under our present (8/2009) health care system, I may live to see my cancer cured. I would not have that hope or even possibility in the Canadian system.

To add, consult the same site you cite. Wait times for other potentially life saving procedures are much longer than in the US.

]]> By: Deb http://notmymothersblog.com/2009/04/24/the-myth-of-canadian-health-care-wait-times/comment-page-1/#comment-489 Deb Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:55:32 +0000 http://notmymothersblog.com/?p=475#comment-489 I don't plan on moving anytime soon. I plan on doing what I've been doing for the last 30 years - staying here and working to make my country live up to the reputation it wants in the world. Did you miss the part where we ARE waiting at least as long, and sometimes longer, for our health care here in the U.S.? I love this country more than you could possibly know. I believe in this country and the standards on which it was actually founded. I believe in a country that was not a "shining light on a hill" for other countries to worship, but a lantern held up in the darkness to help light the way. I don’t plan on moving anytime soon. I plan on doing what I’ve been doing for the last 30 years – staying here and working to make my country live up to the reputation it wants in the world. Did you miss the part where we ARE waiting at least as long, and sometimes longer, for our health care here in the U.S.?

I love this country more than you could possibly know. I believe in this country and the standards on which it was actually founded. I believe in a country that was not a “shining light on a hill” for other countries to worship, but a lantern held up in the darkness to help light the way.

]]> By: Alex http://notmymothersblog.com/2009/04/24/the-myth-of-canadian-health-care-wait-times/comment-page-1/#comment-488 Alex Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:31:03 +0000 http://notmymothersblog.com/?p=475#comment-488 Okay first of all looking at the latest statistics cataracts was lower than 75% in 4 of the 10 provinces. Secondly, 75% is a low benchmark! What if you were one of the 25% and had to wait longer than 16 weeks?! In those four months, if the surgery was crucial it could be done in maybe 2 weeks somewhere in the states because health care isn't nationalized. If you like Canada's system so much then move there and don't come back. Okay first of all looking at the latest statistics cataracts was lower than 75% in 4 of the 10 provinces. Secondly, 75% is a low benchmark! What if you were one of the 25% and had to wait longer than 16 weeks?! In those four months, if the surgery was crucial it could be done in maybe 2 weeks somewhere in the states because health care isn’t nationalized. If you like Canada’s system so much then move there and don’t come back.

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