Patient wait times for ELECTIVE (= deemed not necessary) but life-saving diagnostic procedures, especially those for early detection of cancers: Minimum one year or over.
The following is a link – lengthy because its a government source – explaining – or rather confusing the issue – of extreme long wait-times for any procedure.
The procedures that I consider necessary because those are the ones that can save lives because of early detection of cancers.
These waiting policies are strictly managed by the government. As one specialist and physician told me:” I am not responsible for the wait time.” Following a letter that I sent to the BC Government, asking “then who is responsible?” did not answer my question.
In fact, no one knows or admits to knowing WHO in particular is responsible for those extreme long wait times – unless this policy is intended to kill of patients, before even having to spend any money for expensive (lets say) cancer treatments. All of which had been avoidable and preventable.
The short of it is, the government determines the policies, rules and regulations which allow certain patients to live, while others must die. Because of refusal of (cancer-detecting) diagnostic procedures. Criteria for this kind of TRIAGING are primarily: (1) Age, (2) Birthplace (and I am talking here of BC residents, taxpayers and Canadian citizens), (3) Whatever. Presumably having inside connections to the system.
Here is another interesting eye-opening revelation on how the government defines their public health care system. Which they claim (on their own government websites) as being offered FREE and accessible to all. Not so, far from it.
[ https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents ]
Nothing is free. We as Canadian taxpayers fully pay for this public health care system. Primarily with our income tax, and secondary extra billing by provincial governments for their health care insurance systems.
Also, read the following: — which mostly is about Canadian citizens turning to private health care services and paying for it, extreme high costs, because most do not get even to be entered onto a so called wait-list,
[ https://www.bchealthcoalition.ca/was-i-treated-unlawfully ] .In this article among others it is explained what the BC MSP (Medical Service Plan) health care insurance covers, and what not.
I am paying into this BC public health care system since 2002. And into the Canadian health care system since 1976. I never once received a physical exam, I have to pay all specialized services out of my pocket, I pay my (one and only medication) out of my pocket. I pay most everything out of pocket and I do not even get any more services because of my age. Alberta ? between 1976 and 2002 I had at least a family doctor and regular health care services.
No matter what, you can twist and turn, rules are rules, and rules are also meant to be broken, leading to internalized corruption. Either treat yourself, become a doctor, see a veterinarian (they are better doctors) or kill yourself. Or, as explained above – private clinic and pay (which according to government, is illegal).
In British Columbia the complaint is always “there are not enough doctors”. Also, not true. What is true is, because of the inefficiency inside the system and the extreme bureaucracy, making life difficult for doctors, there is not enough needed and productive medical time – doctors there are. In other words, time is wasted on unproductive issues.
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