Tag Archives: doctor shortage

BRITISH COLUMBIA and Family Doctors

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These two very important concepts do not fit well together, here in this province, where thousands of  Canadian citizens, tax payers and residents do not have the luxury of actually having a family doctor. The latest system – since this year – requires patients to call into one call centre, one phone line, early in the morning. From there you may request a secondary centre. To be put on a phone wait list (I was told that 2000 call in daily),  to somehow get a doctor appointment for the same day. Strangest thing is, that when I call at exactly the time those phone lines open, I may be already #50 in line. Thanks a million. To expect to see a doctor that day when there are only a few working.

Family doctors are needed for all and anything, like requisitions for tests, prescriptions for medications, referrals to specialists and treatments.

Should you ever be so lucky to see a specialist (let’s say for a long-standing serious heart condition), you can be assured that wait times are up to 3 years. 

Of course you’re dead by then. Probably the intention of this system.

As far as FAMILY DOCTORS go:

I have had a regular family doctor all my life, since I was born. During World War 2, when our entire country was destroyed, then later when working and residing in other European countries, then after leaving Europe in 1974, as a foreign student at a US university, then after coming to Canada, 30 years working in Alberta, until the year 2002.

That’s when I came to live in British Columbia.  This shows clearly that the problem is not the patient, but the Government and their non-functioning system.

Over and above, should one have the rare “privilege ” to have an appointment with a specialist, often the patient without a family doctor is not treated nicely and with respect, but like an outcast.

BTW. Probably it would have been better to keep the old de-centralized system in place, with multiple walkIn clinics in all areas of the capital region, instead of the now not well-functioning centralized one, after closing all WalkIn clinics.

Signed: A hardworking and tax paying Canadian citizen

Medical Health Care System – Victoria, BC

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If the government medical system does not function because of over inflated bureaucracy, patients will be killed. Unnecessarily. One of the biggest problems is the shortage of family doctors, or general practitioners, who are doctors with a medical degree. Specialists apparently we have. But wait times are years. For a large population of senior citizens this does not bode well. The system on Vancouver Island is driven by the Vancouver Island Health Authority, now operating within a so called electronic TRIAGE system.

[ https://www.viha.ca/about_viha/news/news_releases/psa_cdh_ed_24feb16.html ]

There are several “arms” to this triage system: One is a variety and number of Walk-in Clinics in various locations; the second is 911 Emergency for hopefully some hospital (preferably not on weekends when most accidents occur); the third is an Ambulance system operated by a private company. The last on this list is: See your doctor. Wishful thinking. I never found out in fifteen years in Victoria, Vancouver Island, which doctor they refer to.

Walk In Clinics: The majority I know and have seen sprouting up over time have closed down, moved, or when there really is an emergency, cannot accommodate patients, because of the absence of enough doctors. One of the now available services are http://www.ehealth.ca for patients to allow access to their lab results.

Besides managing myself and relying on medical study and information research, gathered from very reputable world class clinics

[ http://www.mastersinhealthcare.com/blog/2011/10-most-prestigious-medical-centers-in-the-world/ ], I have been let down too many times by clinicians at the local clinic that I had frequented now for ten years in Victoria, resulting in mostly self-management, as well as paying for (health care covered) treatments out of my own pocket.

Strangely enough, some of those nurse practitioners assume the title of Dr. without having any medical degree, or they are referred to as Medical Doctor (by the system) without correcting this. [Check with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, this is a No/No.]

Examples of personal horror stories over the years include: Fractured metatarsal foot — form for assistance to get to hospital DVT clinic/large blood clot, sent to Vancouver instead of Victoria where I reside. Severe osteoporosis needing every 3-year BMD test — form sent to Timbouktou ?, indicating low priority. Medical fitness form for Ministry of Justice for drivers license — exam paid by me $100 to doctor, but test done by some temporary nurse, who among others took one blood pressure only instead of several, while during the test try to chat with me and upset me, outcome was elevated blood pressure.

Rotator cuff and shoulder injury two years ago — getting me into a program of corticosteroid injections and see a physiatrist who suggested to sell me more of those steroids, after a large tear in my tendon had been confirmed. Thanks, but no thanks ! My right arm/shoulder is now disabled. I personally have yet to see the MRI images, showing the large tear in the supraspinatus/tendon, done June 2017.

Just recently, when mentioning that a certain condition that I have and am sure about (comparing the images on the Internet, published by the Mayo Clinic), I was told “Sorry, I am not familiar with this condition”, and next (and I quote): “I do not look at the Internet.”

It is appreciated that clinicians go by the health care rules. However, we all know that every minute of every day some new discoveries are being made especially in the medical field. We also all know that all useful information that has helped so many for so many years is coming to us via the Internet. One only needs to rely on all the NO FAKE news and research. I usually rely on the best world wide known and respected clinics, such as for example the Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins [ https://www.usnews.com/info/blogs/press-room/articles/2017-08-08/us-news-announces-2017-18-best-hospitals ]. (Myself having graduated from an old very reputable ivy league college in the USA, and specializing in information systems research.).

And today’s doctors whose main goal is to advance medical research in practice all use the Internet. To also inform the public. [ https://getreferralmd.com/2017/01/17-future-healthcare-technology-advances-of-2017-referralmd/ ]. So, if anybody tells me “I do not look at the Internet”, I am not only scared, but very sorry.

Again, what’s this Triage system about ? Regulations, forms, unavailability during weekends, or personal opinions by clinicians, or worse, yet, personal opinions about patients themselves ?

I wish I had studied medicine full-time, but still cannot look up my own behind, needing a medical professional and equipment for this.