Our Health Care System can be frustrating! NF

[Big Cliff]

Since last summer Sue has been having some heart issues, mind you this is nothing new, she had a quad bypass 20 years ago and has had stints put in since then but this was another issue. Her cardioligist wanted her to see a specialist in Ajax so even with a referal it took us a month to get in.

 

Fast forward: After several tests and a proceedure to try to correct the current issue they decided that in order to proceed further she needed another "specialized test" which could only be done in Toronto General.

 

So we go on the waiting list for this "special" MRI. weeks go by and we finally get the call, they have an opening so we head off to the big smoke. The test gets done Jan. 24 and a follow up appointment with the specialist gets booked for today Feb. 13 (ya, I know, it's a Friday the 13 th).

 

So, this morning Sue decides to phone the Dr's office just to make sure that they do have the test results before we drive all the way down to Ajax (this has happened to us twice before already) and sure enough they don't have them yet. A quick call to the hospital to see if they can be faxed over....... The diagnostic imaging Dept. is closed today, no explanation as to why, it's just closed.

 

So here we sit and wait some more because in three weeks no one has forwarded the results of a test to Sue's Dr.. I have booked a day off work so there goes a days wages and now we have another appointment set for March 4 (so I loose another day of work) and poor Sue sits on pins and needles for another three weeks. Her last comment to me was "if I don't make it raise heck with someone!"

 

Pretty sad, I can take my dog in for an MRI and have the results back in under an hour but my wife has to wait 7-8 weeks. I might understand if this was a problem with her knee or something but this is her heart (she may be my pussycat she has already used up 8 of her 9 lives!)

 

Oh, and to top it all off her kidney specialist just told her that he will no longer be able to see her here in Lindsay because of cutbacks to the system; she now has to go to Peterborough to see him. Thank you Premier Winnie the POOP!

 

Sorry to rant but I am really frustrated.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Big Cliff

[manjo39]

Cliff, I feel for you and Sue. Wish her the best.

[lew]

Sorry to hear about the hospital issues Cliff and hopefully Sue gets fixed up soon.

 

Just to show the other side of the Health Care coin though.

 

My wife has also gone through some serious health issues in the last year and we've both said how fantastic the entire system has been for her. Between Peterboro hospital, Sunnybrook and Lakeridge in Oshawa, every test called for by her doctors has been done very fast and on schedule and the treatments and surgery have been amazing. Not a single test or appointment has been delayed or cancelled and every single aspect of the entire process has been more than we could have ever hoped for.

 

Hopefully things turn around soon for you guys and Sue gets whatever treatments are required.

[manitoubass2]

Ugggh

 

Sorry cliff, but my words cant make it work better.

 

Sad how one area is so streamlined/professional, and others are just a mess.

 

I feel your frustration and wish youse all the best

[Big Cliff]

Thanks Lew and I am really glad it has worked out well for you two.

 

We are still hanging in there, don't know why we keep running into these issues. Our last appointment we were kept sitting in the waiting room for over two hours past our scheduled appointment and than got told "someone didn't send us the test results so sorry, you will have to come back again". We must be doing something wrong!

[ketchenany]

No your not Cliff they are incompetent some days.

I had to have actress test just ro see. . . So I phone the specialist and asked if I could go October 23 or 24.

We have nothing for that day, fine Come October the 3rd. Took the day off work, I had time coming went to the office at 2:00 for my 2:15 .. Check in, we have nothing for you booked; a wasted day can I book another since I'm here, sure what have you got -- how is October 24 for you. !?!?!&$)(

[manitoubass2]

Sometimes I wonder if there isnt some sick people working in the medical profession?

 

I mean they come in all other walks of life, something to think about.

 

As a young adult, around 20, I had very bad back pains on my right side. I toughed it out for a day or two but it got sooo much worse, also started on my left side.

 

I drove to emerge and was admitted pretty quickly. I was in ALOT of pain. No position was comfortable at all. I was literally in tears.

 

A quick blood sample and urine sample after a shot of demerol showed I had a kidney infection and it was spreading to the left as well.

 

First shot did nadda, gave me a second and a third, finally some relief.

 

6 hours later and some iv antibiotics they were ready to release me. Of course id need more anti biotics later.

 

Then they gave me one more shot of demerol, 2 trylenol 3's and enough of those to last a few days.

 

I was looped. They asked if I had a ride home and i said yes, i have my vehicle outside.

 

Out i went, only two blocks from the hospital but stoned outta my tree. I wasnt fit to make that decision. I didnt even really recall the ride home until my girlfriend told me about it, like after 28 hours of sleep.

 

To be honest, I wouldnt even believe my story until it was later verified by my girlfriend and dr on a foĺlow up.

 

Crazy. Im glad im alive and i didnt harm anyone else.

 

Those drugs are crazy. I felt like i was in total control but there is no way i was.

[lew]

Slightly off topic but still regarding our health care.

 

With my wife's recent problem she was given a prescription for a 10 day supply of medicine that costs $2100.00.....yes, $210 per day.

 

Being as my wife is over 65...(don't tell her I told you that)...the $2100 was COMPLETELY covered by the government health plan.Yes, there are issues sometimes with our system just like anywhere else in the world, but I still think we have an excellent system.

 

Sorry for the detour Cliff, I just wanted to throw that out there,

[Bluegill]

Cliff, as you know I'm coming from a different country:

There, a doctor sends you to a MRI specialist. This specialist always talks with you and after that he makes the MRI and has a look at it immediately. He is there!

After that he is talking with you again, about his result.

He speaks this result to a voice recorder and you have to wait until it is written as a short report to paper. Maybe that takes an hour.

You have to bring this paper and the images he made immediately to your doctor.

Your doctor can react the same or the next day.

Normally there are after a specialist visit no doctor appointments necessary, but maybe you have to wait a few hours.

Here:

My wife had a MRI.

No specialist was there, no communication. A nurse? made an image, said she was not payed for and allowed to comment on what she saw in the image!

After weeks we found out that the results were saved to a CD. This CD was laying around at the specialists office for weeks.

For these cases, the health management is bad.

We have internet, we have fax, we have phone. And the patient is there who can bring the results to his doctor immediately.

But often specialists are not able/allowed to give you any information about their result right away, your health. Unbelievable.

If you are lucky your doctor gets your result with Canada post? after weeks, if he isn't for vacation for weeks.

And if the mail gets lost - no news is good news.

Good luck for your wife and you.

[aplumma]

I am sorry to hear this Cliff you and Sue deserve better. I am on the flip side very happy to see how well Diane has been doing and the care that is possible.

 

 

Art

[Big Cliff]

I hear you all, and I sure am glad we do have the health care system in place that we do. As frustrated as I do get with it, we are still far better off than if we lived in so many other countries in the world.

 

And I agree with you Lew; if we had to pay for the medications that Sue and I have to take every day out of pocket there is no way we would be able to afford it so I guess in the long run we wouldn't be here to complain anyway LOL.

 

It just doesn't make sense to me that it takes three + weeks to get the results of a test from Toronto to Ajax when I could have walked them there in less than a day.

[Moosebunk]

Cliff... that's a totally valid reason to rant.

 

Our system is crap from head to toe but sadly, with a lot of good working parts underneath just not able to polish the surface and co-ordinate the mechanics.

[porkpie]

I am torn to be honest. I have heard of these things happening, but recently have had several excellent experiences with our health care system. I think sometimes it is luck of the draw. I hope things work out for your wife and you!

[Bluegill]

...

It just doesn't make sense to me that it takes three + weeks to get the results of a test from Toronto to Ajax when I could have walked them there in less than a day.

 

Just do it, go and pick it up.

[Moosebunk]

 

Just do it, go and pick it up.

 

Your healthcare records are your property. Despite what they might try and tell you to save themselves work or, make a buck in their office because "the Doctor has to give them to you," in order to make money on an appointment. Problem is, you'd still likely have to wait weeks if you went after them yourself anyways.

[Bluegill]

 

Your healthcare records are your property. Despite what they might try and tell you to save themselves work or, make a buck in their office because "the Doctor has to give them to you," in order to make money on an appointment. Problem is, you'd still likely have to wait weeks if you went after them yourself anyways.

 

If I deliver the letter instead of Canada Post the only one who is loosing out is Canada Post.

A phone call should clarify if the results are still there and available. People here have done that.

[Garnet]

Your doc doesn't read the mri. They are sent off to tec land and a written report is sent to your doc.

[Pikeslayer]

Hate to say this, but thank goodness for private healthcare (& WCB Alberta).

 

If we had to rely on OHIP for our son's care & recovery, I am pretty certain, no scratch that, I know for fact that Sean would be wasting away in a long term care facility with bare minimum therapy and I would most certainly be in jail.

[Big Cliff]

And I right there beside you my friend!

 

I know our system isn't perfect but when your loved one is hanging in there.... sometimes I ask myself, could it be better? I think yes! Perhaps I am just selfish.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Big Cliff

[lookinforwalleye]

Slightly off topic but still regarding our health care.

 

With my wife's recent problem she was given a prescription for a 10 day supply of medicine that costs $2100.00.....yes, $210 per day.

 

Being as my wife is over 65...(don't tell her I told you that)...the $2100 was COMPLETELY covered by the government health plan.Yes, there are issues sometimes with our system just like anywhere else in the world, but I still think we have an excellent system.

 

Sorry for the detour Cliff, I just wanted to throw that out there,

yep so true get a couple bills with lots of numbers on them and that may change our tune...it's not perfect but it's better than most......my son's bill for the year(covered) was over 40 grand!

[OhioFisherman]

It took me 3 years to get a correct diagnosis here stateside, with me telling them what I thought was the only possibility left for a year and a half. Finding a doctor here that wasn't arrogant and would accept patient input and order the proper tests was tough.

 

4 hospital and a half a dozen doctors later? A truck driver may have been smarter than some of the doctors, since I was right and they applied labels.

[okumasheffield]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canada-ranked-last-among-oecd-countries-in-health-care-wait-times-1.1647061

Your frustration would not be a surprise if you were to read such information beforehand.

After going through the very same issue couple times, I have become so used to coordinate all these appointments with confirmations after confirmation so that it would not happen again.

To me, OHIP is NOT free but is built on tax payers' dollars and it would have been better managed if a certain portion of it is privatized to provide competitiveness.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Okuma-Sheffield

[crappieperchhunter]

Sorry to hear about the run arounds Cliff. I hope things get more organized for the two of you in the future.

 

Like Lew most of my families experiences have all been positive..well except for one. Without going into details I had a testical removed a few years ago. Some concerns yada yada send it out for testing. Wait to hear back from them...nothing. Finally I call to see what the delay is. They had no results. Why not....wait for it...THEY LOST MY TESTICAL. As far as I know it's still hiding in Oshawa General somewhere

[wormdunker]

Sorry to hear of your frustration Cliff. I have been very fortunate with medical appointments in recent years. I phone my docs office at 9:15 am, his receptionist says "can you be here at 3:15"? I said "you mean today". She replies "Yes"

I'm like WOW! So there is feel good stories as well. I hope things move along quickly & smoothly for you Cliff.

[Garnet]

My Union CAW 222 put the seed money up for the cancer wing at Oshawa. Think GM put a car up. It was like $15-20/week for 3 years. I remember being pissed that it was taking so long.

 

Spent most of last year taking my dad to Oshawa Cancer wing. Behind the main lobby kiosk is the plaque thanking CAW members.

 

When you spend your time there talking to people coming from all over the place makes me happy I donated.