Gall bladder surgery anyone?
I just had my gall bladder removed on Sunday. From waking up at 8am on Friday with 102.7 fever, to seeing my doctor at 4pm on Friday, to going to the ER at 6pm, to being diagnosed at 2am on Saturday morning to having the surgery at 4pm Saturday afternoon to returning home at 5pm on Sunday, it took a total of 57 hours (diagnosis to surgery was only 14 hours). And I complained every step of the way how long everything was taking.
But not so fast. In some parts of Canada where I can find information, the average wait time is a little bit more. For example in Alberta, the "target" wait time after diagnosis is 23 to 62 WEEKS. Yes, weeks. Not hours, not even days. And you can bet the average wait time, if not exceeding the target, is very close to the maximum as it was with most of the other types of surgery on which I could find statistics.
You see the problem with finding the numbers is the government doesn't seem all that keen to publish them. They are very good at publishing when they have lowered wait times to come closes to their targets, but even then they talk in vague statistics and percentages - not in hard numbers.
The best place to find information seems to be on message boards and reading the posts of actual patients. One patient from Ontario complained a few weeks ago about her 10 month wait for her gall bladder surgery. She was looking for advice on how to lessen the pain while she waits. I have one suggestion for her: Head south. They may have a way to ease your pain. It's called surgery.
Sadly, not once did she even question the sense of the Canadian health care system. Pretty sad that she has 9 months of pure pain ahead of her but she is so brainwashed she can't even see the real cause of her discomfort.
Canadian medicine borders on the medieval. Sure, there is 100% percent access to the health care system! Anyone at anytime can go visit the witch doctor and have the leeches suck out the their blood. Good job, Canada.
But not so fast. In some parts of Canada where I can find information, the average wait time is a little bit more. For example in Alberta, the "target" wait time after diagnosis is 23 to 62 WEEKS. Yes, weeks. Not hours, not even days. And you can bet the average wait time, if not exceeding the target, is very close to the maximum as it was with most of the other types of surgery on which I could find statistics.
You see the problem with finding the numbers is the government doesn't seem all that keen to publish them. They are very good at publishing when they have lowered wait times to come closes to their targets, but even then they talk in vague statistics and percentages - not in hard numbers.
The best place to find information seems to be on message boards and reading the posts of actual patients. One patient from Ontario complained a few weeks ago about her 10 month wait for her gall bladder surgery. She was looking for advice on how to lessen the pain while she waits. I have one suggestion for her: Head south. They may have a way to ease your pain. It's called surgery.
Sadly, not once did she even question the sense of the Canadian health care system. Pretty sad that she has 9 months of pure pain ahead of her but she is so brainwashed she can't even see the real cause of her discomfort.
Canadian medicine borders on the medieval. Sure, there is 100% percent access to the health care system! Anyone at anytime can go visit the witch doctor and have the leeches suck out the their blood. Good job, Canada.
posted by Joe Giardiello at 10/20/2008 09:36:00 AM
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home