The Weekly Times Comment Column by Jeremy Thread

[Mineworksfine]

This week, gardening.....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle6718927.ece

[shellygrrl]

The conquerors are coming, Pierre - we Brits need more land, wherein Jezza tackles his land dispute.

[Labcoatguy]

Clarkson wants leibensraum? He's turning German!

[der_jackal]

Viva La Clarksonista!

Land for the masses!

[shellygrrl]

Soaking up the raw emotion of the best in beetroot contest, wherein Jezza talks of the thrills that can be found at your local village show.

[iam-nobody]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/dri...cle6734257.ece Jeremy been doing a spot of drinking sailing and off road driving.

[shellygrrl]

^ That was the car review, for which there's a separate thread.

Anyway!

This week: Nurse! The OAP mods are bashing the wrinkly rockers, wherein Jezza talks about Britain's ageing population.

[flydiscovery]

This was pretty inevitable, a rant on healthcare.

[iam-nobody]

Any Canadians here?
Is it really that bad
And why did he try to pay the USA hospital in cash surely he smart enough to have travel insurance.

[Squidge]

Any Canadians here?
Is it really that bad

Can't say as it is. My experience up here has been mostly positive. Oh sure you might hear the occasional story or complaint about wait times, but I've never encountered a health care professional who was rude, dismissive or outright unprofessional.

It saddens me to think Jeremy's first impression (of Canadian health care) had to come about at the hands such people. Let alone one's who displayed such obvious bigotry and anti-english sentiment.

I can assure you that's not the norm up here.

[shellygrrl]

Somehow, I didn't think it was the norm. Methinks Jeremy ended up in hospital on a day where the workers were having a severe case of the Mondays.

[skylock]

Originally Posted by iam-nobody

Any Canadians here?
Is it really that bad
And why did he try to pay the USA hospital in cash surely he smart enough to have travel insurance.

With travel insurance, you have to pay upfront, then get reinbursed by your travel insurance.

As someone that works emergency, let me say that anyone that comes in with a life threatening injury is tended to first. A cut leg simply doesn't qualify as you have many hours before the leg needs to be stitched.

For the attitudes, sorry, but we probably do develope what seems like a don't care attitude to some extent. People that do not work in that enviroment would never understand. For one thing, you have no idea the abuse we take on a daily basis. Where I work, I am called white bitch at least 10 times a day, among other things. It starts to piss you off after a while. Yes, you are waiting, but lots of times we are waiting too. For lab, xray, calls to other hospitals, pharmacy.

We had a computer person in trying to teach us the new system. She got so mad at me because she thought I was just sitting there ignoring her. I finally explained very slowly that while it seemed I was just sitting there doing nothing, I was in fact waiting for the helicopter people to get back to me so we could evac out the person in ER1 that we were currently bagging as I spoke (ie, breathing for them) and that was more important than her computer tutoring.

Just because we don't seem to be doing anything, you can almost bet, we are, even if we are laughing and joking around. It is called coping. If we did not have an outlet, we would not be able to do our jobs.

[warren]

Skylock, maybe people wouldn't call you a bitch ten times a day if you adopted some proper communication techniques. It will do you precisely no harm to open your mouth and say something before the other person gets mad at you. Absolutely none at all -- in fact, people will think you're on the ball, and you'll get a lot less grief. Nobody is a mind-reader... if you're distracted, pre-empt their annoyance and say, "I'm distracted by x, please be patient, the most life-threatening problems always have to come first." That's the professional thing to do.

If you consider yourself a professional who does their job right, you'll do this.

[skylock]

Originally Posted by warren

Skylock, maybe people wouldn't call you a bitch ten times a day if you adopted some proper communication techniques. It will do you precisely no harm to open your mouth and say something before the other person gets mad at you. Absolutely none at all -- in fact, people will think you're on the ball, and you'll get a lot less grief. Nobody is a mind-reader... if you're distracted, pre-empt their annoyance and say, "I'm distracted by x, please be patient, the most life-threatening problems always have to come first." That's the professional thing to do.

If you consider yourself a professional who does their job right, you'll do this.

It is clear you have no concept of what my job involves or probably anyone else's in healthcare. There is no way I could ever explain it to you. It is just like my bf can never explain to me what he went thru in the war. It is what it is and until you have done it for a while, there is no way to explain everything. You can tell someone we do this this and this, but there is no way to explain how to prioritize, keep up with the current needs which change every 2 min AND deal with all the crap coming at you besides. That is why we have a very high turn over. But I will tell you this, whoever is the most critical will have most of my resources focused on them, and if you have to wait there is nothing I can do for that. Our record is pretty good. If you come to us alive, there is a very good change you will leave that way too.

And for the white bitch comment, I get it for everything. Doesn't matter what they are told. You can say step this way, and you hear behind your back, white bitch. (98% black 1% white 1% mexican pt population)

And just for the record, my job is to try to make sure you live to see another day. I can be proud of my record.

[NAIDANAC A]

Originally Posted by iam-nobody

Any Canadians here?
Is it really that bad
And why did he try to pay the USA hospital in cash surely he smart enough to have travel insurance.

I have been in waiting rooms for HOURS, and so have friends of mine. Usually the people in the waiting room have no real hurry, so they take bloody forever. ER is supposively really good and fast (my mom works in Hospitals) and also since where my mom works she would basically show her card and we would see someone she knew pretty fast, alas I was never severly injured and would be in and out in about 10 minutes with the doctor.

[Mineworksfine]

Given the multi-cultural(-ish) nature of this forum can I wade in quickly with the suggestion that, regardless of what you might think about the man or his political agenda, you consider watching Michael Moore's "Sicko"? It gives a real insight into how healthcare differs between the USA, Canada, the UK and France. Mrs Hersworksfinetoo and I were fascinated, as well as glad we don't have to worry about denials from our health insurance and being left with a bill for thousands.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by Mineworksfine

Given the multi-cultural(-ish) nature of this forum can I wade in quickly with the suggestion that, regardless of what you might think about the man or his political agenda, you consider watching Michael Moore's "Sicko"? It gives a real insight into how healthcare differs between the USA, Canada, the UK and France. Mrs Hersworksfinetoo and I were fascinated, as well as glad we don't have to worry about denials from our health insurance and being left with a bill for thousands.

Trusting Michael Moore as a factual source on anything is a grave mistake.

[Mineworksfine]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Trusting Michael Moore as a factual source on anything is a grave mistake.

I quite agree. Like anyone with an agenda I am certain he manipulates facts and figures to suit. What one cannot escape, however, is that in the UK we have a healthcare system that is free at the point of delivery with no exclusions regardless of income or employment status. It isn't perfect but our personal experiences have never been anything other than positive. We have the option to purchase private health insurance but it is just that, an option, and the advantages are pretty small.

[iam-nobody]

Originally Posted by Mineworksfine

Given the multi-cultural(-ish) nature of this forum can I wade in quickly with the suggestion that, regardless of what you might think about the man or his political agenda, you consider watching Michael Moore's "Sicko"? It gives a real insight into how healthcare differs between the USA, Canada, the UK and France. Mrs Hersworksfinetoo and I were fascinated, as well as glad we don't have to worry about denials from our health insurance and being left with a bill for thousands.

I have seen part of his film he made the NHS out to be perfect while i think its better than the USA way i know it needs a bit of TLC at the moment.
And i understand the staff are very busy that does not give them the right to make out they can't speak English or to be rude to someone who's just lost a child.

[be-ach]

I know this article isn't intended to be either factual or truly political/influential, and I know I'm probably blowing this out of proportion. I don't want to hear about it, and if you don't want to hear a bit of a rant, don't read this post.

Jeremy clearly neglected to either a) Get travel insurance or B) mention that he was reimbursed by his travel insurance after returning home. Of course they had to pay the same as they would at home, think of it with an ounce of logic. If international citizens could come to Canada an immediately get free health care, Canada would be full of sick tourists. People who couldn't afford medical care would come to Canada. Its for Canadian citizens, which is the only way it makes sense. (I think landed immigrants apply too)

And as far as his hospital experience, that can easily be explained by the fact that they are ENGLISH in QUEBEC. They are the evil tête carrée. (Apparently square head is a synonym for english speaking bastard in Quebec) Aside from Montreal, english speaking people in general, never mind people actually from England, are looked upon with at least a degree of contempt. His General Wolfe reference, as if the english/french issue in Quebec is one that has long since past, paints a completely inaccurate picture in the article. I mean, come on (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Quebec_referendum)

I usually agree with Jeremys articles, but this one I can't say I do.