Canadian Health Care: Another Story

Dr Dawg writes about his recent experience of the Canadian healthcare system. He says we should add our stories of the really not-bad system we've built.

Here's one. A couple of days ago, my sweetie had a very nasty head cold. And a giant stoopid gig requiring many hands and not many dollars (for him). Cold got worse (so did gig). After a terrible sleepless gasping night, he figured he had pneumonia -- he's had it within the last few years -- and took himself to the emergency department of his fave hospital.

The crew (I was part of it) kept beavering along. With travel time, he was gone a total of five hours. During which he was assessed, tested, diagnosed (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), given a bunch of inhalers, scripts for more drugs, and let loose.

Dr Dawg's experience, while longer, was similarly pretty damn good. Complicated, serious illnesses identified and treated. Snappily. And at no direct cost to the patient. (I picked up sweetie's scripts -- just under $200.)

Yes, there are lots of horror stories.

But, I'd wager, there are many, many more like Dr Dawg's and sweetie's. Effective, humane, universally available.

Just as we envisioned, built, and now need to protect and sustain.