JamaicaBoundNL's Journal, 16 Aug 23

Not sure what country your in, But United States is a mess as well. My doctors are all in private practice and I have good insurance.. However if you don't, it's a mess 

Yup, it’s broken. Just to get simple requisitions for simple bloodwork I have to jump through various hoops. I’ve even had to invent symptoms just to get the doctors to agree to fill out the requisitions… Yesterday, I had to have a telephone appointment with my GP just to get another requisition to my urologist because of a paperwork error… 🤪 

I can call the clinic for a same day appointment, get my bloodwork done that day if it isn't a fasting blood test... and the results will be online the very next day... the Clinic Physician prefers I get my Xrays done at the local Hospital, so I go there and rarely have to wait more than a 1/2 hour. Had to have an MRI on my neck... I think it took a whole week for that. I really have not had any problems with the Medical care here.  

I’m in NL Canada. Our Premier likes to be seen doing good so he has thrown about $22M at tourism and arts over the past two or three years, give or take a bit. Our medical system in shambles, all the way around. People cannot get a family doctor. Emergency rooms are packed because of that and unless you are bleeding profusely or having chest pains, you’re going to wait. There is currently 8500 people on the wait list to see a neurologist. There is something really wrong with this. And government is complicit. And to top it off, our Premier is a doctor. A surgeon. I have not been keeping up with my entries as I am just too mentally tired. I’ve been fighting the medical system on so many fronts. The lab lost my bloodwork. The referral to see a ENT specialist wasn’t made. An appeal for a government denial of drug approval was delayed three months as was the referral to actually be approved to take said drug. I feel like crawling into the corner and sucking my thumb. But what good would that do? I’ve had a couple times where I’ve been sleep deprived and have shed a few tears. But I cannot let that become a regular occurrence because if I do, I might not be able to stop. And here I am at 6:20 am. Up for close to an hour because my sinuses were so swollen I couldn’t breathe through my nose. Fun times. At least the coffee is good. Take care my friends and thank you for listening. 

@JamaicaBoundNL... my Family Physician couldn't find anyone to buy his practice, so he retired and left us all hanging. Best thing that ever happened, I had to use a clinic, and found a really good, young Doctor that actually listens. So she has been on my case for several months, and has helped me with many things, including getting a Dietician and Bariatric surgeon. I don't what what the statistics show here for wait times, but seems folks aren't screaming like they were just after the covid situation was lifted. Where I am in BC, things seem to be calming down some, I am sure there are still surgery wait times, but there always have been... I should know, I have had over a dozen. There was a Nurse shortage in the 80's that really set the system back... I had some xrays lost in a developing machine and Emergency sent me home with an untreated, nearly compound fracture of the clavicle... then 2 days later got a call that they found the xrays and it was broken, could I come in for a review... well they couldn't fix it, and sent me on my way with a sling. remember this was in the 80's... as a result, in the 90's I tore the clavicle out of the a/c joint, and had to have it surgically removed at the a/c joint. The medical system has never been perfect, and people (professionals) have made mistakes that have cost me dearly... I have other horror stories... but I still wouldn't trade our system, for any other system in North America.