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These situations are rare despite what the occasional outrage-inducing news story would have you believe. Here in Ontario for example, the average wait time for

by zukzuk 7y ago

These situations are rare despite what the occasional outrage-inducing news story would have you believe. Here in Ontario for example, the average wait time for urgent patients is 1 day, for high-priority (target 10 days) it's 15 days, and for low priority (target 28 days) it was 58 days. Detailed, up-to-date stats for this are available at https://www.hqontario.ca/System-Performance/Wait-Times-for-Diagnostic-Imaging?utm_source=Ontario.ca&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=WT%20Referral&utm_content=AnchorLink#trendovertime https://www.hqontario.ca/System-Performance/Wait-Times-for-D...

RandomBacon 7y ago
As bad as it is in the US, I can get seen the same day or next day. I had a thrombosed hemroid, I called and got an apointment the next day with a specialist. He confirmed my diagnosis and I got surgery to drain and remove it the following day. Only cost me less than 200 dollars after insurance. I had a bump on my testicle. I was concerned about cancer, so I see my regular doctor. $20 copay and he said it was just a blood something. I wanted to be sure, so he refered me and I got an ultrasound the same day at another facility. That only cost me a $100-something dollars after insurance. (It wasn't cancer.) Thrombosed hemroid where 95% of people treat it by soaking it in water daily? Probably low-priority, 58 days. Waiting 58 days for an ultrasound to see if you have cancer? Yeah, I'll keep the coverage/insurance that I have. I still understand the vast majority doesn't have it as good as I do and we still need to fix the system. I think we can bring people's standards up to what I experience, not down to what Canada experiences.
- xenadu02 7y ago
  > I can get seen the same day or next day. You must not live in a big city because it is difficult to get appointments in the bay area.
  - RandomBacon 7y ago
    > You must not live in a big city Houston
  - mrguyorama 7y ago
    or in a rural area where the specialist you need only comes twice a year
- lultimouomo 7y ago
  I don't know about Canada but in most countries with socialized health care you can always opt in for private care, on a case by case basis, at very reasonable prices (since private care has to compete with public care).
  - zukzuk 7y ago
    Canada is one of the few (the only?) countries where it is specifically illegal to offer privately a service that is covered by public insurance. For the most part, there is no option to opt in for private care as an alternative.
adolph 7y ago
Are the stats honest? In the US a large government healthcare system, the Veterans Administration, was faking their wait time stats. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/03/veterans-affairs-inspector-general-widespread-inaccuracies-wait-times/98693856/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/03/vete...

by zukzuk 7y ago

RandomBacon 7y ago

As bad as it is in the US, I can get seen the same day or next day. I had a thrombosed hemroid, I called and got an apointment the next day with a specialist. He confirmed my diagnosis and I got surgery to drain and remove it the following day. Only cost me less than 200 dollars after insurance. I had a bump on my testicle. I was concerned about cancer, so I see my regular doctor. $20 copay and he said it was just a blood something. I wanted to be sure, so he refered me and I got an ultrasound the same day at another facility. That only cost me a $100-something dollars after insurance. (It wasn't cancer.) Thrombosed hemroid where 95% of people treat it by soaking it in water daily? Probably low-priority, 58 days. Waiting 58 days for an ultrasound to see if you have cancer? Yeah, I'll keep the coverage/insurance that I have. I still understand the vast majority doesn't have it as good as I do and we still need to fix the system. I think we can bring people's standards up to what I experience, not down to what Canada experiences.

xenadu02 7y ago
> I can get seen the same day or next day. You must not live in a big city because it is difficult to get appointments in the bay area.
- RandomBacon 7y ago
  > You must not live in a big city Houston
- mrguyorama 7y ago
  or in a rural area where the specialist you need only comes twice a year
lultimouomo 7y ago
I don't know about Canada but in most countries with socialized health care you can always opt in for private care, on a case by case basis, at very reasonable prices (since private care has to compete with public care).
- zukzuk 7y ago
  Canada is one of the few (the only?) countries where it is specifically illegal to offer privately a service that is covered by public insurance. For the most part, there is no option to opt in for private care as an alternative.

adolph 7y ago

Are the stats honest? In the US a large government healthcare system, the Veterans Administration, was faking their wait time stats. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/03/veterans-affairs-inspector-general-widespread-inaccuracies-wait-times/98693856/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/03/vete...