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Just wait until we get socialized health-care... the wait times are going to be absolutely phenomenal.

by kirse 17y ago

potatolicious 17y ago
I waited about the same in Canada, in the second-worst hospital in the province for ER wait times. So... what was that with the socialized medicine bashing?
abstractbill 17y ago
The only things I really miss from the UK (I moved to California when I was 27) are my family, and the health care.
sanswork 17y ago
I have had socialized health-care in all three of the countries I've lived in and dealt with the american solution a few times while traveling. Honestly wait times were about the same across the board. Socialized or not E.R. rooms are rarely able to cope with busy times. Socialized health care usually only means worse service for the very rich. For everyone else it's a great thing.
ews 17y ago
Never waited more than 10 minutes in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany or UK (and lived on all those countries for a while), had to wait 4.5 hours on San Francisco just few months ago.
- wheels 17y ago
  While I'm a fan of the German healthcare system, under 10 minutes is an overstatement. Honestly, the only time I've gotten treatment that fast was when I was covered in blood. I'd say my usual (non-critical) ER waits are closer to an hour, but still shorter in general than I had when in the US. (I've lived in Germany for 7 years now.)
tjmc 17y ago
Socialized health-care has its own problems but just from reading the comments here it seems like a better system as it routes people to the level of treatment they need. My understanding of the US system (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that those without insurance have no other option than to attend the ER. Here in Australia you'd generally go to a GP, a public health center or have a locum come out to visit you before heading to a hospital. There are certainly still wait times, and a system like this might be able to help, but in general I think there's a much better spread of patients to the right location.
- jibiki 17y ago
  > that those without insurance have no other option than to attend the ER. Not always: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_clinic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_clinic I don't know how widespread those are, though.
danteembermage 17y ago
The ER is the US equivalent of socialized health care.

Just wait until we get socialized health-care... the wait times are going to be absolutely phenomenal.

by kirse 17y ago

Just wait until we get socialized health-care... the wait times are going to be absolutely phenomenal.

I waited about the same in Canada, in the second-worst hospital in the province for ER wait times. So... what was that with the socialized medicine bashing?

abstractbill 17y ago

The only things I really miss from the UK (I moved to California when I was 27) are my family, and the health care.

sanswork 17y ago

I have had socialized health-care in all three of the countries I've lived in and dealt with the american solution a few times while traveling. Honestly wait times were about the same across the board. Socialized or not E.R. rooms are rarely able to cope with busy times. Socialized health care usually only means worse service for the very rich. For everyone else it's a great thing.

ews 17y ago

Never waited more than 10 minutes in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany or UK (and lived on all those countries for a while), had to wait 4.5 hours on San Francisco just few months ago.

wheels 17y ago
While I'm a fan of the German healthcare system, under 10 minutes is an overstatement. Honestly, the only time I've gotten treatment that fast was when I was covered in blood. I'd say my usual (non-critical) ER waits are closer to an hour, but still shorter in general than I had when in the US. (I've lived in Germany for 7 years now.)

tjmc 17y ago

Socialized health-care has its own problems but just from reading the comments here it seems like a better system as it routes people to the level of treatment they need. My understanding of the US system (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that those without insurance have no other option than to attend the ER. Here in Australia you'd generally go to a GP, a public health center or have a locum come out to visit you before heading to a hospital. There are certainly still wait times, and a system like this might be able to help, but in general I think there's a much better spread of patients to the right location.

jibiki 17y ago
> that those without insurance have no other option than to attend the ER. Not always: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_clinic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_clinic I don't know how widespread those are, though.

danteembermage 17y ago

The ER is the US equivalent of socialized health care.