Thursday, September 3, 2009

Canadian health care system poster boy

This man is an actual client of Canadian health care. Or whatever they call it. So far he has had to wait 9 weeks for treatment for his chronic constipation. Nothing is slipping through the crack here.

16 comments:

Stephanie Barr said...

I waited eight weeks for an ortho consult after my knee swelled up to massive size from an injury while walking.

When I was having unexplained heart rate increases (past 170 beats a minute) and pressure drops while I was six months pregnant, they could get me into a heart specialist in ten weeks (though, in all fairness, they squeezed me in earlier, but then he tried to prescribe me something because he didn't listen when I said I was pregnant or, apparently, read the charts).

The problem with anecdotal evidence is that there are horror stories with EVERY health care system, even the best of 'em (like France). It's awfully tempting to think an anecdote represents the whole. The problem is, without a frame of reference or scientific statistical data, you don't know if a story like this is 1 bad story vs. 900 happy stories or if it's 1 bad stories vs. 5 good stories or 1 bad story vs. no good stories. Not that, in any of the cases, it's less unpleasant for the one involved.

Nor, do you know if the problem is in implementation of a good idea vs. a bad idea.

However, one thing horror stories and anecdotal evidence can do is highlight issues in needing of improvement. I think it is important to talk about failures especially after changes are made. Why? So you don't stop until you have something that works.

A. said...

The French health care system isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Stephanie Barr said...

Ah, A, that's my point. It's all relative.

Medicine isn't an exact science, much as we'd like it to be.

Relax Max said...

I must step in before this goes too far. This post was just meant to be joke to lighten us up after so much serious conversation. I forgot that Stephanie B. might not recognize my scuzzy Canadian friend Linc (Canucklehead.) Please accept my apologies for the sick attempt at humor. He was recently on vacation and I think the sun was in his eyes. Not that he is exceptionally gorgeous at any other time either. But not quite this scuzzy. :)

But, on the other hand, your comments are very well taken. I hope whatever new system we come up with will solve most of our waiting problems for treatment.

Don't know about France, though.

Sheila said...

The UK system often feels the strain from blockages caused by the elderly having nowhere to go.

Relax Max said...

@Sheila - Would you just STOP?

:)

Kelly Ann said...

A jar of jalapenos would fix him right up.

Thomas P. Crapper III said...

Please believe me when I tell you that if you are installing a completely new system, it will take a considerable push to get it moving properly, but it will be a very great triumph when it does. And I know you, like Canucklehead, will be very relieved when everything is functioning correctly.

Stephanie Barr said...

Perhaps he could try a handstand under a waterfall. On the other hand, that sounds like a recipe for a concussion.

Debbie said...

Are you trying to start something again? You know I love the pup called max, but never, and I do mean never pick on my adorable bloggerson Canucklehead!

Relax Max said...

@Chica - Don't laugh. Jalapenos work!

@Thomas - Please. Don't give me any of that crap.

@Stephanie B - Not possible for this guy to get a concussion. Trust me. Or do a handstand, for that matter. :)

@Debbie - Oh yeah? Yeah? What are you going to do about it, huh? Huh? Release the killer chicken? Yes, I think it's about time for round two. :)

Debbie said...

Petal, my pet skunk is stomping her feet at you right now. You are aware what follows, right?

BTW, I stomp my feet too,just not as effectively....

Relax Max said...

Oh, Debita. A skunk. Wasn't that the name of the skunk in Bambi? All I remember is thumper. Heh. Brings back memories. There was this guy in high school we called thumper because we caught him masturbating in the backseat of this car in the school parking lot. But that was the rabbit, wasn't it. Flower - that was the skunk. And the birds were twitterpated. Which reminds me, I'm off to Twitter. Back to you later. Stay put. Petal. My god.

Relax Max said...

Is thumper supposed to have a capital T? Not this guy...

Stephanie Barr said...

The skunk (who was male) was called Flower all through the movie.

Unknown said...

I do not think he is chronically constipated, the poor thing looks like he may have a sexually transmitted disease from a Llama or something. He does make cute babies though.

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