BC Mixed System
So upon picking up my copy of the National Post this morning, a headline on the front page of the paper caught my immediate attention: BC EYES MIXED HEALTH CARE. Apparently major health reforms are coming soon in the province, including an examination of the European mixed system.
Those that know me will know that I have advocated for the French System for some time. It is basically a two-tier system. The World Health Organization has given it top marks, referrals are not necessary to see a specialist and wait times are virtually nil. The sad part is, as soon as people in Canada hear two-tier, they start running scared rather than waiting to see what the benefits of such a system might bring over our current mess (thanks Tommy :)).
The throne speech from BC stated as much: "why are we so afraid to look at mixed health care delivery models, when other states in Europe and around the world have used them to produce better results for patients at a lower cost to taxpayers? Why are we so quick to condemn any consideration of other systems as a slippery slope to an American-style system that none of us want?"
Good on you Gordon Campbell. I couldn't have said it better myself. However, to answer your question, it's because we have been cultured to believe that our health care system is a sacred element of our being as Canadians, that Tommy Douglas was some sort of saint, and that our system is the best in the world. If our system is so perfect, why is fixing it such a huge priority of any government, federal or provincial??? Hopefully BC can be a national leader on this issue and show the rest of the country that a better system does indeed exist and that it can exist in Canada as well.
Those that know me will know that I have advocated for the French System for some time. It is basically a two-tier system. The World Health Organization has given it top marks, referrals are not necessary to see a specialist and wait times are virtually nil. The sad part is, as soon as people in Canada hear two-tier, they start running scared rather than waiting to see what the benefits of such a system might bring over our current mess (thanks Tommy :)).
The throne speech from BC stated as much: "why are we so afraid to look at mixed health care delivery models, when other states in Europe and around the world have used them to produce better results for patients at a lower cost to taxpayers? Why are we so quick to condemn any consideration of other systems as a slippery slope to an American-style system that none of us want?"
Good on you Gordon Campbell. I couldn't have said it better myself. However, to answer your question, it's because we have been cultured to believe that our health care system is a sacred element of our being as Canadians, that Tommy Douglas was some sort of saint, and that our system is the best in the world. If our system is so perfect, why is fixing it such a huge priority of any government, federal or provincial??? Hopefully BC can be a national leader on this issue and show the rest of the country that a better system does indeed exist and that it can exist in Canada as well.
posted by Saskatory at
1:01 PM
