The Council replies: Letters to the editor
Canadians need leadership on improving wait times
By Guy Caron
The Ottawa Citizen
November 7, 2007
Re: Canadians face longest health queues, Nov. 1.
It should be clarified that the international health survey recently released by the Commonwealth Fund, a U.S.-based private foundation that promotes access to public health care, was based on phone interviews of 3,003 Canadians by a U.S.-based market research firm. The results of the survey reflect the impressions of participants, and not hard or corroborated data.
About 15 per cent of the 3,003 Canadians surveyed reported waits of six months or more for elective or non-emergency surgery, but the report says nothing about the 72 per cent of people -- the highest number by far of all countries -- who said they waited less than one month. The survey did not ask about waiting times for critical or emergency health care services.
The article does not mention the survey's findings that universal coverage matters, that having an integrated system where doctors and other health professionals co-ordinate care is essential, and that national leadership is crucial for health policy.
While wait times are sometimes a problem in Canada, the Queensway-Carleton Hospital provides a clear example of public solutions to wait-time problems with the new "total joint replacement clinic" ("Hospital aims to fast-track hip, knee work," Nov. 2). The clinic streamlines the process for patients who are identified for joint replacement. These patients would see a surgeon within six weeks of their first referral.
Health Minister Tony Clement would do a great service to Canadians if the federal government would take leadership on public health care issues and promote and support public programs like the Queensway-Carleton joint replacement clinic.
Our public medicare system deserves strong leadership.
Guy Caron, Health Care Campaigner, Council of Canadians
Visit the Profit is not the Cure website for more information about public health care.
