http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jbjzPEY0Y3bvRD335rGu_Z3KXoQw


Overhauling health-care system tops agenda at annual meeting of Canada's doctors

By Jennifer Graham (CP) – 2 days ago

SASKATOON — The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country's health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it.

Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care and she adds that physicians from across the country - who will gather in Saskatoon on Sunday for their annual meeting - recognize that changes must be made.

"We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize," Doing said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"We know that there must be change," she said. "We're all running flat out, we're all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands."

The pitch for change at the conference is to start with a presentation from Dr. Robert Ouellet, the current president of the CMA, who has said there's a critical need to make Canada's health-care system patient-centred. He will present details from his fact-finding trip to Europe in January, where he met with health groups in England, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and France.

His thoughts on the issue are already clear. Ouellet has been saying since his return that "a health-care revolution has passed us by," that it's possible to make wait lists disappear while maintaining universal coverage and "that competition should be welcomed, not feared."

In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system.



Who bought into the propaganda? This couldn't come out at a better time.

What a joke..

HEY WHAT ABOUT NAFTA.???????????

You have an idea.. We could change NAFTA to include people wanting to freely travel to Canada and stand in line for days to get their great healthcare.. I am hoping Fat Mike has his video camera at this doctors meeting so he can relay all the information back to his followers.

We could just let them come here and spend canadian coin into our system...

Oh...

Thats what they do now when the want REAL medical care.

WHAT GETTING HEALTH CARE FROM CHINA???????

It is funny how an American comments on Canadian health care, and then calls it a joke. Myself being a Canadian could not agree more that changes to our health care system needs to be done. Heck there is not even enough doctors to go around to everybody.

Try living in pain like I have for the past 5 years just because the doctor you do have will not do testing to see what is wrong. Or even waiting like 5 hours in the emergency room at the hospital because there is not enough doctors on to see the people.

Here is Canada we have a right to a second opinion, but try walking into an urgent care office and wanting to get that second opinion but you are denied because you family physician is one of the two doctors on call.

We may have the free health care, but it does not come with out a price. People suffer everyday because there are not enough doctors to provide the proper care needed.

I live in Canada and should not have to go to another country just to get proper health care. I should be able to get it right close to home.

Call it a joke all you want. But unless you are living here and experiencing the service, really what do you have to comment on? Changes DO need to happen and that is NO joke.

I feel for you and your fellow Canadians.
Hopefully, people here will wake up to the nightmare of Nationalized Medical and demand it be abandoned.
There are easier, less destructive and less costly ways to include folks who are uninsured.

I believe the public option is off the table its been talked about for days. The American people were heard!!! We should be talking about REAL REFORM or healthcare is the next bubble to burst and its not going to be pretty!!!!!!

Perhaps, next, they can talk about leaving Medicare alone?

I AGREE 120%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1