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Where are the Solutions?

    My daughter needed to get a prescription filled this month (thank Creator – she is not sick); but she couldn’t get to her doctor (specialist).   She has two months left of the medication but the doctor’s appointment isn’t before 6 months.  So we decided to visit a local clinic and see a GP (general practitioner) in order to get a new prescription.  Would you believe that most clinics were full up by 9:00am which means that they couldn’t take in more patients.  They were FULL for the day. I was told that patients line up outside the clinic between 6:00 and 8:00am, rain or shine.

The clinic only opens at 8:30.

The CLSC will actually refuse you if you are not from the region.  Now let me paint you a picture --- not being from the region implies for these people that you are not from the two towns that they’ve chosen to give services to.  In actuality the region is composed of 5 towns that were recently reunited together by the Government because they thought it would be easier to manage.  If they would have minded their own business we could have kept our city halls and our local clinics and then, it would have made sense to give the CLSC territories to take care of…  At this point though – I’m not getting the logic.

We were told twice to go to our local CLSC but our local CLSC (St-Jean-sur-le-Richelieu) has no doctors.  We actually got up before 6:00am this morning to reach the clinic on time so that we could see a doctor.  We weren’t too happy to be informed that there were no physicians on staff there because the Government doesn’t appoint any. 

Actually, the receptionist said:  “There’s no doctors to appoint…”  

Of course that brings up a whole other topic!

What I don’t understand is how our Government can say “YES” to an increase in population but not think further than the tip of their nose.  An increase in population will also increase demands in medical care.   The CLSC’s are refusing people that aren’t in their territory because they can’t meet the demands of their own region.  Of course that makes sense...but please don’t tell me that I have to go to my own local public clinic if there’s no doctors there.  Don’t turn me away if you can’t provide some kind of solution.

Not only that but the medical professionals all over this province (Qc) have been telling us for years that the CLSC is the answer to our prayers.  We are constantly referred to the CLSC and we are constantly told that “they will provide for us.”  More and more the hospitals are using these public, local clinics to handle cases that aren’t really meant for hospital care.  For example rather than having bandages changed at the hospital or have regular check ups for diabetics and heart patients – they are referred to the CLSC.  Walk-ins at these clinics are slowly becoming a way of the past.

On top of things every clinic will advertize at the entrance that if you are sick with fever and coughing – not to enter the premises.  I understand that we are all afraid of a pandemic infection but are we going a little too far by suggesting that people that are SICK go back home without any kind of resources.  I think that’s what my main complain is today --- if you’re going to refuse to see me and help me because of such and such reason --- at least have a solution to give me in return…  How do I get what I need?

I’m constantly told that there is only 1 doctor per 5 individuals in our Province.  In other words we better work on being a healthier society because soon many of us will die because we can’t have access to medical attention.  On one hand we preach to get regular mammograms, colostomies and regular check ups; but we forget to inform the public that it’s close to impossible to get an appointment to make this happen.  If you haven’t had a crisis involving one of these specific issues – forget attempting to get annual visits with a physician.

I believe in PREVENTION but more and more I see that we are society that is based on fear and shedding responsibilities on others shoulders…  We are overwhelmed by our own human choices and we’re loosing touch with reality. I don’t like to see myself as part of this problem.  For sure this morning my daughter and I did five clinics and two local CLSC – realizing that we are in great danger when it comes to our medical system.  It’s scary and it’s discouraging and we are still wondering how we can find a way to not participate in the issue but be part of the answers! 


            I’ll keep you posted.

Comments

MaryRose said…
Lisa, This has been an issue that I became very aware of when taking care of my parents... how hard it is to get good medical care. It is scary.

I like what you say about us having too many choices and losing touch with reality. It seems that everything is getting so specialized and complicated, that we can't get what we need, and we lose touch with simplicity and basic values. I wonder sometimes, how far can this go?
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
I think it can go so far that SOCIETY needs to crumble for us to get anywhere. Destruction does hold a place in the scheme of Creation.

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