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Canadians Create Intelligent Medicine
RunAmuk writes "Engineers at the University of Calgary have developed a pill that, once swallowed, will determine how healthy or ill the patient is, and will release just the right amount of medicine accordingly, according to an article on Wired. As the sensors used in these pills grow more advanced are doctors going to be come obsolete except for real physical injuries? Of course, anyone who has been to a doctor in Canada understands that we need medicine that can do the diagnosis for them."
Socialized medicine in Canada works like this:
1. You pay (via your taxes).
2. You are promised health care.
3. You get sick.
4. You wait (25% of all cardiac patients referred to a specialist by their general practitioner die before being seen). 5. You get care on a par with U.S.-style Medicaid.
Furthermore, if you move between provinces or are a returning expatriate (like me) (at least in the case of moving to Ontario), you have to sign a form that you intend to reside there permanently before being eligible for health care. As I hate it here and intend to try again for eventual U.S. citizenship via the H1B/Green Card route (heck, my three year old son is an American), I can not, in all honesty sign that form, and so, do not have health insurance. Nor can I buy it instead of the state insurance, legally. I pay to see a doctor.
Purchasing health insurance outside the system is illegal.
In Canada, you can have a sick patient able to pay top dollar for needed surgery, doctors who have reached the government quota on how many such surgeries thay can perform (to cap thier salaries, paid out of tax dollars) and thus can't perform it. Doctors are paid the same rate (well, indexed for geographic region), and can't differentiate on the basis of skill -- the best leave for the U.S.
Often it is noted that the cost of providing health care is less in Canada than the U.S. This may be true, but the quality of care available is far, far, inferior.
You could've hired me.
Here's something I've always wondered about: "up here" (heh) we call it public healthcare, I think I've only ever heard it called "socialized medicine" in the States. It's like the easiest way for the companies in the States to keep their massize industry is to slap a communist implication on it and let the public beat up anyone who voices their opinion for it.
BTW, this is more of a general observation on US politics than a specific comment on healthcare.... it seems to happen in everything. Oh well, some misconceptions die hard.
Canada does have a very good health care system. Basically, Canadians have longer lifespans and lower infant mortality than Americans, while Canada spends far less per capita on health care.
Lots of people will give you anecdotal stories about Canadians being denied health care and long waiting lists and incompetent doctors, but stuff like that happens under HMOs too. Some people call it socialized medicine, though I think it's also called a 'single payer' system, where the government is acting as your insurer.
I agree. HMOs suck and it's so very complicated. You have to make sure the doctor is in your network, and in your area, etc. I had to be referred twice and see 3 doctors before i could get minor surgery on my toe. Oh yea, as i was writhing in pain, it took a month to get looked at. Mind you i am paying 400$ a month for this "Service". Medications are covered at a percentage if it's generic, otherwise you pay. Most things get denied by HMOs as they have full say as to what they cover, etc... I'm sorry, but the US is not that grand. Canada was easier to be honest, and cheaper even if you "Have no choice".
Der Tod ist der einzige Weg hier raus!
As a dual American / Canadian citizen, no, I'm afraid I can't. I've noticed little or no difference between any individual doctors whether they be north or south of some largely irrelevant political boundary. As to your preference for the current system, well, I can only suppose you spoke out of affluence or ignorance. The overly affluent medical industry clearly and unethically exploits the disadvantaged, elderly and impoverished. Imho, doctors should care about patients, not profits. If they want to get rich, they should have gotten an MBA.
As for socialized medicine, there's nothing left-wing or communistic or socialistic about a cost-shared, equal access, publicly accountable, non profit, basic and open health care system. It would simply be cost effective and humane, nothing more, nothing less.
Beside, north or south of the border, it really doesn't matter, as it's actually a very similar situation. Canadians have issues with heathcare access as well. In fact, they largely stem from the same root cause, greed. Whatever good the medical industry does, is offset by the harm it currently causes. Doctors have so eroded the trust we placed in them that they've created a largely unregulated alternate health mass movement based on pseudoscience, rumor and supposition. Furthermore, natural and useful substances are dismissed simply because they aren't profitable enough. In these ways, millions of Americans and Canadians are denied effective treatment or even factual information. Drug companies routinely influence drug studies, prescription decisions and the market and certainly not for the betterment of all. This is a good thing?
If anyone thinks that every social system should be governed by those who profit from it, then accept that people will always be exploited. Those who would manage with only short term profits in mind are simply ignoring long term cost in order to try to justify an excessive lifestyle they haven't earned. That's hardly an ideal I'd promote. Really, from my perspective, the successful thieves are the ones holding the bags of money. By the way, have you seen the movie, Patch Adams? Tell me, in all honesty, isn't he a the kind of doctor we really should be seeking? Personally, imho, he should be running the whole health show. Not like we'd ever have the courage and conviction to see that through. Am I the only one who sees the imminent decline and fall of the American empire? To me it seems we allowed the wealthy to totally corrupt the system to the point of no return, and, as to personal sacrifice, no, I won't post this anonymously.
Words to men, as air to birds.