Health Care Musings

I have worked in the Canadian health care system since 1975 and even longer if you count my unpaid hours while training to be a physiotherapist. I presently work in chronic continuing care with patients who are generally the elderly with multiple chronic medical conditions. Most of them have worked, raised families and lived productive and independent lives. I try to remember this when they are confused or unable to help themselves perform the most basic human functions. I like to listen to their stories and laugh at their jokes. I once walked into the room of a lady in her mid-nineties who was struggling to roll over in bed. Her bare legs were waving in the air above her diapered bottom. She told me,

"I feel like a hooker who is not getting paid."

I laughed and she laughed as I helped her get up. I asked her if she wanted to get into her chair and she responded,

"As long as it is not electric!"

The queen of one liners even when confused, she was likely the life of the party in her younger years.

A wheelchair covered with a sheet is stored in an alcove by the stairs. Some creative person with a sense of humour added the facial features seen in the picture above. Perhaps they were trying to intimidate Francine, our favourite in-house ghost.

Very few people leave this unit to go home. Some are too ill to move to a nursing home and will die here. But they receive compassionate and ethical medical care at the end of their lives. Which brings me to my point...

The Canadian health care system is not perfect, nor does it cover everything. Primary health care (family doctors) and hospitalization costs are covered but we pay for dental care, optometry, prescriptions (except for people over 65 years old), medical equipment and other extended health benefits. We have wait lists for non-urgent procedures such as joint replacements and other elective surgery. We do not euthanize the sick and elderly. Some areas of the country are under-serviced, especially more remote and sparsely populated communities. But we do not have to worry about receiving hospital bills which would bankrupt a family. And people can opt out of the system as it is not compulsory to have a health card.

I do not understand the strong resistance to universal health care in America. I have read outrageous claims on forwarded emails and some blogs which have made me angry, particularly those which spread exaggerations and lies about Canada's health care system. Many evangelical religious organizations in particular are zealous in resisting both Obama and his reforms. I wonder how many churches pay insurance and hospital bills for members (or non-members) who are in need? The Old Order Mennonites in Canada opt out of our health care system but their community covers costs when they are hospitalized.

Change is not easy and paradigm shifts can be very stressful. Health care reform is a big undertaking for any government. It will take a creative and unified effort to make a new system work well. And I don't want to receive hate-filled email forwards or see caricatures of Obama looking like Hitler or a monkey, especially from people who call themselves christians.

First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all,
and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so that we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God.
This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior.
1 Timothy 2:1-3