Changes in Health Care

Health care as an industry is changing in Canada and the US. Budget concerns seem paramount and are apparently the stimulus for these changes. It must be remembered though that fiscal responsibility should not compromise patient care. Already in my nursing practice, I see incidents that lead to unsafe situations for patients and staff. Professional responsibility forms are being filled out at an alarming rate as staff try to stop the tide of unsafe health care sweeping Canada.

This past weekend, the CEO of Alberta Health Services was quoted as saying that just because a unit had a registered nurse running it in the 1990s does not mean it needs to be run by one now. He states that things must change not stay the same. Dr. Duckett could not be more wrong! I shudder to think of the professional liability of health care workers who make mistakes because they are not trained to see the entire medical picture. And let’s not forget the human price of those mistakes—the patient, the family and the staff all pay a high emotional and psychological price for a negative impact on a poorly managed case.

A registered nurse has always been in charge of a hospital unit. Not because of her special status in the hierarchy but because of her experience, skills and education. To have the head of Alberta Health Services not comprehend (or appreciate) the importance of this role is shocking. It also means that negligence and malpractice is about to become a common theme in Alberta trial law.

I wonder if Dr. Duckett has budgeted for increased insurance , settlements and claims?

Canadian Health Care

There is a concerted effort in the US to establish a health care system which combines private health care and publicly funded health care. In some ads, the Canadian public health system is villified with "facts" which are not accurate. I will be the first to admit that our system has its problems but patients in urgent need do get timely care and their families are not financially devastated by that care.

That being said, the real truth about health care in Canada is that a private system has always co-existed with the public one. There has always been an option to pay a fee for access to private clinics, private diagnostic facilities and private surgical services. It is a business which exists within its own world and much of the general public remains completely unaware that a dual system exists.

I have worked within both of these health care options in Canada. Each has its strengths and its weaknesses. The future of health care will be a blend of the two and it remains to be seen if the mix will create a better system or weaken the one that is already in place. Holding health care institutions and providers accountable will ensure that patients will not have to pay a high price along the way.