When I was in the Army, going to the Medical facility was free and it got me out of a day's work. But somehow the place was never filled up. There was little abuse of the privilege. One of things that we learned was that people who focus on constant health issues generally create ill health for themselves and the problem of depression can give you cancer. So we were and are constitutionally averse to too much use of medical privileges. It was also excellent service since I was able to go to Walter Reade Army Hospital, the same hospital as General Eisenhower. If that was a problem then I could go to any military hospital. Each post had an excellent Infirmary and each service had a major hospital to serve many thousands of military personnel. We also had an excellent Post Exchange and Commissary for food. You had to get in line but it was inexpensive and it made enough money to redistribute the profits amongst the various units for a year end party.
Today I have wonderful Veterans Administration Hospitals that charge based upon how much you make. Anyone can go but if you make more you pay more. I would choose the VA over the HMOs in a minute and wish my wife and daughter could use the same Socialist structure that I have. The Doctors are excellent and it is a teaching hospital. How come there is all of this stuff around the medical culture of the UK and now Canada? Ray Evans Harrell, The Magic Circle Opera Repertory Ensemble, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Gurstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Keith Hudson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Futurework@Scribe. Uwaterloo. Ca <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 3:51 PM Subject: RE: Basket case > > I don't think I've ever said that I was particularly proud of the Canadian > Health system, I personally have no responsibility for it except for having > paid my taxes over the years, rather what I did say was that its relative > success, efficiency and universal accessibility is generally a source of > considerable pride to Canadians and a major perceived differentiator of > Canada from the US. I should also say that as a relatively healthy consumer > I find it infinitely more accessible (and "user friendly") than the > comparable US system. > > The issues of staffing shortfalls, lengthening queues for service and so on > etc., are a direct effect of the close proximity and more or less seamless > transfer of certification for Canadian health professionals into the US > where salary levels are anywhere from 70 - 200% higher. > > My larger point was that you were using the UK NHS as a dire example of the > failure of government to provide effective services, and my larger point was > that while this may a useful example for the UK, it is by no means > generalizable either for health services of for Government's role in service > delivery in general, outside of the UK. > > Mike Gurstein > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Keith Hudson > Sent: January 30, 2002 3:20 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Basket case > > .... > > I know that some of you (at least Mike Gurstein), are proud of your health > service in Canada. And, because I know nothing about it, I've never made a > single comment about your health service in the several years I've been > writing on FW. All I've done is to agree with Harry's recent comment that, > because of the dire shortage of nurses, doctors and other health > professionals in Canada that Sally drew our attention to, it seems to have > some similarities with the National Helath Service in England. > > I only write about the NHS over here because it's an excellent, though sad, > example, of what happens when a public service is led from the top by > non-medical government officials and politicians who've appropriated the > power and responsibility all the way down the line. > > The NHS is such a basket case that Tony Blair has given a hostage to > fortune by saying that he wants to be judged at the next General Election > by his success at reforming the hospitals. The rumours that are emanating > from the press about the reforms that are coming do indeed suggest > revolutionary changes. Even allowing hospitals to manage themselves! But it > is doubtful that almost 50 years of arrogant and detailed control from > London can be repaired all that quickly. > > (In the meantime, 25,000 patients needing operations are going to be sent > to Greece [that is, besides France, Germany, etc] -- according to some > press reports. If this is being seriously negotiated, this shows just how > disastrous the NHS has been in this country and how desperate Blair is to > reduce the waiting lists before the next Election.) > > Keith Hudson > __________________________________________________________ > Writers used to write because they had something to say; now they write in > order to discover if they have something to say. John D. Barrow > _________________________________________________ > Keith Hudson, Bath, England; e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _________________________________________________ >
