Hi Elayne, In Australia the rural urban divide is quite marked depending on the particular area. Most of the population live around the coast with only a few large towns inland...as our land mass is similar in area to the continental US this leaves large areas with low population density.
Hospitals and related health services generally require a critical mass of people to attract doctors, specialists, and allied health and to make the service "pay" ie be justified from a tax payer value perspective. A recent interesting development , partly as a consequence of this and r/t other factors, there are now quite a few nurse practitioners in these areas with a fair amount of autonomy eg the ability to prescribe some meds and perform less complex procedures. I would love to see OTs operating in this way, as I feel our profession is uniquely placed as the supposed experts in how people organize and meta-organize their lives! Rural Health is a recognized practice area as people in rural areas have many health problems that arise. These include occupational injuries (farmers have among the highest incidence of traumatic injuries due to a lot of factors including time pressures, outdated unsafe equipment, and poor work practices - there are also some very smart and safe farmers too!), and psych problems as a result of the unremitting drought/flood cycle and also the economic decline of many areas due to climate change/climatic conditions/economic factors like globalisation. Also, as stated in my earlier email we also have the ongoing national disgrace of unfinished business with respect to the original owners and custodians of this land , it's First Peoples. Our new government is about to issue a national apology about 30 years too late but at least the gesture may spark some positive change; but it will take a lot of work to address some of the terrible health problems many aboriginal people here face as a result of years of poor and injust policy. sorry for the rant, I just wish I could do more than I do sometimes ; - ) David Elayne Haley-Ververis wrote: > RE: universal healthcare > What is the difference in care between urban and rural? The assumption I'm > making is less wait time, poorer quality. > For those of you that have worked in different countries, what are the > differences between private pay and universal from the viewpoint of an > employee/OT? Specifically, finding employment, management, the working > atmosphere, etc? > Thanks! > Elayne > > > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "Michael W. K. Chan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> On 2/3/08, Elayne Haley-Ververis wrote: >> >> >> >>> thank you Aine, Peter, Michael and David! >>> >> *[Michael]* >> *You are very welcome. I am so glad that there were so many other responses >> from others. This is indeed a complex issue and you will get many different >> perspectives. Also, the experience will differ in different part of the >> country and from urban to rural areas.* >> ** >> *As Aine Suttle's experience high-lighted, in Canada you are indeed well >> cared for when you really need it - regardless of your ability to pay. >> Also, you are not likely to be bankrupt from a catastrophic injury or >> illness. But you may need to wait for other non-emergency or elective >> procedures. No pot is ever bottomless and we have to accept limitations for >> the common good. The Canadian system has been more astutely described as a >> health care safety net as opposed to a health care hammock.* >> ** >> *My personal experience has been similar to Aine's. Please feel free to >> pose specific questions.* >> >> >> >> >> <><><><><><><><> >> Michael W. K. Chan >> Global Village. >> Somewhere out there. >> Third rock from the sun. >> <><><><><><><><><> >> -- >> Options? >> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com >> >> Archive? >> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
