in article , BCITORGB at
wrote on 3/1/05 5:31 PM:

Tink, I'm fairly sure you didn't read this one:
http://www.utoronto.ca/hpme/dhr/pdf/Barer-Lewis.pdf

I quote: "In short, patients get on wait lists in Canada through a
poorly understood, haphazard, unaudited, entirely private process
largely controlled by individual physicians."

The authors tell us that the notion of a waiting list and the notions
of waiting and waiting times are hard to define. For example, when
"exactly" does a patient (and, in this case, I don't care if it's in
Canada, the USA, the UK, or whereever) get "on" a waiting list? Tink,
when you call your family doctor, and the receptionist informs you that
you can come in on Thursday, you're on a waiting list (if this is a day
other than Thursday).

But what is particularly interesting in the statement in question is
the part about it being an "entirely private process largely
controlled by individual physicians." So, no big bad government
determining who gets to wait. It is the physician, using his/her best
knowledge, who determines the nature of our wait. I think this is
exactly what KMAN, Michael, and I have been trying to say. Doctors in
Canada operate privately.

Tink, your source goes on to say: "Wait times tend to be, in
statistical jargon, highly skewed. This means that very long waits are
the exception. A few long waits can have the same misleading effect on
wait time statistics as a few palatial mansions on average housing
prices." NOTE: "very long waits are the exception"

To complete that thought, the authors say: "But in the world of selling
papers and tv advertising spots, the exception often makes the story.
This gets an unassuming public understandably concerned, playing nicely
into the hands of those seeking to get more money into the system."

Is that not EXACTLY what KMAN has been saying? This is hype!

NOW READ THIS CAREFULLY (IT TAKES THE CANADIAN PULSE): "Some recent
Canadian research has found that not all patients are unhappy about
waiting. Very
few patients who felt waits were "too long" wanted to see
additional public funds used to reduce wait times (although this may be
related to the procedures they were waiting for and may also now be
changing, as Canadians seem increasingly concerned about access to
care). Fewer still seemed interested in shelling out extra money
personally to reduce their wait time."

NOTE CAREFULLY: "Fewer still seemed interested in shelling out extra
money personally to reduce their wait time." That's us, cheap Canadians
(just ask the folks in Florida)!

Anyway, Tink, thanks for the link. It goes on, and on, and on,
supporting KMAN's points.

frtzw906

Dang. I owe Tinkerntom and apology. I never should have assumed he
understood the information he was posting. Sorry Tinkerntom!