A Usenet persona calling itself BCITORGB wrote:

Scott simplistically states:
==================
But in the free market model, when such shortages occur,
the market responds with more beds and services.
====================

But... http://www.usaweekend.com/03_issues/...831nurses.html ...

"More than 126,000 nursing positions in hospitals around the country
are unfilled, according to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations. In addition, the workforce is shrinking,
because it's aging (and retiring) at twice the rate of other
occupations."

Hmmmm.... as far as I can tell, there are shortages of medical
personnel EVERYWHERE; whether in the Canadian system or the American.

There are likely a myriad of reasons, but allow me to ride one of my
hobby horses: as far as docs are concerned, it's the doctors' unions (I
know they don't call them unions, but they're the toughest one of them
all). They very successfully play the supply management game. The
enrollment in universities is influenced by the "union". And, let's
face it, the entrance requirements to get into med school in both
Canada and the USA are nuts. If med schools pumped out more docs and
nurses, neither Canada nor the USA would have shortages.

Med schools respond to market conditions in the US. As the doctor population
shrinks, scarcity increases value and wages go up. As wages go up, more
people choose to become doctors and nurses. It's pure free market economics.
In Canada, however, compensation for nurses and doctors outside of private
practices, particularly surgeons, is government controlled, so there is
little motivation to become a surgeon or a nurse. This leads to more
shortages, which leads to inadequate staffing, which leads to empty beds
because there's no one to care for patients.


This is not a free market vs any other kind of system issue, because
there is no free market in the supply of labor in this industry.

Don't be silly, of course there is...in the US. But you're absolutely right
about the lack of a free market in Canada. Therein lies the problem.


--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

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© 2005 Scott Weiser