U.S. Patients waiting longer to see the doctor

Started by Sportsdude, Jun 24 06 06:45

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Sportsdude

Patients waiting longer to see the Doctor

AP

   Patients on average spent more time waiting for a doctor in hospital emergency rooms in 2004 than they did seven years earlier, according to federal statistics announced Friday.

 Overall, more than 1.1 billion visits were made to emergency departments, doctor's offices and hospital outpatient centers in 2004, a record, the National Center for Health Statistics said.

 The increasing visits partly reflect an 11 percent increase in the U.S. population in the last 10 years, but people also were seeking care more often, the center said.

 The results are based on surveys of more than 400 hospitals and about 1,400 doctor's offices. Researchers found that visits rose 31 percent in the past 10 years, to 1.1 billion visits in 2004. Federal health care facilities were not included.

 Nearly half the visits were to primary-care doctors in office-based practices. About 10 percent were to hospital emergency rooms and the rest were to spetgwpdts in office-based practices, outpatient departments in general and short-stay hospitals.

 In the last 10 years, there was no change in the average time a patient spent face-to-face with a physician in office settings. But, because of rising patient volume, the amount of time a patient waited before seeing a physician in an ER increased from 38 minutes in 1997 to 47 minutes in 2004.

"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Sportsdude

Last time I was in an ER was for a broken arm about 4 years ago during football practice.  I sat there in the football uniform for 4HRS at the 'best hospital in St. Louis', in the ER. I looked around and the ER wasn't busy at all. I wondered why it took me so long. They never asked.

  Its worse in country.  My grandma had a minor fall/stroke and we thought she had another one.  Took her to the County hospital at waited....... 10 HRS LATER........ She was able to go home, when it usually would have only taken an hour or so.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Lise

Hospital waits in Canada is just as insane.

  My friend's father was in severe pain with kidney stone. They took him to the Richmond Hospital where he waited for at least 7 hours (!!!!!!) before someone could see him.

  When my daughter fell and had to get stiches, it took us 3 hours.

  Still.... I'm not complaining because I know in other parts of the world, the situation is so much more worst.
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby.

Sportsdude

Yeah, I know, see the funny thing is that the wait times everyone complains about won't bother me because I'm use to it.  My insurance provider has this 'urgent care' that acts exactly like a universal system, except only people with my insurance were accepted.  Everytime I was sick we'd go there because it didn't require an appointment. Everytime the wait was atleast 3hrs.  The only time when we ever got 'bumped' up was when my sister was little, she was running around with scissors pointing up. Hit her eye lid and we thought she'd go blind but thankfully the scissors missed her eye.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Lise

I am unfamiliar with the healthcare system in the US. It is private, no?
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby.

Sportsdude

Yes its private and about 40 million people (thats more people then Canada) do not have any type of health insurance. (the exact figure is unknown and its not country the illegal immigrants which put the total around 50+)
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Lise

Do you, in your opinion, think a private healthcare system is better than a public one? As for me, I think a balance of both should benefit Canada.
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby.

Sportsdude

Yes and no. Private is good because you can pick the best doctors and such but its $$$$$. And its also good for selective surgeries if you got the $$$$. I benefited from the private system once had a surgery that costed a tonne of $$$$ (15,000 dollars to be exact) to fix a giant birth defect.  But Canadians thinking that the private system will erase all there problems are just as looney as the americans who think that a public system will erase all the problems as well.

  I think that Canada has already become a two tier they just don't want to admit it.  There is that big private hospital in Vancouver I believe and they want to expand.  Some things are good in they private system while others are great in the public.  If governments actually cared about the health care system (Harpers only goal he hasn't mentioned is the health care issue, he's looking like a Liberal on that one) then the system would work better.

   Public systems demand political attention, its like a baby, you have to feed the baby, clean the baby, and eventually teach it things.  You cannot leave it unattended like the private system.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Lise

What you say makes sense, SD. Anytime you wanna run for PM, lemme know.

  I guess there are some good points and bad points to healthcare system. It won't please everyone because everyone's needs are so diverse and different. It's good if you have the dough when it comes to private healthcare but harder when you have limited income.

  I am thankful for our healthcare system which I why I don't complain as much because I think it's pretty darn good. Not the best, mind you, but still better than most. It could do with some improvement but changes will take time (not to mention $$$$).

  I think Harper has got enough on his plate to worry about the healthcare system for now..... give it time, he'll want to tackle it soon enough. (the public will demand it, of course)
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby.

Sportsdude

Well just to put the Canadian system in perspective against the U.S. system, the Canadian system ranks higher then the U.S. system and over in Europe, Europeans love Canada. The future PM of Britian David Cameroon has like a country crush on the country and has said so public many times.

  I don't know if Harper will tackle it, he seems more interested in destroying the environment and dismantling the gun registry.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Lise

There have been some talk on the privatization of the healthcare by one of the minsters. (can't remember) He went to Amsterdam (or some European country) to find out why private healthcare system there works.

  Personally I don't know how this will come across for most Canadians. Most have become accustomed to the public healthcare system here so some (and I'm not saying all) will resist the change.

  You only have to look at the dental insurance to see how many ppl get so pissed off with dental work.

  Do you really think Harper will not look into our healthcare? That's too bad.... it needs to be addressed at some point.
Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby.

Sportsdude

The Health Care issue seems to be an issue meant for Majority governments therefore they wouldn't have dissent from rival parties.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Sportsdude

Well if they want to look at good public health care all they need to do is to copy the Norwegians.  They've got the best everything.  They have the best school systems. Everyone is taught english from kindergarten on, plus they must learn another language. This would go well in Canada, English Canada must teach french to everyone from toddler to high school and teach it like a regular class like math. And do the same in Quebec, except with english.

Basically I believe strongly in the Nordic model.  Which is the perfect mix of everything as it seems. The EU might even adopt the model.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."