BC Medical Services
From one blue ribbon panel, to another, they all proclaim that our National Health Plan is good, but needs some care, to make it more efficient, more responsive to the needs of the people. They all agree that it is a better solution than a two tier system, which Gordon Campbell is moving towards, which Stephen Harper would love to see. Both seem unaware of the blue ribbon panel reports, or they simply are disregarding it, in favor of the plans put forth by their corporate sponsors.
I have no personal association with any Health Care services, whether it be my profession, or vocation. I am not a Nurse, Doctor, or Technician. I am not affiliated with any political party, nor am I a member of any Union.
I am simply, a son who wants to make sure that his mother’s remaining days, weeks, months, or hopefully years, are as comfortable, pleasant, as possible. In short, I want her to get the care she is deserving of, for being 92 years old.
I think that it is time, that people woke up to the simple reality of life. THEY WILL SOON BE OLDER, IN NEED OF THE CARE OF ANOTHER, SUCH AS DOCTORS, NURSES, ORDERLIES, HOME SUPPORT WORKERS. We, as citizens, can no longer sit by and allow our destiny, our so called ” Golden Years ” to be dictated to, by Unions, Business, & Political Hacks.
In short. THE SYSTEM.
Today, we seem to be under the impression, that Health Care has to be profitable. Now, I don’t know when that changed, or came into being, but frankly, I DON’T BUY IT.
I am not some die hard socialist who believes that the solution to every problem, rests with Government. HOWEVER, I do believe that Government does have a role to play. Unfortunately, it seems today that the role Government is playing, is to feed the private coffers of Big Business, Special Interest Groups, & Big Labour.
Individual people, are being forgotten, or ignored, in return to keep expenses down, to keep profits up, and to keep people earning more.
We are so consumed by the need for money, for more profits, that we are forgetting the very principles for which our society has been founded on. People in the Health Industry (which is a term that infuriates me) have forgotten, that their role is to help people, not machines, not cattle.
Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong in making money, but should it be in Health Care? Should we be so consumed by profits, that we ignore the needs of the people under our care? See, that is why I believe, that Government should be the lead in Health Care. Not because they are more efficient, or anything else, but that they DO NOT HAVE TO SHOW A PROFIT EVERY QUARTER!
I am all for getting value for my tax dollar, but I am also aware that certain areas of Government are not going to come in on budget. For example, Education is not run at a profit, now is it? Neither is Law Enforcement, so why do we expect Health Care to be?
Cost Effective is not synonymous with Profits.
As a user of our Health Care System, I can honestly say that it isn’t about any one thing, that makes it so costly. I can see that equipment is a huge expense, as is labour, but frankly, it is how the system that governs all that, makes for a costly program. We are WASTING the most important asset we have, which is the PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE SYSTEM.
We are so consumed with the cost, that we are forgetting what the system is for. It isn’t about keeping staff on their toes, isn’t about having fancy new equipent the instant they are invented. It certainly isn’t about making money to pay for new roads either.
The system in place today, is geared towards monitoring services provided, not in insuring that the appropriate services are given. It isn’t about the users of the health system, but, is about those working for the health system. It is also, about scoring brownie points with the electorate, rather than in running a truly efficient health care system.
Home Support Workers
I am not sure if there are others, working for BC Med, but for our district, we have Beacon Home Services. They are the one’s who hire and send the appropriate staff to help, in the home, patients under care. You know, the type who give you a bath, when you can’t manage on your own, or help you dress when you can’t do it yourself.
Personally, I have mixed feelings on the quality of care they provide. They also provide assisted care living, and again, it is taxpayer paid and/or private. I wonder, do the private paying people get the same treatment, or is it a step up?
What qualifications does Beacon require of those it is going to hire?
Are they trained in anything, or are they just people looking for a job, and so they get hired?
Everyone has a system these days. The Hospital with its “send everyone through emergency” to even the “Community Health Laison” and oh yeah, Beacon. Who designs these systems, and have they ever had to follow them, themselves? IF they did, then they are a lot smarter and intuitive, than most people.
To begin with, the idea of logging in and out, not bad, but not very simple either. I suppose it is to keep track of hours. Then we have the so called ‘yellow book’ which is supposed to detail the home plan, for temporary workers that might come to the home.
NOT LIKE ANY SEEM TO EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS YELLOW BOOK!
Then we have the actual task assigned, and time allotted to the worker. Strange how the client, (patient) isn’t informed of this. We have no idea on what they are sent to do, or told. So each new worker, has to have the drill explained, and believe me, it gets tiresome when there is NO REGULAR ASSIGNED WORKER.
Again, Community Laison is supposed to co-ordinate it, but they are swamped, and so don’t get to it, PRIOR to the service commencing. ( Least when emergencies happen. ) You know, it isn’t always the crisis that creates the most trauma to the patient, but the aftermath of it all.
When you are needing help, for simple tasks like going to the bathroom, to wipe your tushie, it is hard. It creates a sense of helplessness, and if the worker isn’t aware of these issues, it makes it harder to cope with. Sensitivety is key, and most, it seems, have that, but again, a fair number don’t. So it comes down to the luck of the draw, and it shouldn’t.
Problems arise, personalities clash, but while there is a system to shunt a person around, a system to clock in, a system to arrange for help, the system to correct issues, is unreachable.
