Many of you know that I am retired and live on a fixed income with a young bride and a new (15 month old) daughter. And at this posting another daughter.
You see last winter after taking some normal precautions we got pregnant again. They said the baby was overdue on October 11. So instead of being able to drive to the hospital in town where Mack E was born, we were forced to take an extra hour and thirty minute drive to Williams Lake to have this baby. One hour and thirty minutes on top of the thirty minute drive to our town. That's a long time when a baby wants to come. And we all know that babies come in their own time.
I discovered by accident, earlier this year when my tax assessment came that they were systematically shutting down 100 Mile Hospital. My tax rate for the hospital read CMH. That's Cariboo Memorial Hospital and that's in Williams Lake.
To compound our frustrations they wanted us to make a total of three trips. All this on a limited income. We were informed of the first trip mid month. After our budget was completed. While we were at the doctors in Williams Lake, he moved up the delivery date. I allege that this was for the sole purpose of having an earlier past due date. As it turned out I was right because when the baby was born there were no indications that she was past due. She was right on time , even though she was induced.
To me this was playing with the life of a mother and child.
So, back to the problem. Last January Interior Health in their infinite wisdom decided that they didn't want to pay for maternity nurses. Not as they say, they couldn't get nurses. Then they figured they would just close the maternity ward altogether. Then with all the unmitigated gall they could muster, they attempted to close the ER. I'm not sure of the backlash they got but they are now back peddling on that just a bit. They are saying that the ER is open 24/7 and IF there is a doctor on call you will get service. The IHA is servicing us now but its not the kind we are paying for.
If all of the above is getting you pissed there's more. They are attempting to close the OR.
And if anyone in this area believes that I am not telling the truth just have a look at your tax bill for 2009.
You are paying taxes to support the Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake (CMH). It's there in black and white. So when Interior health says that they have no money for these services they are right. The assholes have taken the money away from 100 Mile Hospital and given it to CMH.
And further to this when we got to CMH they had already had 3 cases of H1N1 one of which died. We were not notified of this situation nor were we given any instruction on how to attempt to avoid infection. This is a bloody virus. And for the doctors who seem aloof to this problem they should get their collective asses together and come up with a plan.
From 100 Mile Free Press Jun 2009
The emergency room at the 100 Mile District General Hospital will be closed for 12 hours at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, until 8 a.m. Thursday, June 18, because no doctor is available.
Interior Health advises that in the event of an emergency residents should call 9-1-1.
(We all know that BC Ambulance was on strike until the Lieberals legislated them back to work this month.Gary E)
BC Ambulance Services has been notified and extra staff and cars have been arranged.
The emergency department in Williams Lake is available for non-urgent matters and if anyone is unsure what services they need they should contact the BC Nurse Line at 1-866-215-4700from 100 Mile Free Press sep 2009
The one operating room at 100 Mile District General Hospital is operational three days a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays), generally from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for minor surgical and scope procedures.
Interior Health is reviewing this service, which had 530 procedures performed in 2008-2009.
Andrew Neuner, Interior Health Thompson Cariboo Shuswap health service area chief operating officer, says these procedures are booked in advance and are elective procedures during which no hospitalization is required.
He adds three physicians perform procedures, such as dental work, carpal tunnel surgery, vasectomies and colonoscopies, in 100 Mile House.
The OR has also been used for an average of 16 caesarian sections during the past five years.
Neuner says patients in emergency situations are normally stabilized through the emergency room and then transferred to a higher-level facility.
The only exception would be emergency C-sections and that would depend on the staffing available, he adds.
(How the christ can this person make a statement like that? Cesarian is the most crucial type of childbirth. Both mother and infant could die . Gary E)
100 Mile physician, Dr. Franky Mah, says the loss of the surgical program would affect the obstetrics program because there would be no caesarean section backup.
Dr. Mah has been proven right because they have moved all births to Williams Lake.Gary E
He adds closing the operating room would also affect the emergency room because it would mean the loss of a surgeon on call for trauma cases and more serious cases as well as anesthesia.
“It would have a broad effect on the whole provision of medical care in 100 Mile House.”
Mah says recruitment and retention of physicians would definitely be more difficult without a surgical program.
Meanwhile, Neuner says Interior Health is not prepared to answer a hypothetical question. However, he notes there are communities where there is no OR and physicians are successfully recruited.
(But this situation is now not hypothetical. It is a fact. So Neuner lets have a goddamn answer Gary E)
“Physicians are attracted to communities for a variety of reasons, both professional and personal.”
The issue will be discussed at a meeting with Ministry of Health personnel, Interior Health, physicians and local politicians Oct. 9.
And Now From Paul Wilcocks
People who can pay get fast, effective treatment. The rest of British Columbians wait, suffer and get sicker.
Earlier this month, the Vancouver Island Health Authority said provincial funding was inadequate to maintain health care services. It chopped surgeries and support for seniors and people with mental illness.
For example, last year the health authority did 124 bariatric surgeries. The operations help obese people who have been unable to lose weight in less extreme ways. Their stomachs are made smaller or bowels shortened to reduce the absorption of calories the number of bariatric surgeries......[snip]
Demand hasn't fallen. The wait for treatment is measured in years.
But the health authority's provincial funding for this year falls $45 million short of what is needed to provide health care services. The gap will be greater next year.
So patients won't be treated.
Unless they have money.[snip]
But so far Canadians have decided that health care is different. We have, after a fierce public discussion, decided that when care is rationed, it shouldn't be auctioned off the to the highest bidder.
If two people have an illness, then the decision on who gets treatment is to be based on medical need.
We've even written the principle into law. The Canada Health Act and B.C.'s Medicare Protection Act say people cannot pay extra for speedier treatment for any medically necessary procedure.
But the law is routinely ignored. Private clinics have pushed the boundaries in offering more and more surgery to those who can pay for faster treatment. [snip...]
Paul is speaking here mainly about obesity but the scenario is the same. This so-called government of the people is systematically dismantling our hospitals and I believe it is for the sole purpose of setting up private for profit clinics. Gary E
I gave Interior Health more than a week to answer some questions such as "What is the justifacation of these draconian policy shifts." They have chosen not to answer.
Next up: some questions I will have for Donna Barnett. They will be posted here as she appears unable to answer my e-mails.
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