From: robert.heuman@rose.com (robert heuman)
Subject: Is Microsoft the next
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 16:12:08 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 12-31-92 11:09
rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari) wrote, in 

R(> Or do you mean the Canadian system--you know, 
R(> the same one that has it's patients coming down to the US
R(> to get CT scans, MRI's and bone scans done because Canada
R(> has insufficient hardware?

I cannot let this slur pass.  It is a blatent falsehood.  Every time 
someone needs a CT Scan or MRI, or bone scan, it is available.  In 
case of an EMERGENCY, it is available in minutes.  Otherwise the 
doctor is expected to call and schedule it.  I saw a US news show that 
suggested that this was not the case.  However, the doctor in that 
case waited until the last minute and then decided he wanted an MRI 
done.  He had almost a year and had he made the decision earlier (even 
a few DAYS earlier) he would have had his MRI performed.  That much 
was clear from all of the statements made during the show.

I will note, however, that there is a substantial difference between 
the US and Canada when it comes to MRI and other high-tech, high 
expense facilities.  In Canada ALL treatment hospitals are PUBLIC and 
are expected to share high-cost facilities, rather than buy their own 
where the volumes do not warrent.  In the US there are a lot of high 
tech set-ups, but primarily at PRIVATE hospitals, and the charges for 
their use are exorbitant.  Check out the PUBLIC hospitals and see if 
the ratio of MRIs and CTScanners is any higher than in Canada.  I 
rather doubt it.

I speak from experience. My son has had an MRI or CT Scan every time 
the doctor ordered it, within hours or days, depending on whether it 
was an EMERGENCY or not.  Often he has had to wait an extra hour or 
so while an emergency patient was put into the facility before him, 
but never has a diagonostic tool his oncologyst or surgeon wanted been 
denied or unavailable.

There is one last point to be made.  Canada is larger than the US with 
approximately 10% of the population of the US.  In addition, most of 
that population is within 160 kilometres of the US border.  As a 
result, I will agree that patients in the far north do have difficulty 
getting MRIs and CTScans.  The same applies to patients in remote 
parts of Alaska, Hawaii and similar locations scattered throughout the 
US.  The machines are concentrated where the population is in BOTH 
countries.  However, I have seen accident victims flown in by 
helicopter from 100's of miles away for needed treatment, including 
MRIs, when required, at a cost of C$25.00 for the ambulance service. 
I have yet to hear of any such incident in the US at that price. 
Canada does NOT have insufficent hardware, the US has a SURPLUS and 
most of it is way underutilized.  That is the real difference.

BTW, my son's total treatment for osteogenic sarcoma cost me C$56.00 
including 4 operations, regular MRIs and CTScans, chemotherapy, 
artificial limbs, wheelchair and almost 5 years of follow up check-ups 
and treatment.  I suggest that anyone in the US without the best 
possible insurance would be bankrupt by now.  Even with good 
insurance at the start, their employer, particularly if small, would 
have been dropped from a group plan insurer within a year or so, 
leaving the parent or patient without coverage.  Seems to happen with 
a fair degree of regularity in the US.... CANNOT happen in Canada.

and then there is Medicaid....

Bob

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