A comment on Sudbury Cardiologist Dr. Ron Baigrie's Newspaper column

Dr. Ron Baigrie recently wrote a column in the Sudbury Star titled "Health care needs more scrutiny". The doctor makes some points that should be read by every past present and future patient in every Ontario hospital. Everyone will  eventually  need the  medical services and here are some of the issues the doctor points out in his article.

 No matter what new disaster occurs in our health-care system, people quietly accept it and move on. Every year, 180,000 Canadians suffer an adverse event while in hospital. From 10,000 to 20,000 people die as a result of these errors. People wait months or a year or more for an operation. Hospital emergency departments are bursting with patients waiting hours for care; some of these ERs temporarily close for lack of staff or too many patients. He asks why Canadians are not rioting in the streets over the situation that Cardiologist Ron Baigrie states are facts of life in a recent Sudbury Star newspaper column.

Dr. Baigrie points out that many patients complain to other doctors about treatment received at the hands of health practitioners. He says the reason these people will not complain to the people involved or a higher authority is fear of reprisal. He says that is a situation needing change and points out several instances where those that did speak out were chastised in one way or another. He strongly suggests that people should speak out and even take action to make certain the ‘chill effect” as it is called when people in power threaten or cajole to control a situation.

The health care system to most people on the outside appears far beyond salvation. That is especially true when it comes to capping expenses and ending empire building. The good doctor mentions that the system is a business making it another source of income for corporate and socialistic professionals.

Take into consideration the health care support services organized over recent years to treat people with a variety of health problems. Almost every malady that affects people has a special interest group manned by certified practitioners or social service advocates surrounded by a bureaucracy of highly paid administrative managers and staff. These workers are often hired at above average wages to make certain the people affected receive the proper care while assuring employees feel employment secure. The offered service is usually a need funded by health care dollars that might otherwise be available for keeping people experiencing adverse care healthier or even alive.

Each system whether the Regional Hospital facility, mental health system, long-term care operations or any other health care facility with multi-faceted care systems operate similar to profit making business. However, each service is dependent on government funding (taxpayer money) or donations from highly organized funding organizations often with the same bureaucratic administration structure. Media reports indicate nearly every organization spends lavishly petitioning for more funding annually to meet increase costs to serve patients.

Maybe consideration to sections that are not part of the health care system such as operating the regional hospital parking lots as one example among many should be private sector contracts. The benefit would be relieving the cost of operating parking facilities from affecting healthcare funding. If parking costs rise initially there is always public and commercial transportation if staff, patients and family coming to the hospital find parking too expensive. The current situation would change and probably solve itself if parking lot income declines. Private sector entrepreneurs lower prices to maintain profit levels while institution run facilities simply apply for more funding to offset increased maintenance cost. A parking facility contractor would probably even consider building a multi level facility to increase parking spaces.

Is this speaking out against a system that is functioning primarily to serve the people hired to serve these worthwhile endeavours? Is it a legitimate complaint or simply more rhetoric? Could the system solve the dilemma by hiring a consulting firm to study the issue at the expense of health care dollars encouraging the wheel of perpetual motion to keep grinding out the same results?

The doctor’s “chill effect” will prevail until the system collapses from within since each change or new direction always attracts media attention. Trying to suppress the media is thankfully never successful and the perpetrators of spending without full accountability cannot win the battle. Change will come as noted with the City of Sudbury’s recent $10 million surplus announcement after a declaration that savings could not be found.