To the Editor:
Having been involved in the concept of regionalization in the health-care field in the past, I feel it rather disturbing to hear of what seems to be happening here in Creston and, as far as I know, throughout our province.
It seems that if a person arrives at the emergency room other than with the obvious broken arm, various cuts or whatever, the doctor on call will not be able to access your medical records if you are not from the clinic in which they have their practice. I know it is all in our interest to try and keep health-care costs down. We have all been “policed” as far as trying to access our hospitals.
But with the public at large becoming older, an item such as our medical records should be available to all doctors, whether within the province or out. Confidentiality is the excuse for just about anything in the health-care area, but if we cannot trust our medical personnel, aren’t we becoming a little paranoid? We trust them with our lives, for heaven’s sake!
Another item that comes to mind, and again from our health-care professionals, is the attitude that we really don’t know, being old or handicapped, how sick we are or feel.
Probably our committee that tries to recruit new doctors for our community would welcome a new medical system that is more accessible.
Further along the lines of costs and regionalization, it seems to me that regionalization has not reached B.C. yet. Regions are too big. Health boards are fractured.
I realize I am probably venting, but we have all seen too many walls go up staffed by some people who, if they had to deal with people such as the retail market, just may find their jobs up for grabs.
Creston