Is Medical system really good in Canada?Please share your experiences!

[IT applicant]

Hello All

I have been hearing mixed feedback from people who have migrated to Canada in terms of medical facilities out there(which was def. one big plus which i considered before applying for PR)

Some of the comments I have recd.

-The healthcare "system" is good; but "healthcare" is not: There is a severe shortage of doctors here. Those who are here- refuse to give appointments - and refuse to take you.
-There is NO choice of doctors - you are supposed to call up doctor offices... and see if they will treat you. Most will directly refuse- and say "we are not taking patients- we are busy".
-You have to go to the doctors - who are good for nothing… who are sitting idle - and who do the diagnosis in Punjabi. We had awful experience here -with the doctors.

Kindly share your experiences

Thnx a lot in advance!

 

[Derry]

Here's something in it from Qorax:

13. Canadian Healthcare System: -How good is the Medical facilities & what to expect...

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t37039.0.html

 

[Leon]

I don't think the medical system is any worse or better than in other places I have been. Every system has it's pros and cons but there is definitely a shortage of doctors in Canada. I suppose they tend to go to the US where they can make more money. Because of the shortage, you may have problems finding a GP who is taking new patients. You will have to look if there is a website in your area where they list GP's who are taking new patients. Otherwise you will have to call around. Sometimes, if you have family or friends, their GP may take you on their recommendation even if he isn't otherwise taking new patients.

If you can not find a GP, you can go to walk in clinics. If you always go to the same one, you can always see the same doctor there. You just have to find out what days/shifts he is working. At a walk in clinic, you do not need an appointment but you may have to wait a long time if they are busy. I once waited 3 hours to be seen. If your problem can wait, you can go at a time when it is less busy. You can phone before you go to find out from the staff how busy the waiting room looks. If you need to be seen right away, you can phone more than one walk in clinic to find out which one is less busy before you decide which one to go to.

I have not had bad service at walk in clinics but the few doctors in Canada tend to be overworked and swamped with patients so it is uncommon to find a doctor, even a GP who has the time to talk about your problems. Usually they want to get you out the door fast so they can see the next person.

If you need to see a specialist, you need a referral from a GP. Specialists can have long waiting lists so before going to the GP and asking for a referral, if you know that you need to see for example a dermatologist, look up a few and phone them and ask them what their wait is like and then tell the GP you want to see the one with the shortest waiting list. If you do not have a name of a specialist you want to go to, the GP will write you a referral to somebody he knows or look up a random name.

I hope these tricks help you a bit.

 

[kkim604]

-i had fracture in my hand, doctor told me to put some ice on it and let it heal.
He said I will permenately have small hump and my grip will not be same as it used to be but I can live with it

-I required MRI for lower back pain, wait time 6-12months, got tired of waiting, paid $900 out of my own pocket to get it done right away.

it's like they try not to treat anything that's not too serious, go home and take a tyrenol
it's free cuz you dont get anything

My wife had to get Medical at one of the clinic in BC, for her PR application.
She was shocked at how low tech our services were

How do they test your hearing? whisper quietly behind your ears
eye test is spoon and a poster

Does the job but she LOLed

 

[Baloo]

eye test is spoon and a poster

Certainly not the case when I had my PR medical on Ottawa.

Walk in clinics are good, but the waiting time can be quite long.

 

[angelbrat]

Medical services in Canada are wonderful....and I come from the UK....LOL

I had no difficulty signing up at a local Family practice, one of the best in Vancouver with links to the Women and Children's hospital.

I had a bad fall at work recently, was rushed to hospital with a broken arm, I was seen, x-rayed, arm in cast in 2 hours. I required surgery and was booked into a private clinic a week later.

My own GP has followed up weekly, my consultant sees me every 6 weeks.

Yes, I have extended medical through my work place, yes I pay monthly for the medicare fee but the total cost is a lot less than what I was paying the NHS in England and I find the service is far better.

I suppose it depends whether you are looking for totally free health care or are willing to contribute towards the cost, whether you get a good service or not. I have no idea what the medical professions take is on that but I know if I was a Doctor, I would probably be more willing to treat a patient that had all the insurances in place to be able to have the proper treatment.

Also, I have no idea how other Provinces work either.