I just listened to Dave Rutherford about some of the issues we are facing in healthcare. There is a crisis as we are critically short of family practitioners and the trend is continuing. Amongst other issues, they are saying that we should try and get some sort of testing in place in order to quickly certify foreign doctors and ensure they are up to speed.
I had this conversation with a doctor yesterday. We were talking about how little doctors make now in comparison to plumbers, veterinarians, dentists, etc. I know that in Information Technology, with only two years of education, my income was at par with many family doctors. Nobody seems to get that most people would not find much incentive to spend 8 years in University and come out and make $29.00 per visit and have the overhead of nurses, clinic, utilities, etc and end up with no pension, health benefits, etc. The government has enslaved doctors. Why enter this field when you can do less schooling and come out far ahead financially without the debt incurred? Those people that do incur the expense become specialists because that is the only way they can truly get ahead. Read the following blog post on this:
What's Wrong with Healthcare?: Don't Let Them Escape!
So, it got me to thinking. In the United States, there is a call for immigrants to do the jobs that Americans won't do. Here in Canada, there is the same call, however the jobs Canadians won't do is family medicine. There is something wrong with the system and when there is a hue and cry about how family doctor's shouldn't be able to work in a private situation as well, this will continue. Do you know that in Germany, the doctors marched recently because the private system was the only way they could afford to maintain their practices in the public system? Then ask yourself why Cuba is the only other country in the entire world who doesn't allow a private system. The public system is conscripting our doctors so that our only hope is immigration. Some Canadian value! Shame on Canada.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Shortage of doctors? No one wants the job.
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In Cuba young people with ability often choose continued education because it is a way to put food in their bellies and clothes on their backs(it is paid by government). It would seem, however, that the educated person is to some degree "owned" by the state. In a book "The History of Cuba" the author (a Cuban Professor), said the government traded thousands of their doctors to Venezuela for oil. Maybe Alberta could work out a similar deal with Cuba.
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