Universal Health Research Paper

The Ugly Truth About Canadian Health Care

We live in a country where we have the privilege of having free universal health care for all citizens. You should not have to worry about your income to protect and save yourself/loved ones from medical issues. People that are unemployed, students, disabled or homeless are covered under the system and do not need to worry about affordability. Although our system is very beneficial, many Canadians suffer from long wait times, limited coverage for additional healthcare services/testing, and safety of food in facilities.

Strangely enough, the Canadian government has made many cutbacks regarding our universal health care and making it longer for the public to access. Many Canadians suffer from long

wait times. Citizens that need necessary medical surgeries wait an average time of 20 weeks, according to a Fraser Institute report. According to statistics, 40% of Canadians wait longer than a week for a regular doctor’s appointment. In fact, 56% of Canadians have a month-long wait to see a specialist for their medical issues and wait an average of 4 hours before being seen by a medical professional in an emergency department. These inconveniences can increase suffering for patients and cause a decreased quality of life, a disability or death. Patients are more at risk when in need of a specialist. Many doctors are clueless to how long certain procedures or access to a specialist make take. When a doctor passes a case to another hospital/clinic, they can misplace information and referrals can get lost. Lower-income patients, uninsured patients, or under-insured patients have their care denied or delayed resulting in worse health care. The Canadian government can resolve this issue by prioritizing higher-risk patients to receive medical procedures ahead of those with lower risks. The government can also take into account the income of Canadian residents to provide the best service for Canadians.

In addition to long wait times, there is limited coverage for additional healthcare services. Unless deemed necessary under certain medical policies, there are many cut backs. Cutbacks cause the population to settle for cheaper and less effective treatments. Statistics show that 60% of Canadians have a private insurance by their employers to pay for services not covered by Canada’s Health Act. If they do not have access to a private insurance they will have to pay for procedures and tests from their pockets. Canada is one of the few countries in the world with a universal medical care system that does not include coverage for prescription drugs as medically necessary. According to the Government of Canada, poor mental health can negatively impact physical health. Unfortunately, the Canada Health Act does not cover treatment by a psychologist unless the practitioner is also a medical doctor. Knowing that our mental state is a leading factor of many diseases and medical issues, the Canadian Government should have mental services covered under their system.

However, Facilities that do not follow regulations under the Canadian Food and Drugs act risk the health of all Canadians.

Food services are regulated by legislation under all three levels of government to make sure their food is being handled with proper care and hygiene. The Canadian Food inspection agency is responsible for checking that facilities follow regulations and food meets food safety requirements such as; personal hygiene, avoiding food contamination and keeping foods at safe temperatures. Food Handlers that do not have personal hygiene can pass on fecal matter to food we eat, which can lead to parasites, diseases and other medical issues. Unfortunately, there is no daily investigation checking if facilities meet safety requirements. Unless there is an illness outbreak, a consumer complaint or a company-initiated recall, the Inspection Agency can not take any protocols. We are left in the dark about the safety of the food we eat and risk our health. We have trust that they will follow safety requirements, but that is not always the case. According to the government of Canada, every year there are 4 million Canadians that suffer a food-borne illness, 11,600 hospitalisations and 238 deaths. To decrease the amount of Canadians affected, we must have stricter food inspections every month to insure the safety and health of the

public.

Despite the fact we have an incredible Health Care system, there is still room for improvement. We can contribute our taxes to additional privatised services, to have them covered under the system. Canadians can take into consideration the income of families and prioritize higher-risk patients to receive medical procedures ahead of those with lower risks. In addition, we must have stricter food inspections every month to insure the safety and health of the public. If we make these changes, we can insure the health of all Canadians and better our country and system.