Medical care vs language
A study finds that anglos in Quebec and francos in the ROC risk getting substandard medical care because of the language barrier.
A study finds that anglos in Quebec and francos in the ROC risk getting substandard medical care because of the language barrier.
carswell 12:07 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
Isn’t this the opposite of what many franco Quebecers believe, i.e. that anglos have access to gold-plated medical services while francos are treated like second-class citizens?
Remember Jésus de Montréal, where the injured Daniel/Jésus is taken to an overrun, decrepit hospital (St-Luc?) and ignored before ending up at the gleaming, high-tech Jewish General, where a team of specialists immediately and heroically attend to him but fail to save him, saying they could have if only he’d have been brought there half an hour earlier?
carswell 12:17 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
In any case, we’re all being treated like second-class citizens these days. I remain without a family physician and have less than a week left on my blood pressure and other drug prescriptions. Have been trying for weeks to get an appointment with someone who can renew them. “Walk-in” clinics are unresponsive. The government portal for appointments forces me to fill out a detailed form, asks me for my postal address, tells me to specify a radius (10, 30 or 50 km — I chose the last) and then lists one clinic. When I click on the link, the same government site says no appointments available period, not even distant ones.
Uatu 13:33 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
@Carswell- have you tried seeing a nurse practitioner or a pharmacist? Maybe they could get you a referral for a new prescription?
carswell 13:48 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
@Uatu Have spoken to pharmacists and been following their guidance to no avail. Have another trip to the drugstore slated for this weekend. Nurse practitioners are a possible next step though I’m not sure how to go about seeing one.
Kate 14:01 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
I looked at this page about nurse practitioners, which sent me to this page, but I suspect you may already have gone down this rabbit hole.
Joey 15:56 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
@carswell, I’ve read that triage nurses at ERs have unique access to same-day or next-day appointments at nearby clinics. You might consider going to a local ER early (8:30?) to see if they can find you something. Pretty sure I’ve seen this discussed on the Montreal subreddit. Good luck!
MarcG 16:57 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
Call 811 and they might be able to get you an appointment at a clinic using their magical powers.
nau 21:47 on 2024-05-18 Permalink
@carswell For our local clinic, there is a specific time at which their appointments come available in the governmental portal. So you have to go to that website at that exact time to get an appointment. Within 5 minutes they’re all gone. I don’t know if that’s true of other clinics or any in your area, but it could be.
carswell 08:29 on 2024-05-19 Permalink
Thanks, all. Very helpful. Am feeling less adrift. Will be checking out these options STAT.
@MarcG I’d thought about calling 811 but the pharmacist I asked said it’d be futile. Will try finding out for myself.
dwgs 08:58 on 2024-05-19 Permalink
@carswell someone close to me works for the Health ministry, her advice is to call 811 and select option 3 from the phone menu.