As I discuss in the video, health care is the number one issue that people bring up with me. This is a multi-faceted issue, but time and again it is what are perceived to be simple inefficiencies that frustrate people. Some examples brought up to me already in just over a week out talking to people are:
- the need to go visit a doctor to get a prescription renewed even though no examination is needed
- not being able to bring up additional medical problems outside the original purpose of a doctor’s appointment – told to make another, separate, appointment
- inability to find a doctor, and then initially being refused treatment at the emergency room because no doctor available to provide follow-up
- the perception (reality?) that doctors can choose their patients and so those with chronic problems are passed over
One possible solution to the problem is to empower health professionals other than doctors to make decisions. People are overwhelmingly happy with nurse-practitioners and would like to see more. But the ability to make some decisions should be extended to others like nurses and pharmacists.
One specific example I talk about in the video is giving pharmacists the ability to renew prescriptions. This saves time for the patient, the pharmacist and the doctor – it is a win-win-win scenario. Neil Auld – the PC candidate for District 17 – has done extensive work in this area over the last number of years and is ready to propose legislation to make a change like this reality.
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