On 8 Mar, Roberto C. Sanchez wrote: > On Thu, Mar 08, 2007 at 12:25:38PM -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> ... > Well, IIRC, the Canadian healthcare system classifies many things > which are generally not considered to be elective as elective > procedures (like total hip replacement). Someone else already posted > the numbers in this thread, but IIRC the average wait is like 4 weeks > in the US and 18 or 24 months in Canada. > > Regards, > > -Roberto > I doubt that the average wait is 18 to 24 months. In Quebec, only 9 % had to wait over 6 months (2004 - 2005). I'm not sure if that number includes delays for "prehab". And the total number of patients who had to wait for certain surgeries decreased from 44,000 in 2003 to 34,000 in 2006. http://wpp01.msss.gouv.qc.ca/appl/g74web/default.asp I'd guess that the average time in the US is closer to 3 months than 4 weeks, also, although that is based on a small sample of local friends/hospitals. I wouldn't argue that the Canadian system is without problems, but as a public health professional, and someone who has personal experience with both systems, IMO the delays in the Canadian system are somewhat exaggerated in the US. In most international comparisons, Canada is ranked higher than the US for overall health care. -Chris FWIW, I had to fight for over a year in the US for a hip arthroplasty procedure which I could have done in Canada. Only part of the delay was due to the insurance carrier, though, the approval process was partly to blame. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Christopher Judd, Ph. D. [EMAIL PROTECTED] | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]