Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Even when there is a private option for something, the wait can still be long.

I am having to go to private treatment for mental health since the public system isn't willing or capable to provide treatment, and the wait is still 3 to 4 months before in take, shows there is pretty significant demand for mental health care in this province.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

A friend back in the UK has been similarly referred by the public system to private providers to treat depression.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Sometimes I wish I had bipolar or another disorder the system picks to treat, my wife is bipolar and she has a psychiatrist, counsellor and no issues with mental health really.

My disorder is too difficult, so the system pretty much tells you to go get help from a private counsellor or psychologist.

It's just always been a money issue, it ain't cheap to access mental health care in the private sector, but have to do what you have to do.

Intake is $375

$120 for individual counselling (once per month minimum) with a student counsellor (has a masters degree)

Then $95 per week for 26 weeks for the group component, but if you miss a class you don't have to pay for that week.


The program and type of treatment has a good success rate and people I have met that have gone through it have done well afterwards in life, so it's time to bite the bullet and pay for it and see if I can get some improvement in life.


I did take a short term program through mental health, but it was 4 weeks, 1 hour per week, so not really that in depth of helpful.Left me with more questions then anything.

I should have an intake by August or September.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Fort St. James has ER closed part of day due to no doctor being available.

Fort St. James, B.C. emergency room closing for 8 days after doctor cancels shifts - British Columbia - CBC News

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Of course she does, she's married to a man with BPD! Her psychiatrist should obviously be interviewing you on a regular basis as part of her treatment. Get her to raise the issue with him or her and see if it flies. It doesn't matter if you piggyback on her illness as long as you get to see someone.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

I've gone once when I was invited to go. She has been so stable, her visits are infrequent at the moment, every 6 months roughly, but with her psychiatrsit having been on mat leave, the GP has been doing the scripts for her.

She has never had a reoccurance while on medication, so the doctors don't have her go in a lot, but she can easily get in if she has a urgent matter.

Only time she had a reoccurance was when she was talked into trying homeopathic medicine by a friend.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Well next time she goes maybe she can call ahead and see if she can get you in too. In the hospital we used to say "A psychiatrist is just an MD that can't stand the sight of blood", so don't be shy about trying to make them work. God knows they get paid enough for what they do.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Not a bad saying. Sometimes I wonder why some went into psychiatry when they appear based on their attitude towards patients to dislike people in general.

I've had some good one's though who were genuinely nice and knew their stuff well, the best one I had was bipolar, so personal experience likely helped him become a better doctor and why he likely chose that specialty.

Looking up my last psychiatrist on the financial statement, her compensation was 487,000 last year.

I don't know what the overhead is for a psychiatrist working from home with no staff, but probably a lot lower then a GP in an office who likely gets paid less but does more.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

Unfortunately I have colleagues in a number of different medical specialities including GPs who make me wonder why they work with patients as they too dislike most people who walk through the door! Maybe they should have been pathologists ...
I don't know any psychiatrists around here who work from home-usually I think work in a group together- I have to say I feel that this is probably wise- I wouldn't want any of my patients come knocking on my door at 3am!:lol:

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

She was the only one I ever had who worked from home, the others have either had an office on a hospital campus, or were in the mental health office.

She had an office when I first started going, this huge one as well, way bigger then 1 doctor would ever need, probably fit 4 or 5 psychiatrists in this office she had, just had a couch and a chair, was pretty ghetto to be honest.

I certainly wouldn't want my patients to know where my house was, if I was a doctor.


I've had pretty unpleasent experiences as a patient with a small amount of doctors, but overall most were good and I haven't seen a doctor in this town yet that isn't plesant.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

We live in such a small community although 15000 people, my husband has patients coming in telling him what he's up to. Coming from a city this is quite a change:unsure:

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

I'd imagine some of the doctors have that happen here with the doctors who live locally anyhow. We have around 17,000 people.

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

I would be surprised if doctors living in small towns did not regularly meet their patients in the real world.

We live in a big city ............. but I used to see my family doctor at the opera and other events around town.

I also knew his father from an entirely different "world" .......... I was to have edited a book that father and one of his friends had written, but the money ran out.

The surname was very unusual, so no mistaking the family connection

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

We went for lunch the other day with the children... My husband said literally every patient in there was registered with him.. It was a small eaterie but still. Thankfully the children were sweet and well behaved!

Re: Does Canada need to change their healthcare method?
 

I'd have been more worried about someone coming over and talking about their piles or bowel movements or something. :eek: