caretaker

Boom-tish!

Teaandtoday5

Yes Canada, sort it out.

scrubbedexpat091

Ha ha so true. I know the US uses a different format but atleast they are consistent its just MM/DD/YY and everyone knows but Canada not so simple.

Even within the same level of government it can vary MSP application wants date MM/DD/YYYY but then Plan G form wants the date YYYY-MM-DD, disability report is a free for all, and on it goes.

No consistency at all. Luckily if they want a date a specific way they typically tell you.

scrubbedexpat091

Eviota sigillata, a small goby fish has a maximum life span of 59 days, of which 21 days is spent as an adult.

Apparently the shortest span of any vertebrate.

I wish my doctor offered online appointment making, seems like it would be fairly easy for doctors to offer and could cut down on phone calls to the office, I would love to just be able to hop online and make an appointment. I know some doctors do, just surprised that it doesn't seem all that common.

Shard

We have online appointment booking. Takes two weeks though.

Danny B

scrubbedexpat091

I have to call but still takes 1.5 to 2 weeks to get an appointment, sometimes I luck out and they get a cancellation and can get something sooner, but usually 1.5 to 2 weeks to get an appointment.

Teaandtoday5

Teaandtoday5

scrubbedexpat091

I have not, interesting read and certainly my experience. Doctors here at least the ones I deal with are far behind what my family has access to in the US, my mom can even email her doctor through a secure portal, and most of her appointments are via tele conference type service, its quite nice it seems, where I have to make a visit to the doctors office for every little thing few appointments I have been to actually require me to be physically there as there is no exam involved.

scrubbedexpat091

Certainly not something most will ever experience, this couple celebrates 80 years of marriage. Married in 1939. They are 105 and 106 years old.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6306344/o...Rnm3rxlqa8fPFw

BEVS

That is wonderful. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing that.

BristolUK

Went for my regular blood test this morning. Dunno why they don't put out the desktop ticket dispenser early enough for people to take a ticket but they appear to leave it until the official 7.00 am opening time even though some staff are already there. Consequently there are a dozen people hanging around with one or two having the nerve to grab a ticket before their turn.

The machine is a little like this one in its simplicity, but the ticket comes out at the front. One button, one slot for tickets. The instruction very clearly says "push button, take ticket"




So a guy in the queue that eventually forms decides to insert his Medicare card even though he must have seen the 10 people ahead not do that because there's no instruction to do so.

He jams up the machine.

One of the registration clerks manages to fix it but it takes 10 minutes in which time registration slows right down. "Are you serious?" she asks when told what the earlier guy did.

Shard

Bizarre that healthcare systems are so slow to implement simple tech solutions. We've only had online booking a couple of years, but you would think it could have been implemented ten years ago. These projects tend to expand to include more complex functions, and the basic function gets caught in the delay.

scrubbedexpat091

Maybe less funds available in public health systems to do it, or the government powers less willing to modernize?

The US has had various high tech options for patients for many years, over a decade, but does vary by insurance company, some are more high tech than others. My mom can do nearly anything online now, most of her appointments are video conference with the doctor, she can access her medical records online, make appointments, email the doctor a question, all sorts of things.

I haven't even had a doctor here in BC who would even talk to a patient online, have to make an appointment and go in person.

It is interesting at times to see how different health systems run and what they believe is useful. Nearly all US health providers believe in preventive health and encourage preventive health measures like annual physical exams, where here in BC the government says there is no medical need for annual exams and tend to focus more on treatment once your ill.

The most frustrating thing about the BC healthcare system is the slow speed at which it operates.