Socialized Medicine

LoBlo · 09-30-06, 04:01 AM

Who here is from a country with a socialized medicine program?

I'm curious about what people that live in socialized medicine programs feel about their program, how their programs work, and whether or not they feel things are managed optimally by their government, whether they are satisfied, or if not, what grievances exist.

Here are some specific questions that I'm curious about

1. How does your system work? Anything special about getting seen in a clinic, or do you just make an appointment, show up and that's it free service?
2. Are wait times for doctors visits short or too long?
3. Are diagnostic test readily available or do they take many months of waiting list? Is access to routine care and clinics as easy as life threatening and care for significantly morbid conditions (liver failure, heart failure)?
4. Do you thrust your doctors?
5. Are they all equal in your eyes are or some doctors/hospitals better than others? If so, do you get to choose the doctor/clinic/hospital that you wish to go to, or are you forced to see a certain doctor/etc by the program?

I'm especially interested in how the Canadian system works since they are a relatively large country with a large system in place. (Things that work for smaller countries might not neccessarily work countries many times largers or which more heterogenous populations).

Opionions?

09-30-06, 04:01 AM	#1
LoBlo Subsim Diehard Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas! Posts: 971 Downloads: 78 Uploads: 3	Socialized Medicine Who here is from a country with a socialized medicine program? I'm curious about what people that live in socialized medicine programs feel about their program, how their programs work, and whether or not they feel things are managed optimally by their government, whether they are satisfied, or if not, what grievances exist. Here are some specific questions that I'm curious about 1. How does your system work? Anything special about getting seen in a clinic, or do you just make an appointment, show up and that's it free service? 2. Are wait times for doctors visits short or too long? 3. Are diagnostic test readily available or do they take many months of waiting list? Is access to routine care and clinics as easy as life threatening and care for significantly morbid conditions (liver failure, heart failure)? 4. Do you thrust your doctors? 5. Are they all equal in your eyes are or some doctors/hospitals better than others? If so, do you get to choose the doctor/clinic/hospital that you wish to go to, or are you forced to see a certain doctor/etc by the program? I'm especially interested in how the Canadian system works since they are a relatively large country with a large system in place. (Things that work for smaller countries might not neccessarily work countries many times largers or which more heterogenous populations). Opionions? __________________ "Seek not to offend or annoy... only to speak the truth"-a wise man Last edited by LoBlo; 09-30-06 at 04:04 AM.