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[–] 2 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (3 children)

In my experience it isn't.

Relative has a non-life threatening issue that affects their quality of life. Didn't know what was causing it. Had booked an appointment in Canada. Wait time 5-6 months. Came with me along to Greece for the summer this year. Within 3 weeks, they saw 3 different specialists, and did tests (and received results) that would themselves require appointments and waiting times. Within 3 weeks they had a diagnosis, and had started treatment. Ironically, by the end of week 2, they got a call from the first appointment from back home, that an opening was available on week 3.

Total cost for all doctors and tests was about 400 EUR ~ 600 CAD, because they didn't have Greek social insurance and were paying fully private rates. That's about the same as visiting one of those specialists in the private system in Quebec, if you don't want to wait 5-6 months each time.

Greece > Quebec

I chalk it up to the fact that Greece has so many doctors, that they are actually supplying western european countries (UK, Germany) with doctors leaving for better wages. At the same time Canadian doctor boards act as if they need to do everything in their power to minimize the number of doctors graduating or getting their credentials recognized each year. I mean if they actually did try it, I don't see how they could do a better job at sucking. I know stories of people who came to Canada to work in tech with a doctor spouse and they left because the doctor spouse would have to basically spend 4-6 years sucking the dick of the Ontario Board of Physicians and Surgeons to get Italian credentials accepted.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 hours ago (2 children)

    I never meant to imply that there can't be long wait times, just that they are, in my opinion, exaggerated. I have had to wait for things as well, but having experienced health care in the USA, I could not really complain.

    Canada definitely could improved, but it's still night and day better than what's south of the border, imho.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 hours ago (1 child)

    Broadly, as a New Canadian, I actually hate the fact that Canadians always compare themselves with the US, because the bar is ridiculously low. Of course it is night and day compared to the US, that's true of basically everything Canadian, except, I dunno, the Americans with Disabilities Act, maybe? We need to raise our bar.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 hours ago

    I just said that I believe it could be improved. My bar is higher than the USA, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm thankful that it's better than the USA, having experienced both. They are not mutually exclusive sentiments.

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