Vancouver to get Canada's First Private ER: Knowledge Driven Revolution

Related - N.S. introduces legislation to regulate private health clinics

Related - What is Wrong With Canada?

Canada's first private emergency room is scheduled to open next week for urgent care services, though both adminstrators and the B.C. health minister aren't entirely certain of its legal status.

The False Creek Surgical Centre, which already performs private surgery for a fee, won't be allowed to accept patients from ambulances or allow patients stay more than 24 hours when it opens next week.

Dr. Mark Godley, the centre's medical director, said the emergency room will operate much like those in small, publicly funded hospitals, and with similar hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

"The facility is just like any small cottage hospital emergency room," he said. "It's the first time in Canada that this will be done."

Godley said he doesn't know where the centre falls under the Canada Health Act, and has said previously the clinic answers to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, operating on a legal basis under the Medical Practitioners Act.

B.C. Health Minister George Abbott said it was "difficult to see" how the centre could provide urgent care services under the provisions of the Canada Health Act. He promised the government would look into the matter.

The centre, a 6,000-square-foot facility, has three operating rooms, six recovery beds and five overnight stay rooms.

It operates six days a week, with a nurse-to-patient ratio of up to one nurse for every three patients. Its licence allows patients to stay overnight for care following surgery.

Full selection of services

There is a private medical centre operating in Montreal that provides services for minor emergencies, but Godley said his centre will offer full emergency medical, diagnostic and surgical procedures

Spokeswoman Sherry Wiebe said the service was necessary, citing a study that concluded that as many as 57 per cent of people in public emergency departments could be treated elsewhere.

"We don't see this as competition at all," Wiebe said.

Wiebe said a comprehensive examination at the centre would cost $199, though there could be additional costs as a result of the examination.

The B.C. board member with Canadian Doctors for Medicare condemned the plan.

"It's reinforcing a direction that people that have money can go to the front of the line, at the expense of people that have less money," said Dr. Margaret McGregor.

Province turning blind eye to private care: critics

Godley said the centre wrote to Abbott about its plans several months ago, but received no reply from the health minister and so decided to proceed.

NDP health critic Adrian Dix said the provincial government is ignoring the growth of two-tier medical care in B.C.

"They have a legal and moral obligation to enforce the laws of our province, including the Medicare Protection Act," he said.

Dix called for Abbott's resignation, and said either the health minister had been negligent in allowing the centre to get close to opening, or had made a secret deal with its administrators.

Mike Old, spokesman for the Hospital Employees Union, said the news of the first private emergency room is disturbing.

"It's a really alarming development. Doesn't this government believe that every family and every child deserves equal access to health care regardless of their income?"

Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
HOME Rouge States and the 9/11 Truth Terrorists Canadians Should Pay NOT to be Poisoned: NDP V for Vendetta - R for Reality Canadian Bird Flu Pandemic Looming ? Shill of the Week: Stephan Harper Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Creating Fake Terrorists Shill of the Week: Paul Martin The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave	Vancouver to get Canada's First Private ER CBC News November 27, 2006 Related - N.S. introduces legislation to regulate private health clinics Related - What is Wrong With Canada? Canada's first private emergency room is scheduled to open next week for urgent care services, though both adminstrators and the B.C. health minister aren't entirely certain of its legal status. The False Creek Surgical Centre, which already performs private surgery for a fee, won't be allowed to accept patients from ambulances or allow patients stay more than 24 hours when it opens next week. Dr. Mark Godley, the centre's medical director, said the emergency room will operate much like those in small, publicly funded hospitals, and with similar hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. "The facility is just like any small cottage hospital emergency room," he said. "It's the first time in Canada that this will be done." Godley said he doesn't know where the centre falls under the Canada Health Act, and has said previously the clinic answers to the College of Physicians and Surgeons, operating on a legal basis under the Medical Practitioners Act. B.C. Health Minister George Abbott said it was "difficult to see" how the centre could provide urgent care services under the provisions of the Canada Health Act. He promised the government would look into the matter. The centre, a 6,000-square-foot facility, has three operating rooms, six recovery beds and five overnight stay rooms. It operates six days a week, with a nurse-to-patient ratio of up to one nurse for every three patients. Its licence allows patients to stay overnight for care following surgery. Full selection of services There is a private medical centre operating in Montreal that provides services for minor emergencies, but Godley said his centre will offer full emergency medical, diagnostic and surgical procedures Spokeswoman Sherry Wiebe said the service was necessary, citing a study that concluded that as many as 57 per cent of people in public emergency departments could be treated elsewhere. "We don't see this as competition at all," Wiebe said. Wiebe said a comprehensive examination at the centre would cost $199, though there could be additional costs as a result of the examination. The B.C. board member with Canadian Doctors for Medicare condemned the plan. "It's reinforcing a direction that people that have money can go to the front of the line, at the expense of people that have less money," said Dr. Margaret McGregor. Province turning blind eye to private care: critics Godley said the centre wrote to Abbott about its plans several months ago, but received no reply from the health minister and so decided to proceed. NDP health critic Adrian Dix said the provincial government is ignoring the growth of two-tier medical care in B.C. "They have a legal and moral obligation to enforce the laws of our province, including the Medicare Protection Act," he said. Dix called for Abbott's resignation, and said either the health minister had been negligent in allowing the centre to get close to opening, or had made a secret deal with its administrators. Mike Old, spokesman for the Hospital Employees Union, said the news of the first private emergency room is disturbing. "It's a really alarming development. Doesn't this government believe that every family and every child deserves equal access to health care regardless of their income?" Read the full article here Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Features Archive
		What Is Wrong With Canada ? Recent 9-11 News Suppressed by the Media Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave Knowledge Driven Look at Your Favourite Canadian Political Parties
		September October November 2006 29 30 31 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 01 02 Weekly Features 2006 2005 Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
		Counter
Copyright � 2005-6 KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com