Hello Canadian Healthcare System, we are the healthcare providers, the moving parts of this machine. We are the puzzle pieces that complete the whole picture, we are the ones who direct how you function. But. Are We?
When a foreigner asks, what is the Canadian Healthcare System? You might answer them by asking; what do you know about it? And the answer that comes right away, it’s free!
You might still remember the five principles of the Canada Health Act; Public administration, Accessibility, Comprehensiveness, Universality, Portability. Every licensed Canadian healthcare professional knows the Canada Health Act principles. We are proud of it. And that’s what the world knows about Canada when they hear “Healthcare System”, is because of these principles that deliver selected and necessary health services free of charge? (redirection of money to be more precise) to all citizens.
So, what is the system? Is it one solid brick house that is unbreakable? or is it the straws and sticks one? (reminded me of the story of The Three Little Pigs).
It could be both ways in my opinion. When it comes to applying the 5 principles of the Canada Health Act, it is unbreakable. But, when it comes to who really drives the system? it is like sticks and straws.
It’s much more complicated than one might think. One might argue that the general public is the one who shapes the healthcare system, through voting and politics, tax-paying, and expectations read about expectations in my article about health-care.
But, there is more. There are the departments of the government and the private insurance companies, the officers at the welfare desks, the formulary makers, other participating personnel, and the business directors behind the scenes, which could be the real deal in the end.
So, where are we in this? I mean the frontline healthcare providers, who interact with patients. In addition to spending years of studying to graduate, then more studying to be board certified, then more scrutinization in order to be licensed, all this to be called “an entry-level healthcare professional”!
New graduates, do you know why you are called this now? it’s not just accounting to the clinical experience, but also, because, you’ll spend more years to navigate through the system, to try and absorb all the non-clinical, non-medical, non-therapeutic, bits and pieces of the system that drag your legs into it, because you have no other choice. You’ll be navigating through all the politics and policies, the agreements, and the contracts, work and society’s expectations, the non-medical issues, and the unprofessional staff, that will affect your practice. There is a great deal of taboo competition underlying a day to day practice, and the surprise is, it could be from peers and nonpeers alike, qualified or not, and those entitled or not entitled.
We are all in this together; tap dancing, hoping not to step on each other’s foot while doing so.
A healthcare provider in the Canadian healthcare system is more of a reactor rather than a generator. Yes, we are grateful for this opportunity, but we are consumed in it. We fight for what is ours in the first place. The right to deliver the best care to our patients in the most optimal conditions and these conditions are what I call here, “the system” and/or “the healthcare culture”.
We shouldn’t be the victim, nor that I’m calling for us to be the victor. We should be humble, but we should also be appreciated, truly appreciated. And to reclaim that is a reflection of balance and justice.
