Eighteen months ago, I was diagnosed with moderate to advanced Parkinson’s Disease. Since that time, I have been taking levocarb to control the symptoms, but over time I have presented with symptoms my neurologist feels are unusual
for Parkinson’s. Before proceeding on the assumption that all the strange things my body is doing is related to Parkinson’s, my neurologist referred me for a PET scan in the hopes of finding some answers.
Of course, I am hoping, too, that the PET scan can provide some answers.
The appointment I was given is for March 2027.
From the time my neurologist arranged the appointment, it was going to be an 8 month wait. He tried to flag it as urgent, but March 2027 was the best the hospital could do.
This is certainly not timely access to medical treatment.
Our public healthcare system has been the victim of repeated years of underfunding by our provincial government. Then main difference with the UCP government is that it deliberately sought to destroy our healthcare system by
collapsing the organizational framework of Alberta Health Service’s integrated model to replace it with four silos, four times the bureaucracies, four ministers of health, and abject confusion. A great deal of healthcare designated funding went into the creation
and support of this Frankenstein’s monster.
There is virtually no dependable public healthcare in Alberta to support the creation of a dual-practice model of healthcare. There is not the available staff for two tracks. The public system has resources, but some of these
have been closed for use - such as the formerly new surgical facility at the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton and the closing of Emergency Rooms in a large number of rural hospitals on weekends or evenings.
The UCP government made no plans to support healthcare in preparation to meet the needs of an increased and aging population. There is every sign that they intend to widely privatize healthcare despite the negative outcomes of
countries that have dual-track models. Reports of concerted lobbying activities by private health insurance companies seeking to open the market in Alberta signals understandable concerns on the part of Albertans that the UCP government means to make citizens
pay if they want or need timely medical assessments or treatments.
I fervently hope that our federal government will intervene regarding the passage of Bill 11 and insure that contraventions of the Canada Health Act are stopped.
P.S.