Our health system is on life support, and the prognosis is unknown. Much like with patients themselves, it’s not always clear what the problem is. But there is a problem. We are not well, so we ask doctors, nurses, and other professionals to help. Sometimes the answer is straightforward, with a prescription issued and the malady kept at bay. Other times, experimentation and tests are required to determine the cause of our sickness.
The financial woes of our system are not the cause of its problems, but rather the symptom. Gobbling up 50 percent of the provincial budget, the healthcare system cannot function in its current form in the long-term. Rather, it cannot function without serious jeopardy placed on other areas of government—and those cuts may have impacts on the healthcare system itself, since all government programs aim to improve the overall health of the population and reduce the burden on frontline health services.
This is not breaking news. We’ve seen the writing on the wall for decades. Much like a patient who’s told that his life choices are impacting his health, yet he does not change, the public has consistently fought changes to the system. And our doctors and politicians can only change as much as the public is willing to accept.
As the severity of the illness increases, the patient may be more open to change, however. Doctors may offer blunt suggestions. “Without taking steps to improve your health,” the doctor may say, “your condition may reach the point of no return or become incurable.”
Health Minister Goertzen has taken the tough stance of telling us that we are reaching that stage. If we are not at the pivot point where the system may fail, then we are at least getting close. Change isn’t just wise, it’s necessary. The system is bleeding and endless financial transfusions won’t keep it alive unless we find the wounds and begin to repair it.
Plain and simple, this is going to hurt. A little pain is often part of healing. In some cases, the pain may be short, like a Band-Aid being pulled off your arm. In other situations, it may be like stitching a wound without anesthesia.
While not as complex as the human body, our health system is an intricate web of programs, professionals, and policies that must be explored and probed for their function. Created over decades, some pieces may have served a purpose in the past but are no longer relevant, or at least they are not of the same priority level.
I feel for our health minister at this time as he deals with the most uncooperative of patients—the general public. We are the patient who wants our cholesterol controlled while still enjoying a daily rasher of bacon. We want a pill for every pain and a cure for every disease. Healthy solutions, however, must be a collective effort between the caregiver and the patient. Compromise, sacrifice, and change are all required. We may have to give up the “bacon” of having a full ER within steps of our homes in order to enjoy the other services we do—or will—need.
This system can only be fixed with the help of a caregiver who helps us deal with these harsh realities. As patients, we have to agree to cooperate.
Healthcare for all is a right, but all rights come with responsibility. We have to either ante up additional dollars or make some lifestyle changes. Life is full of trade-offs, and health is no different. Will we cooperate with our proverbial doctor and participate in the changes before the prognosis becomes terminal? The time is now.
