This kind of post is worthless without reasons. nm
Posted By: Don't waste your time posting this empty garbag on 2006-01-22
In Reply to: bad, don't go there! - t
:l
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Money is worthless in that kind of disaster.
i
Answer to all recent posts . . . sm . . . and my own summarization of reasons as to the first post -
To the poster accusing me of lying (SEE MESSAGE):
I am not. However, I have to mention that I have been working at least 20 hours of OT a pay period. My end amount for the month before taxes is about $2200 (give or take a few hundred depending on how much OT I can work).
Thus, I take home from that about $850 per pay check. That is $1700 a month of take home pay. Like I said in my first post, my husband is able to bring home some money. So with his help, our monthly income is about $1900 after taxes and benefits.
Below is the list of our expenses in a month. Obviously, we are not living comfortably and are pinching ever penny we have, but we are still making it.
House - $1350/mo
Phone Bill - $80/mo
Electric - $125/mo
Heat - $110/mo
Diapers - $40/mo
Gas - $50/mo
Food - $140/mo
Total - $1895/mo
I know the food amount seems low, but we grew all our own vegetables during the summer and have a connection with relatives on farms for eggs, chicken, and beef. We have made an effort to keep our bills as low as possible.
Next poster (My Take):
Yes, $11.50/hr is very low. However, if I were to go outside the home with my education, I wouldn't be able to find a job at more than maybe $16.00/hr. Yes that is quite a bit more than $11.50/hr, however, that does not include the $$$ that I would be having to pay to put my son into day care and does not include the $$$ that I would be spending on gas (would have to travel about 100 miles a day to find a job that pays that much). All that added up, ends up making my horrible pay of $11.50/hr equal to or greater than the $16.00/hr pay. I do not consider myself to be working for peanuts. I could make more if I wanted, but I chose to have family benefits, an employee status, and produce work that I can be proud of (not that I am saying those of you making more money than I aren't producing good work, I just know if I rush too much, I tend to miss things that I wouldn't had I slowed down and took my time). In the position I am at right now, I can easily make $24/hr, but because I tend to make more mistakes at this pace, I choose to slow down and send out great work. I wouldn't want my medical record to be incorrect. I completely understand that there aren't many, who would like to be in my situation, I am just trying to show people that you actually can live off of lower pay, whether you want to admit it or not. I do know that where you live makes a big difference, but if I have to chose between a roof over my family's head and food on the table versus living in a certain area, you better believe I will chose my family.
Next Poster (Hawaii MT):
Hawaii is a much more expensive place to live. I don't think I could be an MT and live there due to that fact. However, I wouldn't put myself in that situation. Your post is correct, I don't think you could live off of $11.50/hr down there, which is why if that was all I was bringing in, I would have to move. Better to be miserable and support my family than be happy but not have a house or food to eat. IMHO. In regards to clothes, I am lucky because I have my sister, who gives me the stuff she doesn't want any more. I haven't bought one article of clothing for myself in 5 years now. In reference to your next post about moving and then moving back, that is was your decision to put yourself in that situation of living in a more expensive area. Thus if you aren't making enough to survive, isn't it your fault then? Why complain about the industry? Granted, I am not sure if you are one to be complaining, but just my thoughts.
Next Poster (MTT):
I never said I was doing well off of $11.50/hr. In fact, I am not doing well at all, just getting buy, but I am able to make it, so that is why I am happy. I can't believe you make almost as much as a nurse. You must be awesome. Nurses in my area make $35/hr minimum. I do, however, agree that the lack of pay raises in this industry is frustrating. The more experience I have, the less my pay seems to be. I went from making almost $14/hr with a local hospital to $11.50/hr with an MTSO, but didn't have a choice, so made it work.
Next Poster (MT):
I know you can't live in California or New York on my wages. However, if I were living in those areas and making what I make, I would be working 2 to 3 jobs if I felt I absolutely had to continue to live in those areas. I doubt I would do that though. I would much rather live a more comfortable lifestyle somewhere that is less expensive.
Next Poster (thought about moving?):
My thoughts exactly. For those complaining about their wages and the cost of living being so much, I don't understand why they complain, when there are other options. JMHO.
Next Poster (50 miles inland):
Florida is cheaper than California, as well as a lot of the southern and east coasts.
Next Poster (income):
My rent went from $500/mo 3 years ago to $1350/mo once I bought a house. This was my choice, but I know what it is like to feel a shock from rising payments. I have adjusted to this though, and actually since our payments have gone up, our income has gone down by over half of what it used to be. Not much fun, but the whole point of my original post was to let people know that it still can be done, just that sometimes drastic measures have to be taken. I don't know of many who can get their income to go up, so instead of complaining about how low it is all the time, why not do something about the extra expenses you do have?
Next Poster (I would be happy at $25/hr too):
If you can't afford to live off of what you are making and you live in a high cost area, then what I meant by reevaluate your lifestyle might actually be that if you want to continue as an MT because of all the other perks, you might have to sacrifice and move so that you can afford to live while working as an MT. That would be one way of reevaluating if you can't afford to live like you currently are on your pay. Personally, I wouldn't be moving. I would be finding a different job or getting more jobs. I like where I live.
The basic point of my post is that there is no point in complaining about how "little you make". If you don't make enough money to "survive", then you should be looking at either a new job, another job, or finding a place where you can "survive" off of what you currently make. There is no point in coming on these boards to complain about your "horrible pay or no raises" when you are making twice as much as a lot of people. Besdies with the economy right now, anyone with a job doesn't even have a right to complain IMHO. I know too many people laid off right now, who are struggling to keep their house. So to see people complaining about what they make when they have a job is not fair.
My whole point of my original post had nothing to do with how much I make (trust me, I am not proud of it, but it does pay the bills, so I am grateful for that). It had to do with the fact that you should be happy you have a job.
To those of you that said I was happy making $11.50/hr, the reason I am "happy" is because I can support my family. I don't like the amount and think it is quite low, but I am so happy right now just to have a job it isn't even funny. This is why I am happy with my $11.50/hr. Seriously, with the way the economy is, I would be happy as a peaches pie just to be making anything over minimum wage.
Also, I like being an MT and being able to work from home and be with my family. I think the fact that I am able to be home with my family everyday is well worth my lack in pay.
I do understand that we aren't getting paid what we should be and that the wages are continuing to go down, but that is happening everywhere. Just be happy you have a job. Seriously.
Any more comments . . . I am just trying to make those who are complaining realize how lucky they actually are to have a job and to be making as much as they do.
Give professional reasons why you deserve it, not personal reasons
x
I'm kind of confused about your post
Are you currently working in a casino but want to go back to transcription??
Where are you located that the pay is so low?? If you are looking to get back into transcription - depending on where you are, I might know of a hospital that is hiring - I kind of want to guess that you are in Arizona, but I'm probably wrong.
Let me know
They meant in OPs post. We don't know what kind
So people shouldn't assume anything is anti-Christian about the question.
Good reply - LOL. This is just the kind of post
she would understand; it's on her level, which sounds about like my niece in 1st grade. You should've added "na na na boo boo"
Details please, or this kind of post isn't very helpful. nm
nm
your post sounds kind of defensive and gay.
get over it.
To kind of piggyback on the post below where one mentions (m)
that outsourcing to other countries should soon stop because of HIPAA, why has it even been allowed since HIPAA? I mean, facilities where I live area anal about HIPAA and super strict, so why is it that we can barely get our OWN medical information, but it's freely funneled to other countries without protection of the information?
I stayed for many reasons and while those reasons have changed - sm
I loved MT because I was good at it and it came naturally to me. Typing, language, etc. The perks of working from home and being able to raise my family were a huge plus. I stayed because in the hayday of MT you could make really good money really fast (2500 lpd @ $0.15 cpl).
I stayed while my children were young and I could be available for them. I stayed so I could return to school and have that flexible schedule to juggle everything once the kids grew older. I stayed full-time and cut school back to half time so I could take care of my ailing parents and inlaws when the time arose.
I continue to stay because I still need to finish school (3 semesters to go) and unfortunately my DH is ill and needs someone to care for him now. I stay because it is convenient, but I do not plan to stay forever.
I sure miss the big money days, but what money I make now is sufficient enough to pay my bills. It is a means to an end so to speak and it has been a godsend along the way. But I in no way plan to stay at it forever. It served and continues to serve a purpose, but it is no longer what I "love" to do.
How is it that my opinion is worthless
and yours is always the only opinion that is right? Everyone has a right to say what they want. If you don't like it, then don't respond. People could say the same about your 2 cents. You think you know everything, but you sound like a Fat Sajak most of the time. See ya later B-town.
You are so right - it's basically worthless
nm
Many of us agree that it is worthless...
Very few companies pay more for being a CMT. The so-called "credential" is not valued nor recognized by MOST healthcare facilities as well as individual doctors. This is not just an opinion, but it is a FACT based on research with which I am currently involved. (Whether a CMT differential is paid is only one small bit of information collected).
Also, you said, "...The name change came to be to allow others who work in the industry access to the association should it be their wish to join. Previously those people had been excluded."
Those wishing to join who had previously "been excluded" are not American MTs. It is common knowledge that the AAMT will collect a dollar wherever they can, including from off-shore MTs that are running the industry into the ground through both poor quality and accepting sub-par pay.
Taking "American" out of the name is very fitting.
The AAMT had NEVER been a true representative of American MTs. Even the BOS is simply a money maker. It could be very useful. However, arbitrarily changing some of the most basic rules of grammar by putting those new "rules" in a book is ridiculous. By what authority does someone just CHANGE grammar rules??? Now that two editions of the BOS are published, you can be sure someone is working on changing more rules to enable a third edition to come out.
Hogwash! AAMT, BOS...all pure HOGWASH.
Maybe some here should get together, form an MT organization, decide to publish a book with our own new set of grammar and other rules, make up a test (and even charge to take the beta version), and issue a "credential" to those who pass.
That would be exactly what the AAMT has done.
Unfortunately, some online schools push the CMT until all their new grads think it is the coolest thing on wheels. Only when they get a bit of real-world experience do they realize (hopefully) that they wasted their money. Oh, and now while they wiat two years before they can sit for the CMT, they have the RMT (equally useless) so they can donate to the AAMT early on.
AAMT/worthless
Once upon a time....I was a cheerleader for this organization. I was a local and state chapter board member, committee chairperson, worked in the ranks. We went to meetings in other states to support out colleagues. We held big symposiums that took a lot of planning and attendees gained CECs. The national group from AAMT was never supportive of the local or state chapters -- it was all about their presence and money. They never listened to our members' concerns or delegates/members views. National had an agenda and the rank and file were not a part of their plans.
Take note that many many productive chapters have folded over the years. There was a time when AAMT was very anti on-line presence.
AAMT sold us down the river, as someone else said. Previous national board members were very involved with training and providing work off-shore, under cutting bids for work, at a time when they were hiding these facts. Many of them were never in the trenches and they were more concerned with corporate politics than the working MTs.
As for the CMT credential, that's a personal choice, but most of us never saw any benefit, and it was not cost effective. It's another way for AAMT to make money.
.... and the list goes on.
If you are already an MT, school is worthless
I have been an MT for nearly 10 years, OJT for me, as well, and I can tell you, I have never felt the need to go to school to get a piece of paper that tells people what I already know... I'm good at my job. The only thing that might possibly get you a better paying job is certification. If I was going to waste a year on studying something I already know, it would be for that. If I owned an MTSO, I would take a veteran MT who had OJT over a newly-schooled MT anyday. Give yourself some credit!
TL is a do nothing, worthless added layer of
management to make some people think they are more important than they really are. Most of them know jack-sh** about anything, are just company pets and get paid to be a PITA.
Then that makes the "wonderful" features of IT worthless.
IT takes so long to get used to using that increase is production you may eventually get is not enough to cover for the money you lose while trying to learn the program. If you have to memorize everything, you might as well use Autocorrect.
Shorthand is much better and easier to use.
Forget the worthless AAMT certification
It will help you a lot more in the long run.
If you want to sue, you MUST have damages to sue for. GO to the DOCTOR or a suit is worthless.
I've seen enough Judge Judy (I love her, too!) to know this. If you have no damages, you get no money. With no PROOF of damages, you basically have no damages.
You would need to take pictures of any scrapes and bruises that you have as a result of being dragged, falling, the leash pulling you, etc. You also need a doctor's report. A judge won't just take your word that you were hurt. Good luck!
Never heard of RMT. In my experience, CMT is worthless in the job market.
x
I have a 100% discount for you. Don't take the test! It's worthless as is the association be
...counter not working... does that make them worthless?
Thanks DeeAnn, that link helped confirm what I thought. Neither of the counters are working on these two machines. Everything else is (tone,speed, etc. adjustments), peddle, power and headsets are all fine. Just no counters. Out of curiosity, do the counters not working tremendously devalue them? The neighbor was offering to give me one of three machines if I'd sell the two remaining ones, hence my involvement and interest. I've wondered about getting into MT (lord knows I can't handle full-scale court reporting school but am quick to learn, fast on keyboard and diligent though I need to sharpen grammar and proofing a bit). I was going to ebay these but with broken counters not sure what they are potentially worth, if too low then he may not want to part with anything. Otherwise, I'd go ahead... Refurbs are outrageously expensive but say around $50 each unit - is that asking too much? Opinions?
Hahaha You mean a wooden nickel -- worthless! Hahaha
:)
just try to help him be sure its for the right reasons
You have to let kids this age make some decisions, even wrong ones, and live with the consequences. But i would just try to get the dialog going, find out why it isn't 'fun'...personally, i feel if the desire is gone -- he won't play well anyway. Ultimately, his is one decision i'd let him have.
Many many many reasons
Too many to type...just believe me...
My 2 reasons...
I love my husband because: 
1. He's thougtful...calls or emails me several times a day.
2. After almost 20 years together, he still gives me chills when he walks in the door after work.
There are so many more reasons why, but you said 2...
my reasons
1. He knows me better than anyone else on the planet after knowing me for 27 years and being married for 23 and SILL loves and accepts me! :-)
2. I always feel that "everything will work out" if he tells me so.
there are many reasons - sm
I know of two hospitals that had decided to completely outsource their transcription to a well known large national service. Their reason was that they could not find transcriptionists in their area. Two years later, both hospitals let the service go and decided to go back with in house transcription. There were many reasons behind that decision.
I have a friend that works at a hospital in the midwest and says that the outsource service is costing the hospital more than if they had kept their staff. She had said that her hospital is in the process of hiring people to come back to work either at the hospital or, hopefully, at home.
The hospital I worked at could not find transcriptionists in the area, so they decided to outsource as well. Our boss didn't make it a secret that the service was charging them $45,000 MONTH. That was more than if our whole staff was working 10 hours of overtime a week/per transcriptionist. So our boss is looking into hiring transcriptionists that live within a 2 hour driving radius to work from home after a week of training in our hospital and paying for them to stay in a hotel.
Sometimes it is not cost effective to outsource. Sometimes the service is really bad and the hospital does not want to continue to pay for the errors. There could be other reasons, but those are ones that I can think of off the top of my head.
Which, among other reasons, is why I would -
;)
My reasons...
Well, Pattie, I have been doing this for 25 years. I am 50 years old. I am good at it. I want to work at home. I am reluctant to leave my chosen field at this stage in my life.
I could not have predicted, when I obtained my MT training, that this field would take such a nosedive in pay. Obviously I would have chosen another field had I known.
As you get older, you are more reluctant to train in a new field.
My reasons...
for stick with MT and even coming back after a couple of absences:
1. I love the work. It satisfies my need to be in the medical field (quit nursing school way back when - bonehead move on my part!) without having to go back to school or actually deal with people too much.
2. My husband is disabled and my boys are teenagers. If I worked outside the home in another field, I'd be spending everything I made on paying someone to take care of things at home.
3. I really like the company I'm with. Been with 'em now for about 4 years and have loved nearly every minute of it.
4. I'm too old (44) and set in my ways to retrain in a new field and get used to dealing with office politics again.
5. The money that maybe I'm NOT making, I'm also not spending on gas, clothes, lunches, etc. that are part of working outside the home.
6. Did I already say I love the field?
Well, 2 reasons. 3 really.
1) That seemed to be what everyone was hiring for.
2) I hoped to make more money that way.
3) After being an MT for 14+ years, I had a lot of confidence in my abilities as a transcriptionist. Honestly, I didn't realize how much I didn't know. I feel like a dang newb again 
Several reasons ... sm
1) May be checking to see if you have previous employment history with them under different name.
2) May be doing some type of credit/background check.
reasons
You know I will definitely pass these along. Some people just think you are being racist because you state the obvious and because you show such bitterness towards these people. Look at what they cost our country. Do you know how much crime these people bring here? The diseases? Do some research. They don't have proper vaccines over there. I mean think about it these are poor 3rd word people from an uncililized culture apparently. How can 3rd world culture merge into 1st world culture smoothly. It can't and it won't. They will never smoothly transition to the American culture because they do not want to.
And people can say well what about all the European immigrants many years ago? Well guess what? They wanted to be American so bad that they learned the English language and worked hard. They wanted to be AMERICAN. They did not expect Americans to transition for them they were willing to transition to our culture. These uncivilized vultures basically come here and they come here for one reason only: money and all they can get for nothing. They come here to work but they also abuse our social services to the utmost degree. I have seen on news programs where they will come over here and fly their Mexican flags. And you know how they fly the American flag? Upside down. Oh yes I have seen it on TV. I have seen them trying to burn the American flag. I don't care if it cost a trillion dollars this country needs to send every one of these people back to Mexico. Our country would be a whole lot better for it. We don't need this filth and crime in our nation. We are better than that. I am sorry if this offends some poeple but it is so true and sometimes the truth just hurts. That is what is wrong with our country today. Poeple tiptoe around the truth. Lets dont offend anyone! Well hey I say state the obvious. Tell it like it is.
Reasons
I answered your question above where you posted it as well. I must have misunderstood your post, as it seemed that you were challenging me. But, I was just trying to say that I don't want to debate the fact as to whether or not the queue is shuffled, cause I see it happen. I don't know their reasons, but this new shuffling maneuver only happens on one account that I work on there, and it just began about 5 weeks ago. It is really difficult for me to get a decent line count now, as all of the reports that I get are laborious since the reports that I find to be easiest are always being shuffled to the bottom of the pool. I understand that it is not a prison and that my only option is to get out the kitchen if I can't stand the heat.
I would think that those reasons
are given as opposed to unexplained weight loss, disease process, etc.
Three reasons...
1. It's good for a company to provide upward pathways for their people.
2. Some accounts can be very complex and require the QA to have prior experience with different special worktypes and/or exposure to certain dictators, etc.
3. There are many things you learn about an MT over the course of their employment that you will never learn from interviewing and even testing a new applicant, however experienced they may be. Unfortunately, our litigious society has rendered reference-checking practically useless, and you will never be able to test any applicant across the full range of dictation that you see coming in from your MT's every day.
There could be several reasons.
1. A lot of companies are hiring and do overhire to get their backlog down. Once their backlog is caught up, they weed out. They don't have to let people go, they can manipulate their queue until they quit. And please don't say this isn't true because one of my ex-friends who was a production manager actually told me this.
2. Benefits are based on production. If management can hire a lot of people, they can produce a lot for their clients, they still get the same bottom dollar. Yet, if the queues or servers are controlled, they can avoid overhead on benefits if production quotas are not met.
3. Why pay domestic employees 7 or 8 cpl when they can pay offshore MTs 3 or 4 cpl? They still have the same amount of production and still make the bottom dollar, yet they can control where the reports are going and who is getting them.
It all comes down to bottom dollar to management and owners. They can control whatever and whomever to achieve their goals. Not all companies are like this, but it is becoming more and more common.
Not working out for a lot of reasons...
The platform they have me on is not user-friendly at all.
It seems simple enough. You have to enter the job # and date, and then press enter to get the template to download with the patient's name, etc.
But if the doc hasn't entered the patient ID correctly, you'll have to look it up.
This can take a minute or several minutes, depending on if the patient exists in the system, among other things.
You'll come out ok if the note is long, but they average about 30 seconds.
Also, the doc may not have entered the correct clinic note ID, or the correct dictator ID, so that's another story.
If all goes well, you'll download a template. If there's something typed in the template, you don't get paid for it...but, if the doc makes changes (which of course they do), you have to delete.
I know what I'm capable of doing, but for some reason, I just can't make any lines working for Spheris.
I gave it a shot, but I'm ready to move on...maybe even change careers.
First, be very sure of the reasons that you want to homeschool.
It is tougher beginning at such a late grade, but it can be done. I started my son in 9th grade 9 years ago, so obviously I know a little bit about it. I also had a great friend who homeschooled her high school kids, so she could get me started with a lot of support and encouragement. Be sure you're ready to be with this child 24/7, because that's pretty much how it will feel. We did have problems with the school but tried every avenue to solve them before saying, "We don't need to put up with this, we do have a choice," when the school counselor said that we didn't have a choice. They thought they ruled my son's world; they were WRONG. I AM HIS PARENT, I believe I do have his best interests in mind when making choices for him. We are a Christian family, so it was easy to start by investigating Abeka Books for materials; bear in mind you'll have to buy all your own materials, nobody helps with that. My son now has his degree and is IT manager at a bank, looking to make VP.
You'll need to check out the homeschooling laws for your state, they vary. Just do an internet search for homeschooling laws for your state. Check around for homeschool groups, there are several out there. But, the biggest thing is just to make sure that you and your child are committed to working together to do this. It does take a lot of commitment and communication to do this and do it right. BEST of luck to you whatever your choice.
So, PFFFT to the person who says kids need to be in school. I know better and obvious hundreds or thousands of others do too.
Those are the reasons I do shop SM
at Target. I have a huge problem with the Salvation Army's practices (be our religion, go to OUR church, adhere to OUR values, or stay cold), I think our government ought to be the ones supporting the military since they sent them where they are, and as for supporting gay and lesbian rights, I think that is a good thing. I'm not sure exactly how you phrased that.
QA can be very tedious for these reasons:
1. You get all the garbage someone else either could not or did not take the time to hear and understand.
2. You often have to fix all kinds of little errors that the MT had no idea they even missed.
3. If you also have to provide feedback, then you will type your fingers to the bone.
I decided after 5 years to go back to being just an MT! :-)
I like your idea for 2 reasons
The MT knows what they need to be taught.. and it would give MTs losing jobs to outsourcing something to do! Great idea!
2 other reasons i've seen are
using the transcription area of the hospital for other things and not having to pay benefits.
There could be any of a number of reasons.
Some physicians have a God complex and freak at the slightest mistake. I have seen that happen many times even if it was something the MT could not control. You should have been given better instructions regarding format, but the powers that be may not have realized you were not. If the physician freaked, the office staff was not going to admit that they did not do their part.
I agree it's one of the reasons
I do this work...hard to get the work done with a baby or preschooler in the house but great once they go to school...no latchkey kid problem. Now if I only had a separate room for my own office...
What are the reasons you want to do MTing?
NM
No, for all the reasons you mentioned.
for those same reasons, i refuse to be a member, though i too was originally. AKA AAMT is like congress today, self-serving, not representing "the people."
a couple of reasons
Canada has 2.1 physicians and 8.8 nurses for 1000 people in their population. Plus they are paid by the government. Approximately 12% of the Canadian physicians practice in the US because they are compensated better.
This was taken from a publication called "Health Care News."
In recent years, patients treated by the Canadian health care system have increasingly experienced lengthy waits to see providers. Treatment waiting times are now part of the public policy debate on the quality of the Canadian health care system.
In its 16th annual installment, the report titled "Waiting Your Turn" tracks how waiting times vary across Canadian provinces depending on the type of treatment needed. The report also documents waiting times for referral to specialists and the subsequent amount of time spent waiting for actual treatment from the specialist.
"Despite all of the promises made by Canada's provincial and federal governments, and despite the fact that Canadians are spending more on health care than ever before, the total wait time in Canada continues to hover near the 18-week mark as it has since 2003," coauthor Nadeen Esmail said in an interview for this article. "Equally troubling is the reality that the total wait time in 2006 is 91 percent longer than it was in 1993."
These findings should give pause to proponents of universal coverage, who often cite Canada as an example of a country where health care costs less than care in the United States and everyone has free health care at the point of service.
"While many proclaim Canada's Medicare program to be one of the best in the world, or suggest it should be the model for reform in the United States," Esmail said, "the reality is that health spending in Canada outpaces that in most other developed nations that, like Canada, guarantee access to care regardless of ability to pay, and yet access to health care in this country lags that available in most of these other nations."
The average amount of time spent waiting to receive treatment after referral by a general practitioner averaged 17.8 weeks across Canada. At 14.9 weeks, Ontario had the shortest waits. Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick had average waits of 25.8 weeks, 28.5 weeks, and 31.9 weeks, respectively.
Patients referred to a neurosurgeon waited an average of 21 weeks just to see a specialist. Getting treatment required an additional 10.7 weeks.
Patients waited an average of 16.2 weeks to see an orthopedic surgeon, and another 24.2 weeks for treatment to be performed after the initial visit.
The number of people routinely waiting for services is staggering, according to the report. Approximately 1.1 million people had trouble accessing care on a timely basis.
About 201,000 had problems obtaining non-emergency services. An additional 607,000 had problems getting in to see a specialist, and about 301,000 patients experienced problems obtaining diagnostic procedures.
"So much for the myth of government-run health care being compassionate and fair," said David Gratzer, a Canadian doctor and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. "Canadians wait and wait and wait."
In Canada, waiting lists are considered a way of rationing medical care and holding down health care spending. Because health care in Canada is largely free at the point of service, demand is likely to exceed supply. In a typical market system, the price would adjust to the point where the quantity of services provided is equal to the amount patients are willing to buy. But in a system devoid of a market mechanism, scarce resources are rationed through means other than price.
"The long waits for needed care in Canada show the danger of abandoning markets in favor of central planning," explained Sean Parnell, vice president of external relations at The Heartland Institute, an Illinois-based think tank. "Just as there were long lines for food and other basic necessities in the old Soviet Union because planners couldn't accurately match supply with demand, the politicians and bureaucrats who run health care in Canada can't provide enough health care to meet the citizens' needs."
"It's like the old Soviet system," Gratzer said. "Everything is free, but nothing is readily available. Except that we're not talking about lining up for toilet paper in Russia in 1976, but queuing for surgery in Canada in 2006."
Economists generally agree such "non-price" rationing of resources is less efficient than a system that uses prices. One reason is that productivity is lost when people are unable to work due to treatment delays. Also, the risk of death while waiting is higher for serious conditions such as cardiac care.
Waiting lists are consequences of the way the Canadian health care system is structured, not a lack of money, critics say.
"The fact that this is the 16th annual report on wait lists for needed care should be enough to prove that the problem isn't a temporary one that can be fixed with just a little more money, as defenders of Canada's government-run system have claimed for years," Parnell said. "Long waits and widespread denial of needed care are a permanent and necessary part of government-run systems," Parnell noted.
According to the study, Canadian provinces with higher spending per capita did not experience shorter wait times than provinces that spent less. In fact, increased spending was associated with longer waits, unless the increased spending was targeted to physicians and pharmaceuticals.
"The current health care model simply does not deliver to Canadians the access to care they should expect for the amount of money their governments are spending," Esmail said.
Oh please! Now its all about the $$ again. He lives in France for several reasons,
the obvious of which is his wife wants to stay in her homeland, and, secondly, he has said that the Parisians treat him like a regular guy - we all know that celebs living in the USA are stalked and their lives are chaotic trying to avoid stalkers, paparazzi, etc. He feels his children are safe there, and they are his #1 priority. Even a lesser known actor like Gary Oldman, who has NEVER stated anything politically incorrect, had to leave the LA area in the USA because some nut case "fan" keeps threatening to kill his 2 little boys. While Gary Oldman has been quoted as saying he LOVES living in the USA compared to Britain, he's had to return to Europe because the climate for celebreties is not as crazy as it is in the USA. Its INSANE. They do live some of the year in the USA by his family, but he has chosen not to disclose the location or times of year. He is like one of the BIGGEST stars in the world right now - and still nuts hate him. Hmm....I saw BOTH interviews, and read the original "USA hatred" article, and he never said that. While eccentric, the man is brilliant - do you think he'd be stupid enough to say he hated the USA? He NEVER said it, but its just the perfect example of how media manipulates things, and how some of us are naieve enough to believe it. Boycott him all you want - its your loss, not his!
there are reasons for part timers
I have a medical condition and cannot always do a full two weeks, due to exhaustion and pain from my blood dyscrasia. That is why I am not a full time employee. I was but had to cut back and when I did MQ canceled my insurance. I would gladly go back to a hospital and work in-house but the two hospitals out here have outsourced all transcription. When I did work in-house, I was able to work part time and the hospital offered insurance coverage to part timers. I only had to pay $70/pay period for insurance. Im astonished that most trans services will not cover part timers..I cant figure that out. If the part timer is willing to pay the extra amount, why not? I also have lost faith in American private insurance, as how can you trust private companies making decisions about whether you can get chemo, MRI's, etc? Back a few years ago, whatever the doctor said you needed, you got. Not anymore. Now American HMOs and insurance companies pay people to check over your medical history and decide whether you can get this or that done. How can you trust companies when their only concern is profit and making as much for the stockholders as possible. Give me a universal health plan throughout the country any day.
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