Imperfections of medical system
Dear Editor: Re: “Challenges of finding a doctor.” We too have found this very challenging. Having moved here several months ago, I have spent many hours contacting doctors and visiting clinics to find a GP but to no avail.One clinic gave us the phone number of the College of Physicians and surgeons whom I called only to be told that they have no names of doctors in Penticton, Summerland, Peachland, or Kelowna taking new patients qualifying it with “but doctors are not obligated to keep their availability updated with the College.”
They advised me to do as I have been doing and contacting individual doctors. Some indicated their waiting lists are already four to five pages long. Most say they have simply stopped taking names. A very disheartening chore. Recently, my husband had to get prescriptions renewed and had a question on a recent symptom that he has developed. He went to one of the walk-in clinics, waited two-and-a-half hours. When the doctor was finally able to see him, he didn’t bother looking at my husband’s readings (he is diabetic), didn’t spend any time explaining to him why he was getting certain symptoms and possible causes, he simply dismissed it. He handed him three months worth of prescriptions and walked out after having spent a total of four-and-a-half minutes with him.
On the way to the pharmacy we noticed some of the prescriptions were not correct and called back with a sinking feeling of having to spend another several hours waiting. Fortunately, we were told to have the pharmacy call them with what we needed.
In three months time we will have to repeat this procedure. Not sure why. Could the doctor not just bill the health system for talking to the pharmacist when we need more? At least this way he would be getting his fee and it would save us this demeaning experience.
And odds are, it will be a different doctor, so no consistency and no preventative care. It is very frustrating as it is no one’s fault. It is a systemic flaw.
As the city of Penticton keeps growing and the town encourages more multiple housing development, maybe city council should start ensuring that adequate infrastructure is in place and if is not adequate then have developers include solutions to this before them granting permits for future housing developments.
And by the way, not sure if there is a connection but my husband came down with the flu three days after waiting all that time in the clinic’s waiting room surrounded by flu sufferers. Colette Belzil Penticton