Superior health care in Canada is a myth

Re: “Private surgery is troubling,” editorial, Sept. 6.

Your editorial perpetuates the debilitating myth that we enjoy one of the best health-care systems in the world relative to dollars spent. Although we spend about 12 per cent of GDP on health, our outcomes are often mediocre.

Next-day access to a doctor in Canada is 22 per cent versus 86 per cent in France, according to the Journal of Health Affairs.

Access to a specialist in Canada requires two months or more for 41 per cent of patients versus only five per cent of patients in Switzerland, ranking us second to last of 10 countries surveyed.

Access to surgery requires four months on average in Canada versus only five per cent of patients having that delay in Switzerland and zero in Germany.

Amenable mortality (deaths avoidable by timely intervention) shows us 12th of 27, infant mortality 27th of 40, hip replacement 21st and knee replacement 11th.

The bastion of socialism, Sweden, has moved to a public/private system, as has the perpetual lefty France. Both countries have better health outcomes while spending less per capita.

Why do we, and your paper in particular, continue to spread the myth of superior health care in Canada? Most Canadians do not care if their health-care provider is public or private, unionized or not. They simply want the best care to be available in a timely and cost-effective manner. Gordon Politeski Halfmoon Bay