Sanders: Canadian health-care system ‘strong example’ for U.S.
TORONTO — U.S. senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders says Americans have much to learn from health systems outside their borders, including Canada’s.
“We do not in the United States do a good job in looking around the rest of the world and asking the questions that have to be asked,” he said Saturday during a tour of three Toronto hospitals.
The independent senator from Vermont has been crusading for the creation of a single-payer health system in the United States, much like Canada’s. He told reporters that his most important take-away from the tour is that Canada’s health system is innovative, contrary to what he hears from U.S. critics.
“What we heard was incredibly innovative. In fact, they are proud to be doing things that are leading the world. I think it is not a fair argument to say that the system here is not a strong system and innovative system.”
Sanders said he was particularly impressed by his tour of Sinai Health System’s state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit. Built three years ago, it has separate rooms for each infant, which helps with infection control, privacy and noise.
Pediatrician-in-chief Dr. Shoo Lee described a new model of care he has developed in which the parents of critically ill and premature infants serve as primary caregivers.
“The nurses’ job is to teach the parent, but not to look after the baby,” the physician explained, adding that patient outcomes are much improved. The new model of care improves bonding and makes for a smoother transition home, he added.
The unit focuses on high-risk pregnancies and care of the unborn infant. Just a few weeks ago, surgery was performed in utero on an infant that would otherwise have died, Sanders was told.
At Women’s College, Dr. Danielle Martin and Premier Kathleen Wynne showed Sanders the hospital’s Crossroads Clinic for refugees. Patient Samira Nafe, a refugee who came to Canada in 2012 from Eritrea, told Sanders she had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
“She’s getting treatment for free?” Sanders asked to nods of affirmation.
Dr. Meb Rashid, who runs the clinic, said Nafe’s experience shows the benefits of preventive care: “We were able to diagnose something before it became a problem.”
“You’re saving money,” Sanders remarked.
His tour of the hospital also took a stop at its billing office, where he seemed surprised to hear only one person worked.
He pointed out that it costs twice as much to provide a person with health care in the U.S. than it does in Canada. Extra administrative costs associated with private insurance are a factor.
Sanders also visited the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital. There, he was told by medical director Dr. Barry Rubin that there was no waiting list at all for patients needing urgent surgery.
Sanders admitted the Canadian system is not perfect, noting public coverage of drugs is limited and dentistry, for the most part, is not covered.