Wait over a year to see a Doctor?

[2diagnosis]

800% rise in outpatients waiting more than a year
ROBBIE DINWOODIE, Chief Scottish Political Correspondent

THE issue of hospital waiting times returned to haunt the Scottish Executive yesterday when it was revealed there had been an eightfold increase in the number of outpatients waiting more than a year to see a consultant.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Nationalists' Holyrood leader, in a spectacular ambush at first minister's questions, brandished new statistics showing the rise over the last six years.
The figures showed there were 885 outpatients who had been waiting more than a year to see a consultant by the time they were eventually seen in the summer of 1999.
In the final quarter of last year, the equivalent figure was 7679, said Ms Sturgeon.
Mr McConnell was thrown on the back foot, forced to return to the figures the executive released a fortnight ago suggesting the problem was now being overcome.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/35088-print.shtml
Mr McConnell said: "I don't have that figure with me but I'm sure Miss Sturgeon is about to inform me."
She obliged: "Is the first minister aware that in June 1999, the number of outpatients who had waited more than a year to see a consultant was just 885? But by the end of the most recent quarter in December, the number of patients who had to wait more than a year was 7679.......

..... But she went on: "There are eight times as many outpatients waiting more than a year to see a consultant now than when this government took office. The number has almost trebled since he became first minister, and it's still going up.
"Isn't it the case that these figures show the real experience of outpatients in Scotland?"
She added: "Doesn't the first minister realise that every time he tries to deny the black-and-white facts, all he does is insult every patient waiting too long for an outpatient appointment?"

[Radical Activist]

1. I wonder how many millions of Americans

haven't had a regular doctors visit for several years because they don't have insurance.

[Sugarbleus]

9. BINGO!!

Was just going to say that. How about waiting 20 YEARS for a doctor..like me?

I don't envy anyone (Scotland or elsewhere) that has to wait for an appointment but hey, SOME care is better than ZERO.

I read something about Russia, England and some other European country having to curtail their "social programs" lately. I guess the money is tight everywhere..........OR.......the neocon agenda is working it's way through other countries with their insidious ideas.

So, Scotland KEEP UP THE FIGHT. Don't let them do you folks they way they do us here.

[Skittles]

2. at least they get to see one

millions of Americans NEVER do

[countryjake]

3. Wait only a year, then get to see a doctor?

I haven't been able to afford medical or dental care for more than a decade...sounds good to me!

[SoCalDem]

4. RTP

(republican talking points ) :P

[LosinIt]

5. seems to be full of them

sigh

[donheld]

7. Indeed RTP

[LosinIt]

12. I wonder how much something like that pays?

spreading the word as it were. Check out the sig line.

[sandnsea]

6. Is a consultant a specialist?

It can take several months to see a specialist here, so it sounds like it used to be the same there as here. Until whatever recent problems they've got.

I haven't been to a doctor since 1992, so waiting a year would be an improvement to me anyway.

[tjwash]

8. Ther right loves to trot out this kind of bullshit...

...to convince everyone of the dangers of *gasp* socialized medicine.

[cornermouse]

10. If you don't have the insurance or the cash, you can't see them

anyway, so how is waiting a year any worse?

[ikri]

11. We're not talking serious illness here

These are OUTPATIENT consultations. None of these patients will be waiting a year to see a consultant for life-threatening illnesses.

If they were needing an urgent operation/treatment they would be seen immediately. If they have an ingrowing toenail, they might have to wait for treatment.

[soup]

13. shame

Kerry Calls on Bush Administration to Plan for Returning Troops and Protect Veterans’ Health Care

“It is my hope Secretary Rumsfeld will immediately address the back-log in our Army medical system” says Kerry

Friday, January 23, 2004

Washington D.C – Senator John F. Kerry today called on the Bush Administration to explain how they plan to provide quality health care to the thousands of troops returning from overseas duty without further stressing an overburdened Veterans health care system.

“I am outraged by the fact that soldiers are being forced to wait in substandard housing to receive medical care,” Senator Kerry said. “We must provide adequate medical care for those who put their life on the line for America. I am disappointed that the administration has not acted sooner in alleviating the health care crisis facing our veterans and better planned for our returning troops. It is my hope that this administration will immediately address the back-log and keep faith with those who keep our country safe.”

Recent press reports show that there is already a backlog of active duty troops waiting for medical care. As forces return from Iraq, the problem will only increase. Last fall it was reported that hundreds of national guardsmen and reservists were forced to live in substandard housing at Ft. Stewart , Georgia, while they awaited treatment. More recent reports show that currently some 2,500 troops are waiting for medical care after returning from overseas.

Pentagon officials have acknowledged that with the massive rotation of troops out of Iraq, DOD medical facilities will be insufficient. In a letter to Senator Kerry written in December, Pentagon officials say they plan to send some active duty troops to VA medical facilities. However, VA facilities are already operating at capacity, with 40,000 waiting for care, even after the Bush Administration took the drastic action of excluding veterans from the system, suspending outreach and attempting to raise co-payments to drive down participation.
http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/cfm/record.cfm?id=217367

---

Are Veterans Getting Proper Medical Attention?
Some Wait 4 Months Or More
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- While thousands of men and women continue serving in the Persian Gulf, even more have pledged their support for them from the home front.

But have we really lived up to the promises we made to other veterans decades ago?

They were told the government would provide them with lifetime medical care, but today that means many wait months just to get a doctor's appointment, NewsChannel 4's Holly Hollingsworth reported.

Paul Gottfried, 71, filed his Veterans Administration medical benefits paperwork last fall, but he won't get his first doctor's visit until this spring.

"Five months to get an appointment," the Korean War veteran said. "And that'll be a 40-minute appointment. And then after that, you don't get appointments. If you need to see a doctor, you just go down there and wait until you can get in."
>snip<

In Ohio, vets wait on average four months for a primary care visit. In other states, the wait is seven months or longer.
http://www.nbc4i.com/target4/2184020/detail.html

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Ten reasons why many Gulf war veterans oppose invading Iraq
Anonymous Gulf war veteran, 24 September 2002

10. The Department of Veterans Affairs will not be able to care for additional casualties because VA can't even take care of current VA patients. Most veterans now wait six months to see a VA doctor, and most veterans wait more than six months to receive a decision on a VA disability claim. Many of those waiting in line are Gulf War veterans, many with unusual illnesses. According to VA, of the nearly 700,000 veterans who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, more than 300,000 have sought VA healthcare, and more than 200,000 have filed VA disability claims. Two weeks ago, President Bush slashed $275 million from the healthcare budget of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Although the Iraqi government is a corrupt dictatorship that must eventually be removed, current proposals to remove the government by deploying hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops are deeply flawed. A premature attack against Iraq, especially when the public opposes it, would be a horrible mistake. Since 1990, more than 400 U.S. soldiers have died in the Gulf War theater of operations. Untold hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, both soldiers and civilians, also died. A second invasion of Iraq for one man is not worth one more life; let's use common sense and avert a second Gulf War.

The author is a Gulf War combat veteran. http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/article.asp?id=2

http://www.refusingtokill.net/USGulfWar2/tenreasons.htm

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Isn't it just as important to look at how things are here in our own glass house?

[lonestarnot]

14. This is acceptable for repukes, not dems. n/t