Health Care In Kitchener - What’s your experience?

Walking up and down the blocks of Kitchener has given my phone the 20,000 steps a day it wasn't expecting - and given me the ability to eat a little more than usual, although I don’t always find the time. 

All jokes aside, I know I am lucky to have good health and access to the health care I need. I also know this might not always be the case, and for many people across our country, this is a reality. 

What's Your Health Care Experience?

How you think about health care in this country tends to vary due to several factors. 

This includes:

• Age

• Medical history

• Past quality of care 

• Where you live

However, one thing continues to ring true - the cost of staying healthy in this country is rising.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) estimates Canada spends approximately $240 billion each year on health care, and this number is growing.

From being able to afford healthy foods, accessing prescription drugs, hospital visits, or the dentist, staying healthy can be pricey!

As such, I have decided to write about the things that have come up most frequently at the door surrounding healthcare - and consequently, the things I will be working hard to address while in office.

• Mental Health

• Ageing Populations

• Universal Health Care

• Proactive & Efficient Care

Mental Health

One-fifth of Canadians experience mental health concerns each year.

The cost to our community is social first, but it also has a financial cost - approximately $50 billion each year. This cost speaks to larger issues including - a lack of access to services, stigma, and growing health concerns for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

I have been told stories about emergency rooms at hospitals, where people are seeking care in moments of crisis. They should have had access to proactive mental health support services months before. We are not helping anyone, including the person seeking care, the overworked nurses, doctors or support staff, by waiting until the last minute to try and save a life.

Ageing Population

Older generations will comprise 25+% of our population by 2035.

We cannot have loved ones being mistreated or not receiving the care they need as they become increasingly vulnerable. We must move away from hallway medicine and rushing people out of the door!

For me, this means increased access to at-home care and preventative health services. This is not only more economical, but provides a safer, more dignified and efficient level of care. I lost my own grandmother to C-defile - the hospital disease - and I know how important it is to have a clean and safe place to heal. 

As time passes, a greater percentage of the population will rely on the health care system to ensure their quality of life - Canada must be prepared.

Universal Health Care

$33 Billion is spent on prescription drugs each year.

Canada claims to have universal health care, but only about 50% of health care costs are covered by the public domain. 

On top of that, Canadians pay the second-highest rate among developed countries for prescription drugs. In fact, 1 million Canadians give up food or heat in order to afford prescriptions!

Additionally, there is also a large number of Canadians who do not have access to vision and dental care because those vital services are almost completely privatized. 

There is not a one size fits all solution.  But, as the CBC reports, “30 years worth of budgets in nine Canadian provinces shows spending doubled per person, with no commensurated gains in health outcomes.”  We have to find a way to do health care differently.

More Proactive and Efficient Care

Health care needs to become preventative and efficient. Yes, you have likely heard this numerous times, but it continues to be true. And it will keep on being true until we look to implement policies that fix the system in a meaningful way. 

This might mean some insurance companies may not love me as a politician, and the occasional resident may say I am out to lunch, but the statistics tell a clear story - our current system will not work long term for the average Canadian.

We must find a way to expand health care to ensure that everyone has access to the services they deserve.

-Mike