Is there a tangible solution for healthcare?

There's an article in the paper this week looking at possible alternative practices for health care in the area. Are these changes the solution we've been waiting for? Is the system we have now actually working?

In the same way that the American's defend their right to have a gun, we seem to defend our health care system. We are adamant that it is only right to have universal health care; it is part of being Canadian after all. It is an innate right that comes with our citizenship. The only problem is that it is skewed despite our pride in the system.

There has always been and will always be a clear divide between urban and rural communities. Cities have more people and more services, while rural areas most often have the bare necessities. One of the bare necessities rural people are in need of is not being met, health care.

So, why isn't rural healthcare working? Are we blinded by our belief that healthcare is innately ours and that it should be government funded? Or should we revert to how it was before universal healthcare? Universal health care is something we take very seriously as Canadians; we're genuinely proud of it and happy to have it. Is it partially this system, though, that has led to a doctor shortage?

I personally think we have to make universal health care work because it is a common courtesy we as human's give to each other, but is there something we can do to ensure it is actually universal and not skewed towards the city? There has to be a different way to fix the system or a different problem altogether within universal healthcare.

Doctor's need to go through approximately seven years of very expensive schooling, therefore, you need to be wealthy or to be able to obtain a bursary otherwise this particular profession is off the table unless the individual is willing to take on a large amount of debt. Should something possibly be done at this level to help bolster more applicants in becoming doctors?

I know there are bursaries offered from Sun Country and they are given to people from the region that are required to return following their education. This is a great idea, but another issue is how to get youth interested in becoming physicians in the first place?

There are an abundance of issues with finding doctors. I know people want the hospital to reopen and for there to be better access to physicians; but, honestly what can you do? Many people love the rural lifestyle, but there are many people out there who would rather live in a city. Obviously these people don't want to be in remote areas and that is that. Yet, maybe rules of recruitment should change in order to force doctors to work in a rural area for at least two years no matter what? If they do not complete this then they aren't welcomed into the cities they so desire to live in.

Apparently with doctors being recruited constantly there are people who have mentioned the possibility of there being an excess of doctors in Canada. Maybe this is true, but it will be the same as any other job out there. People are looking for a stepping stone either into Canada or in the direction of bigger and better things, so they come for a short period of time and then leave almost instantaneously. If people are educated, but don't want to be in a rural setting they often won't come or won't stay. They will work in a different profession and possibly complain that there are no job opportunities in their field.

This isn't the case though; there are always opportunities you simply have to find them. Today, however, people are not always looking to do this. I personally found an opportunity and went for it by taking this particular position. The newspaper was hiring, I applied, and was lucky enough to be interviewed and get the job. Coming out of university, however, I was told that a Bachelor of Arts was basically useless. It was something that could show I could work hard and was dedicated because I survived four years of school; but, nothing more.

I had applied for a few different positions back home with no luck. If people want a job in their field or in something that interests them, however, they can find it. Mine happened to be four and a half hours away from home where I ultimately knew no one. I had met one lady in Arcola a few times because she had moved out here a year before and had previously worked with my Dad.

This job might be a stepping stone for me or maybe I will be here forever. The thing about life is that the future is always unknown. We never know what will happen tomorrow.

My point is, however, we need doctors. We need our emergency services in this area to reopen. Something needs to be done to make this happen and if it's writing letters to people voicing concerns or giving suggestions then do it. Try to make a difference by letting people hear your voice on the issue; after all we live in a democracy, the people's voice matters.

And finally, why do people today think there are no opportunities in their field or area of interest? Something can always be found somewhere if they're simply willing to go after it. Besides how many people left everything to find opportunity by travelling to Canada or the United States a short time ago from other countries. How many people are still finding opportunities in Canada from outside the country? The opportunities are there; but, people just have to accept their job might not take them where they want to go right away.

So, what is the answer? No one really knows, which is a part of the problem; but, hopefully a solution will be found soon and maybe it includes the Nova Scotia Collaborative Model or changing the rules of recruitment.