OHIP BAD EXPERIENCE
I have heard many times how people talk about the health care system here and how great it is. Maybe I just have had bad experiences. Maybe I just live in such a large metropolitan area that it is different from other places.

Last night I had a very frustrating experience though that was very uncalled for.
It all started on Monday evening when I visted one of the local walk-in clinics in our area. I had ran out of the medication that a previous doctor had prescribed for my back pain. When I came here in 2005, I had been experiencing periodic pain for a few years due to a severe strain the late 90's. In late 2005, I had an MRI done here and I have a couple of disc herniations in my lower back. The pain would usually come and go. Now the pain has been coming more frequently sometimes on a daily basis.

First I walk in and the first thing they ask for is of course the health card. They call my name and I go back to see the doctor. I showed her the medication and my MRI report and explained how the medication did not seem to be effective. She told me it was no good and gave me another prescription. Before I was finished she started to walk out the door. I politely told her I was not finished as I wanted to ask her about a back rest for work and for another referral for an MRI. After giving the prescription for the back rest, she told me she could not do that. So in less than 5 minutes I was basically shuffled out the door.
I was not happy with this service so I was told to complain to the manager of the clinic.

The next day I did however this too did not go anywhere. Before I called the manager, I called OHIP and was told that any doctor or specialist could issue a referral for any medical tests. Then I called the manager of the clinic. I explained what happened and was told it was up to the doctor whether they would issue a referral or not. She told me I could see the specialist the next evening and that he was there until 9pm. Sounds simple. It gets better.

So last night I went back again. I explained to the receptionist and told her that the manager informed me I could see the specialist. They again took my health card. Then they called me back to see the specialist. The specialist asked me if I had a referral form. I told him no they did not give me one and that they had sent me directly to see him. He told me that he was actually getting ready to leave and that he would need that. He said that without a referral he would not get paid. So I went back to the reception and told them that I would need that so he could see me. They had me waiting to see another doctor so they could issue the referral. The specialist ended up coming over to where I was waiting to see if I had seen the doctor yet. I told him I was still waiting. He said that he had got a call from the hospital. He suggested I come back next Tuesday (he is only there on Tuesdays). I told him for the next two weeks I work late shifts.

Then we got into a heated exchange in the discussion of what happened on my last visit to the other doctor. He said that I don't automatically need to get an MRI even if I am hurting everyday and the pain is going down my leg. I am of course a typical American (I feel I deserve good health care). I mentioned that is what I pay tax for. He says no it is not. He says if I want to get one in the States that he can write me a referral right now but it costs $700 and that they are very expensive. I then proceeded to tell him that I could always to go the emergency room to get it done and he asks me if I think that is fair? I then asked him if it was fair that when people come in there and they run the health card and only see people for less than 5 minutes if that is fair to them and if it wastes money he said no.

Can you believe that? So after over 2 years here I or should I say we have still not found a decent doctor. I can't say about anyone else's experiences but this is what we have been getting. First when you go to the clinics they ask if you have a regular family doctor. But when we find a regular family doctor that is taking new patients and they find out we are a couple their attitude changes or they say we need a full-time doctor. And believe it or not they can choose what patients they actually treat. So where is the problem here? I have even been told that maybe we can find a doctor in downtown Toronto (gay area). Why should we have to do this when there should be plenty of doctors in our area? I would love to hear about others' experiences.