PLWBlogSpot2

The doctor is inundated, poll finds Complexity of cases, chronic conditions impose new demands For a growing number of Dr.'s, a typical 15-minute visit is simply not enough. The Dr. is seeing more elderly patients who need more of his time. "The population is aging, and that certainly is having an effect," he said on Monday. "We are seeing more chronic disease and complexity in managing patients with multiple medical problems, including heart disease, arthritis, mental health problems and cancer." A survey of 12,000 physicians across the country shows some 72 per cent of Canadian doctors report the complexity of their patient caseload is placing increasing demands on their time, while 63 per cent said managing patients with chronic conditions was a factor in this. Other findings of the National Physician Survey, conducted in 2010 by  Mount Sinai, says care for an aging population is complex. WAIT TIMES: Patients requiring urgent care are waiting longer to see ph...

Canada placed seventh on the list in terms of longevity and second from the bottom in infant mortality statistics, he said. This country’s 10th place showing has not changed since a major 2009 report put out by the board, which looked at data from the previous year to set its rankings. Thursday’s document, which also used the 2008 data, brought in per capita health costs to compare the effectiveness of our spending with the other nations, Stewart-Patterson says Japan, with $2,729 per capita annual expenditures, delivers the best health system, based on the longevity and infant mortality parameters. “Italy has the second-lowest (costs) and has the third best life expectancy,” Stewart-Patterson says. The U.S., on the other hand, spends substantially more — about $7,500 per person — on health care than any of the other listed nations and provides amongst the worst care, he says. While there may well be cultural and social issues at play in the varying health outcomes among the listed nati...

Canada spends more and gets less in health care than most advanced nations. Canadians are not getting what they’re paying for with their health care dollars, a new report says. This country spends more per capita on health care than all but three of the world’s most advanced nations, yet ranks a lowly 10th in the quality of medicine it delivers, the Conference Board of Canada report argues. “The clear message for Canada is that we’re fourth highest on the spending list here and yet we’re not doing as well when it comes to health outcomes,” advises the board’s vice-president of public policy. “We can and should be getting better value for our health-care spending in terms of the length and quality of life that Canadians enjoy.With 10 per cent of our gross domestic product tied up in health costs, this country spends about $4,100 per person each year on its overall medical system. This country spends more per capita on health care than all but three of the world’s most advanced nations, ...