Our Quebec health system is like a roundabout – with never a clear exit in sight.

Last year I found myself at the emergency room at the Magog hospital at least 10 times before a duty doctor decided to give me an asthma test – and decided that the persistent colds, coughs and sinus infections would be cleared up with an asthma inhaler – Flovent.

The kind doctor prescribed me this medication for a year – and the year is coming to an end very soon – and the warning in the product guide enclosed in each box clearly states: Do Not Stop Taking Flovent HFA Suddenly.

Today, I called the local CLSC for an appointment or information on the hours of a walk-in-clinic so I could have this and another prescription I have for migraines renewed, and was told that they no longer take new patients, and I must present myself to the Emergency room at the hospital for this, if I have no family doctor.

The hospitals all say to consult the CLSC unless of a real emergency – where does one turn to? This is when you miss Dr. Gilles Bouchard and Dr. Bonin of Stanstead.

This evening, I’ve written our own Jean Charest, as well as the minister of health Philippe Couillard – we will see if I even get an answer from either of them in a timely delay with a reasonable solution.

I then placed a call to Magog’s La Providence Hospital and asked what their solution was… the kind male receptionist said: ‘Come to the emergency waiting room and wait to see a doctor.’ Unbelievable I thought, one day they say do not to go to the hospital unless it’s a true emergency, and then I’m told to present myself at the emergency room…

What has happened to our health care system – does anyone care anymore – all we hear about are the C-Difficile cases and how our hospitals are unclean. Marketplace had an entire show dedicated to the dirtiness of our health care institutions. Maybe it’s time Couillard and Charest take a good hard look at the system and instead of spending millions on studies – they should inject some cash in the system and bring back the Dr. Bouchard’s and Bonin’s of Stanstead and provide health care to each and every one of us instead of treating us like numbers.

I was told seven years ago that my name was added to a waiting list here in Sherbrooke for a family doctor, guess what…. I’m still waiting.

Karen Eryou – November 15, 2007