As promised, an update would be posted once I returned from my doctor’s appointment – and here I am sitting in front of the PC writing to all of you with the news I was given today.
After my rant with the Quebec Government about health care and lack of physicians, I was asked to call a pager number last week; which I did, and this morning I went to a Sherbrooke clinic for my prescription renewals. After meeting briefly with the doctor, and hearing my story she decided to take me on as a regular patient.
She renewed all of my prescriptions, and gave me a new prescription for another asthma inhaler that she felt I should be taking along with my Flovent.
She asked that I open a dossier with the receptionist on my way out, and gave me an appointment for a full evaluation in January – and she asked that I go to another clinic and carry out other tests as well. She wants to get all the information required in order to fully understand and teat my medical needs. So in the next few months, I’ll be busy with doctors, nurses, and a series of tests.
This is not the way I wanted to get medical attention – however if it took several phone calls, and letters, then so be it. That’s the way I got into the Quebec medical system, and let this be an example for others who are out there with no answers – write letters and make phone calls, and most importantly of all; don’t give up!
Karen Eryou
December 27, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Healthcare update – ask and you shall receive
SHERBROOKE - Back in November of this year, I wrote letters to the Quebec Government, in regards to lack of doctors and prescriptions that needed renewing before the end of the year.
After having been refused to be seen by a doctor at the local CLSC’s, I decided to take matters into my own hands and went on a letter-writing campaign.
On November 15th, I wrote a letter to Mr. Jean Charest, our elected Minister and Sherbrooke Deputy, I received acknowledgement of my letter, and was asked to call the CLSC – however, I had already taken that route and was declined attendance at that location. The other suggestion was to present myself to an emergency service at the CHUS or Hotel Dieu (the solution that I did not want to take) – I’m not an emergency patient; all I need is to see a doctor to renew my prescriptions. I don’t want to sit for hours, and take the place of someone who really needs to be in the emergency room.
Also on that same day, I wrote to Mr. Philippe Couillard’s offices – I received a letter dated December 5th also acknowledging reception of my letter and stating someone would get back to me. On December 17th, another letter was sent to me by an administrative agent for the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Estrie – a short one paragraph letter, but to the point and one that has brought a solution to my problem.
I was instructed to call a certain pager number and leave my phone number, and a doctor would call me back. I did this the day after receiving the letter, and the doctor called me back – renewed one of my prescriptions by phone at the drugstore for me for the next four months, and I have an appointment with this doctor as of December 27. It’s an open appointment – which means I will have to sit and wait my turn at a clinic; however, this is all a step in the right direction – I’ll fill you in how it goes upon my return.
Yes, there are problems with our health system – but I guess the old saying stands true, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Karen Eryou
December 26, 2007
After having been refused to be seen by a doctor at the local CLSC’s, I decided to take matters into my own hands and went on a letter-writing campaign.
On November 15th, I wrote a letter to Mr. Jean Charest, our elected Minister and Sherbrooke Deputy, I received acknowledgement of my letter, and was asked to call the CLSC – however, I had already taken that route and was declined attendance at that location. The other suggestion was to present myself to an emergency service at the CHUS or Hotel Dieu (the solution that I did not want to take) – I’m not an emergency patient; all I need is to see a doctor to renew my prescriptions. I don’t want to sit for hours, and take the place of someone who really needs to be in the emergency room.
Also on that same day, I wrote to Mr. Philippe Couillard’s offices – I received a letter dated December 5th also acknowledging reception of my letter and stating someone would get back to me. On December 17th, another letter was sent to me by an administrative agent for the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Estrie – a short one paragraph letter, but to the point and one that has brought a solution to my problem.
I was instructed to call a certain pager number and leave my phone number, and a doctor would call me back. I did this the day after receiving the letter, and the doctor called me back – renewed one of my prescriptions by phone at the drugstore for me for the next four months, and I have an appointment with this doctor as of December 27. It’s an open appointment – which means I will have to sit and wait my turn at a clinic; however, this is all a step in the right direction – I’ll fill you in how it goes upon my return.
Yes, there are problems with our health system – but I guess the old saying stands true, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
Karen Eryou
December 26, 2007
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