Transcription
Hello and welcome to 'Healthcare In Crises, episode three,' where I explore the intricacies and challenges of healthcare system with a special focus on province of New Brunswick. I'm your host J. André Faust, and I will be delving deep into the issues that define and hinder, healthcare in New Brunswick. From long wait times to the digital divide, let's get ready to uncover the state of healthcare in this beautiful province called New Brunswick, home of our first nations, Acadians and English cultures.
It is common knowledge that New Brunswick’s healthcare is in a complete disarray the main reason is that the political will is not there. Both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals have failed New Brunswicker's in rectifying this crisis.
They had their chance and they blew it.
There are some factors which directly contributed to our failing healthcare system just to list a few:
1. Long wait times and service disruptions
2. A gross shortage of Family Drs and specialists
3. Staffing shortages
4. Aging population and chronic illnesses
5. Mental Health and Addictions
6. Death in the waiting rooms
7. Diversions of federal funds intend to go towards healthcare goes to general coffers
8. Increased population
9. Bandage solutions creating a complex system that becomes more costly to manage.
Which compromised New Brunswick's healthcare system, a system that is facing significant challenges. Long wait times and service disruptions are common, affecting everything from emergency care to routine treatments. Patients often wait hours in emergency rooms, and securing a primary care appointment can take Months, if not years not to mention the wait time to get a family Doctor if you don't have one." While they maybe knowledgeable, Nurse practitioners can not replace a Dr. because there are many medications that they cannot prescribe, and they cannot make formal diagnoses instead they make the system more bureaucratic and complicated.
Behind these disruptions lies a critical issue: staffing shortages.
Hospitals and clinics across the province are struggling to find enough professionals to cover shifts, directly impacting patient care. Moreover, the province's aging population and rising chronic illness rates are only adding to the pressure on these understaffed facilities.
The administrative burden in healthcare settings often leaves staff overwhelmed, detracting from patient care. Additionally, mental health and addiction services are desperately under-resourced, despite ever increasing demands.
One of the most heart-wrenching issues is the deaths that have occurred in emergency rooms while patients are waiting to be attended to, a dire consequence of systemic delays and inefficiencies. These incidents highlight critical failings in urgent care delivery.
When compared to other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick's healthcare system ranks poorly. Wait times are longer, and access to care is less equitable, especially in rural versus urban areas. This disparity is also reflected in the allocation and use of federal health funds, which have been diverted from direct patient care to general coffers, resulting in various non-compliance issues with federal standards which limits the Federal contribution to healthcare.
As we've seen today, New Brunswick's healthcare system is at a crossroads, facing numerous challenges but also poised for potential transformation. The only way we can have any strategic reforms is from the bottom up, we the citizens of New Brunswick must be more assertive and take charge, otherwise all you will hear from government is rhetoric and no action.
Thank you and until next time, stay informed and advocate for a healthier tomorrow.
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