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February 18, 2008
Socialized Medicine Turns Ambulances into Waiting Rooms
When socialists want something to happen, they simply pass a law declaring that it will. In Sweden, socialized medicine theoretically means never having to wait more than 90 days for treatment, because that's what the State has mandated — although in reality, nearly half of patients have to wait longer. Likewise, Airstrip One has government targets requiring speedy emergency treatment. Hospital administrators have found a clever way to comply:
Seriously ill patients are being kept in ambulances outside hospitals for hours so NHS trusts do not miss Government targets.
Thousands of people a year are having to wait outside accident and emergency departments because trusts will not let them in until they can treat them within four hours, in line with a Labour pledge.
The hold-ups mean ambulances are not available to answer fresh 999 calls. […] Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that last year 43,576 patients waited longer than one hour before being let into emergency units. […] Labour brought in the four-hour A&E target to end the scandal of patients waiting for days in casualty or being kept on trolleys in corridors.
The practice of leaving patients out in the ambulance is known as "patient-stacking." Hey, you get what you pay for, and socialized healthcare is free — unless you pay taxes.
On a tip from V the K.
Posted by Van Helsing at February 18, 2008 9:07 AM
Comments
Ooo, ooo! Mistah Kahtah, Mistah Kahtah! Can we have one o' dem Socialised Health Care Systems in our country, too? I just can't wait for all dat free helt care.
Mister Horschach, wait you will indeed...and wait... and wait...
Posted by: Chris at February 18, 2008 10:17 AM
If we do get socialized health care will Hillary, Michael Moore, Ted Kennedy et al., be standing in the same line that I will?
Posted by: baldeagle390 at February 18, 2008 10:21 AM
From the same article: "But a shortage of out-of-hours GP care, after THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS OPTED OUT OF TREATING PATIENTS OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS UNDER LUCRATIVE NEW CONTRACTS, means more and more are going to casualty units, putting them under greater pressure." (emphasis mine)
Do you mean to tell me that doctors in socialized medicine insist on being paid what their education and experience demands? Comrade, I am not pleased.
Posted by: baldeagle390 at February 18, 2008 10:40 AM
At least they get their own beds...er, gurneys.
Bald Eagle, the answer is NO! Go to the back of the line.
Posted by: Pam at February 18, 2008 12:57 PM
I don't know, six weeks vacation, affordable subsidized day care, year long paid maternity leave, paid paternity leave, a largely peaceful, intelligent and contented population, high literacy rates, almost no crime, almost no poverty, free top notch education, gorgeous landscapes and probably the most beautiful women in the world?
Hell, I'd wait 100 days to see a doctor.
Posted by: hashfanaticFAN at February 19, 2008 1:16 AM
Then move Hash
Posted by: JamesB at February 19, 2008 7:27 AM
I did, James. I did.
Posted by: hashfanticFAN at February 20, 2008 10:46 AM
