Re: “Do private clinics pay off?” April 10.
Precedent has been set for private clinics remaining, in Chaoulli vs. Quebec (2005).
The Quebec Supreme Court ruled that long wait times violated the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
Do not 80,000 “non-urgent” surgeries on the wait list constitute not getting treatment in a timely manner? Non-urgent does not mean that these patients are not in pain and do not face decreasing quality of life, which ultimately costs the health-care system more the longer they wait.
There is more demand than ever being placed on our health system, with continual advancements in modern technology and an aging population.
Can there not be a collaboration that allows both public and private to exist to help patients?
We now have the right to die when meeting established criteria. Why cannot patients (the taxpayers) have the freedom to choose where they have their treatment to live a quality life?
Pat Taylor
Victoria
