Health care tops list of complaints to B.C.’s ombudsperson: report
The BC ombudsperson has found that while the province has high satisfaction with its health care system, many B.C. residents have complained about wait times and inadequate care.
Complaints and recommendations include:
1. Health care is a top complaint to the B.C. ombudsperson.
2. Waiting lists and shortages of doctors and nurses are common complaints as is having to pay for services before they are provided.
3. The quality of health care is inconsistent, and waits for specialized care are long.
4. The doctor-patient relationship is often strained when people can’t get in to see a specialist even after they have been provided care that has been ordered by the doctor.
5. Many of the complaints about health care have been about long waits for specialists who have only provided basic care.
6. There are many reports of physicians who prescribe drugs or other treatments contrary to doctors’ guidelines and with little or no patient monitoring.
7. Many citizens don’t trust doctors and the public is often afraid to go anywhere near the hospital.
8. There is a lack of a mechanism in B.C. to deal with complaints, and people are not empowered to bring complaints through the normal channels.
9. There is a need for better communication between the health care providers and the provincial government and the public.
10. There is a lack of public involvement, and citizens don’t understand what to expect from the health care system.
It’s not always easy to make recommendations to the B.C. ombudsperson, as it is a volunteer position that requires a certain amount of political clout. Yet, the review shows there is a problem that needs to be fixed, and it is up to the provincial government to do something to make the waiting lists at the hospital system less painful for the public and patients.
The review’s report has been submitted to Premier Christy Clark and the Health Ministry.
Here are some key findings:
1. Health care is a top complaint to the B.C. ombudsperson.
Health care is a top complaint to the B.C. ombudsperson, with health care and wait times listed