An Unpopular Perspective on Medical Services in Mexico and the Middle East
Sorry Canadians — this one might sting
Let me start by saying that I am enormously grateful to have free health care in Canada.
There is a sense of relief knowing that we have a safety net in the event of a medical catastrophe.
Certainly, there are challenges in our publicly funded system.
- A severe shortage of doctors and medical staff
- Ballooning needs and an aging demographic
- A shrinking tax base to feed the system
Doctors give it their all. They want to help. They try their best.
During the pandemic, friends who suffered life-threatening diagnoses got excellent care.
Not only catastrophic health care, but also preventative care is quite good in Canada.
Routine check-up?
Physicals?
You’re covered.
But.
My beef is with specialist care
Access to specialists is protected by multiple layers of medical gatekeepers.
Think: OBGYN, endocrinologist, cardiologist, ear/nose/throat (ENT)
Over the last twenty years, I’ve lived in Taiwan, South Korea, the UAE, Mexico, and Canada.
In any country other than Canada, if I wanted to see a specialist, I’d research the hospital staff and make a call.
Within a week, I’d have an appointment.
Easy.
Not in Canada though.
That’ll take years.
My case in Canada
I have a condition which has led to partial deafness in my left ear. I’m a good candidate for surgery which would mean replacing the defective part with titanium.
My hearing would be restored.
The last time I considered surgery in Ontario, I gave up.
Here are the steps I went through, which are pretty standard.
- GP referral to a specialist. Scheduling an appointment with your GP could be a week or up to a month. If you’re lucky, your GP approves the referral. If not, you’re effed.
- Wait for an ENT office to call you. You have no idea who you’ve been referred to or if they’re even good. The wait time might be 2–6 months.
- See the specialist and get a referral to see the surgeon.
- Restart steps 2–4 with the surgeon. This can take another six months.
- See the surgeon. Once you see the surgeon, and if you opt for surgery, there is a waitlist. The last time I was on that waitlist, it was three years long. In year two, I ended up moving to the UAE, so I lost my spot.
- Surgery waitlist
- Surgery
End to end, my process in Canada was three years with no resolution.
Canada vs. the UAE
While I was in the UAE, I wanted to get a hearing test to see if my condition had deteriorated.
My colleague recommended a specialist, and I called his office.
I got an appointment the same week.
During our first session, I explained my backstory and the surgery I had considered. The doctor requested I send along my old hearing test results so that he’d have a baseline against my current.
He casually mentioned that he was an expert in the particular procedure I needed. He could arrange my surgery the next week.
UAE: Two-week process. No gatekeepers.
Canada: Three-year process. Three layers of gatekeepers.
The $58 question
This leads me to my other bone to pick.
It’s hard to compete with free, I know.
But what if you were out of the country and got sick? Would you spend $58 to get treated?
Most Canadians I’ve met say hell, no.
They’d wait to get back to Canada to see their family doctor.
I disagree.
Respectfully.
Recently, in Playa del Carmen, I ended up with parasites.
Not my favorite, but it could have been worse.
In Canada, the process for testing, diagnosis, and treatment would have taken several months.
In Mexico, the process took 48 hours and cost me USD 58:
- Lab work: USD 32 (12 hours)
- Doctor’s visit: USD 23 (same day)
- Medication: USD 3
Here’s the real-time saver.
I have my doctor on WhatsApp.
I’d never have that in Canada.
I messaged my doctor and explained my symptoms. She sent me a screenshot of the labs she wanted me to order.
I walked to the lab and ordered the tests.
Since the lab results were back within 12 hours, I pre-scheduled an appointment with my doctor for the next day.
In my shoes, would you have spent the USD 58?
For me, it’s a no-brainer. I was dancing with glee to have a diagnosis and treatment plan within two days. I wanted the meds. I wanted to feel better.
Health insurance quandary
I’m sharing this story because I’m shocked at how many insured Canadians refuse to spend a dime for faster service when they are here.
They’d rather wait months or years than get an answer on the spot.
On the other hand, they are happy to blow USD 100 on overpriced tacos and watered-down margaritas because they’re on vacation.
I guess it’s a matter of priorities.
I had to get over my medical snobbery
In every country I’ve lived in, I’m always initially suspicious of the credentials the local doctors have.
But I had to get over it.
When I’ve needed medical advice, I’ve gone to the best hospitals. I research the doctors ahead of time. Most have world-class credentials.
What made me think they aren’t as good as Canada?
That’s a bias I’ve had to chip away at over time.
Final thoughts on a health mindset
I’ve lived in five countries.
In the event of a medical emergency or catastrophe, Canada is where I’d want to be because I have coverage. There are great doctors who will take care of me.
But for all the other daily stuff? I have no problem paying out of pocket.
It boils down to your priorities, your patience, and your perseverance.
And your pocketbook, I guess.
Without good health, what else is there?
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