Social Problem in the Canadian Health Care System - Research Paper Example

Insert Insert Insert 15 January Social Problem in the Canadian Health Care System Introduction InCanada, the phrase health care refers to hospitals, drugs, public health policy, and dentists among other health care phenomena. The effectiveness of Canadian health services is realized based an individual’s health status, use of practitioners’ services and geographic location of the individual. For several years, Canadians benefited from universal access to health care as well as numerous benefits that covered health care. Despite these benefits, hospital stewards and practicing physicians have continued to experience increasing frustrations which have in effect created a social problem in the Canadian health care system to the present day. Among the frustrating factors is the insufficiencies in the provision of health care to the Canadian population (Robert et al., 2005). This research paper seeks to discuss the social problem that need to be addressed in terms of restructuring access to health care services, treatment, and lower medical costs in Canada. Micro Social Problem Coburn, D’Arcy and Torrance (1998) carried out a study on the sociological perspectives of the Canadian health care system. Their study encompassed the micro to macro social problems of health care systems. The focus in their study was centered on issues such as policy- making, practitioners insufficiencies, compliance by patients to doctors’ instructions and the relationship between practitioners and patients at the micro level. Hospitalization of patients caused by poor prescriptions made by physicians contributed to social problems. Such disparities that lead to micro problems could have been caused lack of experience by practitioners, negative attitudes of health care professionals, and the poor management of uncertainty in health care practice. Macro Social Problem In Canadian health care system, there exists neglect for health care by the political economy thereby creating a macro social problem. Some explanations put forward for this neglect relates to inequality in the distribution and allocation of health care resources to all geographical areas. This consequently led to limited access to treatment and other health care services as well as making medication costly. The issues was not solve even with the introduction of health care insurance. This was due to the factors behind its development and implementation. The health care insurance was developed with the interests of big businesses, working class and influential consumer who strive to avoid direct costs of health care services. These factors have elevated the problem instead of solving it. The results have been creation of macro social problems through an increased limited access to health care for Canadians (Coburn et al., 1998). Historical Context The article titled ‘Mediscare’ that appeared in Mother Jones Magazine in 1991 exhibits the social problem of access to treatment in the Canadian health care system. The interview between the editor and Canadian doctors, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Rachlis reveal that health care remains costly due to the problem of accessibility and treatment. His reasons for that viewpoint as based on health insurance that covered very little health care cost thus making Canadians to pay the rest of the price when seeking health care services. In Canada, patients have the choice to see any specialist or general practitioner they want and could change as often as they wish, likewise doctors. This free choice contributes to the social problem of accessibility and treatment in the health care industry to them that could not afford high cost services. From the article, evidence shows that the Canadian health care system remains expensive having the most expensive per capita of its health care system as compared to other developed countries. According to Dr. Rachlis, Canada spends over forty percent of its entire provincial health care budget on its hospitals rather than prevention care, programs on health promotion and community based health care facilities. In addition, the use of waiting lists for certain health services like bypass surgery and open heart surgery remains viewed as causing excessive waiting time thereby affecting access and treatment in health care systems. These issues have continued to exist to the present day in Canada hence creating a social problem in its health care system (Mother Jones Magazine, 1991). According to a study conducted by Evans, Barer and Marmor (1994), an insight became provided into the discussion between Hygieia and Asclepios on the well lived life and the external intervention. Their study employed the use of scientific research for a historical context. This facilitated the health care system to become the conventional drive for the conversion of knowledge into the improvement of health care. The findings contributed to the intellectual, resources and policy aspects as well as social expectations of Canadians in the health care system. However, this further created social problems on the justification of the level of efforts employed in implementation of the findings. Evidence shows that no social relationships became formed in the formulation of health care policies. The provision of health care services, thus, does not provide the required comfort to those seeking the services. Economic Context In another instance, the benefits of the Canadian health care system portray many benefits when costs and other forgone opportunities are considered. For instance, certain health promotions lead to a move to continuous monitoring from annual checkups as a result of excessive dependence on health care and anxiety developed by the individual. This change becomes economically advantageous for the Canadian health care industry even though it does not reflect any social concept of the health care system (Evans et al., 1994). Despite the amount of financial support directed towards health care insurance in Canada, tension continues to build up between the ever increasing restrained resources and the needs of individuals. As a result, conflicts have arisen with regards to the level of financing health care expenditures over the level of income earned in the provision of health care services. This could be attributed to the autonomy of paying agencies on expenditure, level of health of the population and the level of health care provision to the population. Similarly, any increase in the flow of resources for health care may or may not impact a corresponding increase in health care status. Political debates continue on the basis of unmet health care needs such as the shortage of nurses in Canadian hospitals. They suggested the control of health status in improving human life rather than expanding the health care system. They also recommend the use of intervention related social policies while focusing on individual risk factors of disease such as cessation of smoking (Evans et al., 1994). According to Crone (2010), the social problem of access could be attributed to the national health care system present in Canada. The national system allows Canadian doctors to have independent private practice to which they stay paid fees each month for their services. However, the fees payable remains as already negotiated in the system. As a result, this does not provide an incentive for Canadians to pursue doctoral studies. This, in turn, has made waiting time for seeking doctors’ attention to be long. Thus, doctors raise medical costs in a bid to obtain some returns on the services they offer whereas the provincial governments try to restrain these costs. Some Canadian doctors have migrated to other countries, especially the United States following this conflict. All these factors exhibit evidence that an individual would be kept waiting if the medical problem does not require urgent and immediate treatment. Political Context A study by Roberts, Clifton and Ferguson (2005) depicted recent social trends in Canada from the political and historical perspective that contribute to the social problem experienced in health care systems. The historical and political factors relate to the future of the Canadian labor market, Aboriginal population and social welfare state system. Self-government by the Aboriginals in developing professional and administrative for independent provision of social welfare and tribal councils negatively affect the equitable distribution of resources to the health care system thereby creating a social problem. Their large claims of land could also be linked to the existence of few public hospitals in Canada and several community based health facilities. Canada, as a welfare state, faces the challenge of conforming to the increasing power of international financial organizations and transnational corporations in order to compete with welfare state and social systems of other countries worldwide. For instance, the transfer of some federal payments for provincial health care policies facilitated the privatization of certain health care services. This led to the closure of pharmaceutical drugs covered by Medicare and hospitals. As a result, the cost sharing phenomenon became abolished thus the poor could not access medication as they did before. Currently, Canada continues to move towards a less distributive but more flexible and leaner system. This move considerably contributes to the social problem experienced in the Canadian health care system (Roberts et al., 2005). Recommendations The Canadian health care system experiences a social problem relating to the long waiting time for seeking medical attention especially in non-urgent medical circumstances. This research paper provided a sociological analysis in understanding the micro to macro social problem in the Canadian health care system within its political, historical and economic perspectives. The key factors leading to the creation of this social problem would be the welfare state of Canada, inequitable distribution of resources, migration of Canadian doctors to other countries and the rising costs of medication. From the economical perspective, the manner in which the Canadian health care remains financed raises questions. It would be likely that provinces could increase their ability to provide financial support to social issues. This would be contributed to the continued reliance on revenue obtained from taxation in providing financial support for the production of more physicians than would be accommodated. In addition, the use of tax revenue for financing unlimited access to various health care services could intensify the problem. In considering the political context, the egalitarian nature of the Canadian health care system could be threatened by privatization. Hence, the present policy formulation calls for more deliberations with regards to the provincial health care insurance policies. Moreover, the efficacy and appropriateness of clinical care offered requires more evaluation. Conclusion Canadians have had very low expectations on their national health care system with regards to economic context to the present day. However, certain factors could be considered in restructuring the Canadian health care system that caters for the medical welfare of all Canadians. The health care system should cover all the Canadian population and enable them to receive good quality health care in a timely manner. The health care system needs to cater for the health care needs of Canadians rather than their capability to afford health care services. The restructuring of the Canadian health care system should lay emphasis on the prevention of disease through health education and creation of incentives. These would lower medication costs. Health care professionals should be paid reasonably for the services they offer and periodic checkups provided for all Canadians. In this regard, restructuring the Canadian health care system could employ several policies in satisfying these criteria or recommendations. Firstly, the Canadian government could use competitive bidding and purchasing of drugs in bulk. In this way, the government would be capable of providing periodic checkups in ensuring that there exists a better opportunity for care, curing diseases and reducing catastrophic diseases. This would consequently lower medical costs. Besides, it would reduce economic inequality with regards to the provision of health care services in Canada. The establishment of a progressive federal income tax and one health care system with geographically dispersed medical care services and the use of public education to teach exercise, diet and cooking could contribute to the achievement of an all-inclusive and accessible health care system in Canada. References Coburn, D., D’Arcy, C. & Torrance, G. M. (1998). Health and Canadian Society: Sociological Perspectives. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press. Crone, J. A. (2010). How Can We Solve our Social Problems?. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. Evans, R. G., Barer, M. R. & Marmor, T. R. (Eds). (1994). Why are Some People Healthy and Others Not?: The Determinants of Health of Populations. Hawthorne, NY: Transaction Publishers. Mother Jones Magazine. (1991, March/April). Mediscare. 16(2), 67-69. Roberts, L. W., Clifton, R. A. & Ferguson, B. (Eds). (2005). Recent Social Trends in Canada, 1960-2000. Canada: McGill-Queen’s University Press-MQUP. Read More