Universal Healthcare Part II

In the previous post I mentioned briefly the technological differences between the US and Canada and attempted to demonstrate them by showing how much more common diagnostic technology is in America vs. her northern neighbor.

I thought I would follow that up.

See... techonolgically speaking largely Canada is 20 years behind the US. Things that the US uses MRI's for, are diagnosed with CT scans in Canada. Depending on your level of knowledge that may or may not seem particularly disturbing to you... but it definately should be.

And consider this... As of today, there are only 3 Gamma Knives in all of Canada.

So... if you are unfortunate enough to have a small brain tumor in Canada... you'll probably die before you get the MRI that shows it... but if you do survive, you'll probably die before you get your turn under the gamma knife that will zap it away. If not.. you'll be forced to travel a long long way to actually have the surgery.

By contrast... in the US... you find MRI's in tiny hospitals in tiny towns... and you find Gamma Knives in places like Morgantown, West Virginia.

The first Gamma Knife operated in the United States in 1987.

Canada got its first Gamma Knife in 2003.

Just to reiterate.... Gamma Knife surgery is available in every state in the US. While there are only 3 in all of Canada.

These are specific examples supplied to demonstrate just one of the fatal weaknesses of so-called universal healthcare. What you'll find is, they exist across the board. In every area of healthcare technology, from computerized records to anesthesia machines toMRIs to Gamma Knives Canada is almost 20 years behind consistantly.