Healthcare. One word, which in modern times, has become both socially and politically fueled. To an outside observer, one may be completely oblivious to new or long withstanding problems in healthcare. However, one look across the border, and you’ll be thrown into disarray by the sheer amount of problems in the healthcare industry. Healthcare costs. Abolishment of essential emergency services. Administration problems. Inhumanity.
The last problem we continue to see in Canada, with the other problems being less prevalent (check off another thing that Canada does better). The Canada Health Act, Canada’s federal legislation for publicly funded healthcare insurance, ensures that the physical and mental health of Canadian residents is protected. However, with the emergence of court cases opposing The Canada Health Act since 2005, we find that the precedent is now set for the whole country. To illustrate, let us take a quick look at the 2017 case initiated by Dr. Day. Dr. Brian Day’s Cambie Surgery Centre charged patients for legislatively free health care services, which is dubbed as “double-dipping”. The provincial health ministry, The British Columbia Medical Services Commission, and the federal government state that what Dr. Day is doing is illegal. His charged services go against The Canada Health Act, and as a result, these intervenors are fighting to stop Dr. Day from toppling Canada’s equal access model. Finally, after nine years of pursuit, the court has been asked to rule against or in favor of two different questions in healthcare;
Can private insurers in British Columbia be allowed to pay for services that are available under the public healthcare system?
Can doctors charge privately for services?
As a Canadian citizen, when I reread these questions, I am aghast at the potential effects that this may have on Canadian healthcare. For example, will doctors be able to implement “additional” fees that a patient is forced to pay for their services? Will doctors utilize these changes to pursue their own monetary interests?
As a result, inhumanity in healthcare and “double-dipping” have become hot topics in Canada among doctors and politicians alike. Most citizens, however, are blissfully unaware of these potential aberrant changes. Science students may be introduced to these topics through scientific news outlets, but these may be unapproachable to individuals in the general public.
Despite these challenges, one doctor, Zubin Damania, has found a novel way of getting his message out to the broad public. Satire! Satire, according to Sophia A. McClennen, has the ability to save a nation. Satire can amplify a message and it makes sure to do so in a humorous manner. Satire carries the spirit needed to drive change. Satire! Using satirical videos to depict hot-topics in the health industry among clinicians, Dr. Damania bridges the gap between patient ignorance and inhumanity. Damania pushes a movement known as “unbreaking healthcare”. He aims to develop a new way of thinking where the well-being of individuals comes above the profit that could be potentially gained in health care. The only way to do this is to band the clinicians and citizens together and transform the healthcare system altogether.
My friends and I attempt to use satire in our work, and we will continue to attempt to implement humor during our explanations and lessons. When we use humor, individuals around us seem to understand concepts better and are more comfortable with the material. As a result, Dr. Damania’s satirical works to explain hot topics reveals the potential use of humor in the health field. Until then, I wait for the day when new topics in the health industry come to me in the form of a joke.
Written by Hadi Tehfe/ Image Source
References
Kuhrt, M. (2016, August 11). Humor in healthcare: Doc uses satire to drive transformation. Retrieved November 03, 2017, from http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/doc-uses-satire-to-drive-clinicians-and patients-to-lead-healthcare-transformation
Brend, Y. (2017, February 12). B.C. doctor fighting to open health care to private billing Retrieved November 03, 2017, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cambie-surgeries-healthcare-canada-public-vs-private-system-bc-dr-brian-day-1.3977566
Pins from timewiseit.com on Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.pinterest.ca/source/timewiseit.com/
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