Quebec Man Dies After He Forgets Health Card and Is Forced to Return Home

Canoe ^ | April 23, 2004 | The Canadian Press

[quidnunc]

Montreal – A 21-year-old man died of appendicitis after he was refused treatment at an emergency clinic because he didn't have his provincial health card with him.

Gerald Augustin complained of stomach pains on Thursday but the receptionist at the St-Andre medical centre told him he had to return home to get his health card. He didn't make it back to the clinic in Montreal's east end.

About four hours later, a friend alerted police and called an ambulance for the man, who had a fatal attack of appendicitis in his apartment. He was pronounced dead in hospital.

Rouslene Augustin, administrator at the St-Andre clinic, said the man didn't appear to have any urgent symptoms when he came to the clinic.

"If this guy was an emergency case, we would accept him if he had his card or not," she said.

"I don't see what we did wrong. I'm not defending the clinic, we just followed the rules."

-snip-

[GeronL]

I have heard about an LA hospital that people try to avoid like the plague.... there a National Review article by an LA cop who said they always tell each other if they are hurt, even if its inside that hospital to get them to a different hospital...

[Brett66]

"I don't see what we did wrong. I'm not defending the clinic, we just followed the rules."

Maybe they thought he was probably pining for the fjords.

[Psycho_Bunny]

I've ended 5 or 6 "Socialized Medicine" arguments with Leftist dolts by throwing out one sentence, for which there is no response:

"I'm against socialized medicine for one reason and one reason only: I've been to the DMV."

I doubt I've ever converted anyone with that, but it's amusing how it shuts them up.

[GeronL]

"I don't see what we did wrong

Socialism causes blindness!!!

[GeronL]

yikes.

[Petronski]

Ach! My post should have read as such:



Oddly enough, I can imagine this happening at one of America's lesser, socialized-medicine parlors, perhaps an ER in a dilapidated inter-city neighborhood.

[Army Air Corps]

"He's stone dead."

[Unmarked Package]

"If its open to all for 'free'... why do people need to show a card???"

Producing the card is a required oath of allegiance to the almighty bureaucracy. The serf offers it on bended knee pleading his utter dependence to acknowledge he owes his very life to the State. It’s the duty of every good, little socialist don’t you know.

[Keith in Iowa]

That's the same health care system that the Democrats want for us...

[robertpaulsen]

Well, even if he had his card with him, there's still a 6-month wait for appendicitis surgery.

[Bonaparte]

The problem with a case that presents like this is that acute appendicitis is notoriously difficult to diagnose. Similar incidents have occured right here in the states.

[Mike Darancette]

Rouslene Augustin, administrator at the St-Andre clinic, said the man didn't appear to have any urgent symptoms when he came to the clinic.

If the guy didn't see a doctor then how did they know that the man had no urgent symptoms, after all it was an emergency clinic.?

But in the world of Socialized Medicine receptionists make medical decisions.

[nutmeg]

"I don't see what we did wrong. I'm not defending the clinic, we just followed the rules."

Unbelievable ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[RegT]

Here in Alberta, we have been trying to reform our health-care system to include various user pay services but have encountered nothing but obstruction from the federal gov't. Our current premier, Ralph Klein, has been very good on most things but is reluctant to take a stand on this. When the 'boomers' start getting sick, we are all up the creek big time.

[Clemenza]

Makes me think of the recent movie "The Barbarian Invasions."

[robertpaulsen]

'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on!

This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!

THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

[yankeedame]

That's the same health care system that the Democrats want for us...

And the key words are, of course, " for us", the great unwashed.

[TheSpottedOwl]

What's worse is when you don't have insurance and your kids gang up on you and make you see a doctor. They assured me that I was eligible for MediCal. Then some clerk said no, and I am now sitting on 3k worth of medical bills. I've been told by the billing dept. to climb the food chain and fix it and get back to the doctor, however it's a vicious circle of other paperwork for my mom's estate, etc.

Paperwork sucks. I don't know how people who don't understand english can deal with this, because I sure can't.

[DoughtyOne]

Look folks, the Canadian plan would go belly up if they didn't thin the herd. Go easy on these government shills. Grin...

I get a real kick out of listening to liberals pander the the public by saying the US is one of the few nations not to provide government healthcare to it's citizens. And the citizens of those other nations come here for healthcare because?????

[TheSpottedOwl]

I have heard about an LA hospital that people try to avoid like the plague....

Torrance Memorial???