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Canadian woman, 96, puts ad in newspaper to find primary care doctor: ‘Time is increasingly of the essence’
nypost.com ^ | May 31, 2025 | Gabrielle Fahmy

Posted on 06/02/2025 3:51:35 PM PDT by lowbridge

A 96-year-old Canadian woman was so exasperated with the glacial pace of her nation’s universal healthcare system — she posted a wanted ad in her local newspaper to find a primary care doctor.

“I am apparently somewhere in the 80,000’s in the physician waiting list, and so time is increasingly of the essence,” retired fourth-grade teacher Dorothy Lamont wrote in her classified ad titled “Seeking a Physician” in the May 23 edition of the Halifax Chronicle Herald in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

“I am 96 years old, of sound mind and body relative to my advanced age, and have been without a physician for nearly three years,” it reads.

An estimated 6.5 million Canadians — more than 1 in 5 — lack access to a family doctor through the country’s government funded health care system.

They’re left on a waiting list for when the next practitioner becomes available — sometimes waiting years.

Lamont’s last five physicians either retired or left the province — leaving her with a virtual MD, which she said doesn’t cut it.

“We have never met,” her ad says about her current doctor. “By definition we never will.”

“Frankly it would be helpful once or twice a year to see a doctor in person,” Lamont said, adding she didn’t want to burden the health care system or her family.

Her son, Stewart, convinced her to go the unconventional route after they exhausted all other options.

Lamont wound up in the hospital for a couple weeks last year with a bout of sciatica, and when she was sent home, she didn’t have anyone to follow up with.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; healthcare
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1 posted on 06/02/2025 3:51:35 PM PDT by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge
Lamont’s last five physicians either retired or left the province

When George Burns was in his 90s, he was asked what his doctor thought of his cigar habit. He replied, "My doctor's dead."
2 posted on 06/02/2025 3:54:40 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5))
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To: lowbridge

How oh how can THIS BE? Isn’t the Canadian health care system soooooooooo much better than our system?


3 posted on 06/02/2025 4:12:34 PM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Freedom is never free. It must be won rewon and jealously guarded.)
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To: lowbridge

Teacher.

She likely voted for the Socialized Medicine she complains about.


4 posted on 06/02/2025 4:12:43 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 62, Hadith 88: Mohammed consummated the marriage when she was 9 and he was 54)
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To: Dr. Sivana

“It Hurts when I Do This !”
.


5 posted on 06/02/2025 4:15:06 PM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: lowbridge

There are three places where private medical practice is expressly forbidden: North Korea, Cuba, and Canada.


6 posted on 06/02/2025 4:15:48 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: lowbridge

“”I am 96 years old, of sound mind and body relative to my advanced age, and have been without a physician for nearly three years,””

That’s WHY she’s 96 years old!!!!


7 posted on 06/02/2025 4:25:33 PM PDT by Thank You Rush ( )
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To: Thank You Rush

DING DING DING, we have a winner!


8 posted on 06/02/2025 4:27:11 PM PDT by GMThrust
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To: lowbridge

When everyone has free health care, then only the elite actually get to see a doctor and receive competent medical treatment.

For the others, there is always MAID.


9 posted on 06/02/2025 4:29:54 PM PDT by CFW
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To: lowbridge

This exactly the scenario that Obozo Care was going to foist onto the working class in all of America. Obozo Care needs to be dead and buried by the Congress so it can’t be resurrected.


10 posted on 06/02/2025 4:33:49 PM PDT by drypowder
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To: lowbridge

Sorry but socialized healthcare doesnt work unless you let the most expensive patients die.


11 posted on 06/02/2025 4:37:48 PM PDT by ArcadeQuarters (You can't remove RINOs by voting for them!)
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To: lowbridge

I dont have a primary care physician. I’ve never desired one.


12 posted on 06/02/2025 4:53:40 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I have invented a pen that can write underwater. And other words. )
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To: lowbridge

At 96, I would leave it in God’s hands.


13 posted on 06/02/2025 4:58:48 PM PDT by Old Yeller (On judgement day, you’ll wish you were biblically correctly, not politically correct.)
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To: lowbridge

The USA is not far from that. I personally know someone who is going over the cliff fast with a brain disease, not sure what it is. They did a brain MRI for what they said is mostly for a snapshot in time. And then referred her to a neuropsychologist. A whole week of calling to schedule the appointment (can’t speak to a person anymore) and no response whatsoever to urgent messages left. Finally I called the primary doctor to request a different referral or perhaps they could incline the neuropsychologist to respond. So eight days later we receive a response and the earliest appointment in December 3rd…6 months out. At that rate they are going to be needing assisted living if nothing is done to stop the rapid progression. We’re a sick society.


14 posted on 06/02/2025 5:05:00 PM PDT by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: jacknhoo

I am a caretaker for my son who has brain cancer. A neuropsychologist would be a member of the team but not the main character by any means. I would be getting to a different doctor immediately. They are not all the same. Seven years ago they said my son had 2 to 4 months to live. You have to fight sometimes to get the right medical people on board. He has a great team and is actually improving.

I agree it can take some time to see certain doctors. Been there, done that. That’s where having a good primary comes in. They can push some buttons to speed things up.


15 posted on 06/02/2025 5:25:49 PM PDT by shelterguy
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To: lowbridge

The care is “ free” up there in cunuk land.. And you pay what the care is worth. But the politicians are making lots of cash. Lot and lots of cash.


16 posted on 06/02/2025 5:31:26 PM PDT by Ditto
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To: lowbridge

I think concierge physicians should advertise.


17 posted on 06/02/2025 5:35:29 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: Thank You Rush

That is my opinion, too-I also do not have a doc-if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it...


18 posted on 06/02/2025 5:57:40 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"... )
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To: MayflowerMadam

I agree 100%-it would be great for those of us who are naturalists/choose to manage our own health-it would be great for docs, too-no jumping through medicare hoops, just please the patient-who is now the customer-as it should be. You just know it would be cheaper, too if the doc is on his own...


19 posted on 06/02/2025 6:04:14 PM PDT by Texan5 ("You've got to saddle up your boys, you've got to draw a hard line"... )
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To: lowbridge

Here I thought they put you on full ignore when you turn 70. At 96 you probably aren’t even useful as an organ donor.

I had a relative who was 95, in good condition and “all there.” Busted her hip, and was promptly drummed into a nursing home — where she picked up covid and survived just fine. Then the hip broke again and she went to a hospital where they finally germed her to death after two months of confinement. We all tried to intervene but her immediate next-of-kin was a liberal pinhead.

You make 90-something, stay far from doctors and near to the Lord.


20 posted on 06/02/2025 6:19:58 PM PDT by Buttons12 ( )
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