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First Private ER Opens in Canada
First private emergency room opens
Dec. 1, 2006. 05:40 PM
CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Canada's first private clinic to treat emergency patients has opened against a backdrop of opposition and a strong government warning the for-profit facility could be shut down if it's illegally charging for services already paid for under the public system.
"We've got a wonderful thing here," Dr. Gordon Bird, the facility's medical director, boasted today before leading several packs of media on tours of the clinic.
Bird is among 24 doctors who work in emergency departments around the Vancouver area and are also employed by the Urgent Care Centre, which treats broken limbs, lacerations and other conditions requiring "prompt attention."
Bird also works in the emergency department of Delta Hospital.
"That's one of the principles of our organization, that all physicians continue to practise in the public system," he said while conducting the tour.
"Isn't that dual practice, Dr. Bird?" asked a reporter.
"We'll continue, we'll have more questions later," said Bird, appearing flustered.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has chastised an Alberta government proposal of so-called dual practice that would allow physicians to bill the government for public funds while also making money from private facilities.
"Dual practice creates conflict of interest for physicians as there would be a financial incentive for them to stream patients into the private portion of their practice," Harper said in an April 3 letter to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.
"Furthermore, dual practice legitimizes queue-jumping as it provides an approved mechanism for patients to pay to seek treatment at the front of the line," Harper said.
B.C. Health Minister George Abbott is warning of potential legal troubles for the clinic if it is in violation of the Canada Health Act because it charges for services covered under medicare.
On Thursday, the government proclaimed legislative amendments giving the Medical Services Commission the power to audit the centre and seek an injunction to shut it down.
But Carole James, leader of the Opposition NDP, said Abbott could have prevented the clinic from opening in the first place if he hadn't ignored a letter Godley sent to his ministry in January about his plans for the facility.
"All of Canada should be watching British Columbia right now, and watching and paying attention, because in my view British Columbia has a lesson to tell the other provinces," James said.
"And that lesson is here's what happens when a government neglects our public health-care system and basically has opened the door to private providers and you do end up with two kinds of health care — health care for those who can pay and health care for the rest of us."
Abbott has said he doesn't know what happened to the letter Godley sent and that the matter is being investigated.
James said Abbott has been blindsided on several other issues, including queue-jumping by people who paid for their own MRIs instead of waiting for the procedure in the public system.
Dr. Mark Godley, the operator of the "state-of-the-art" 10-bed clinic, has said the clinic will help ease overcrowding in emergency wards where people have to wait too long for treatment.
Godley did not speak to reporters as the clinic opened, apparently on advice from his lawyers.
His representative, Sherry Wiebe, insisted the centre meets all the legal requirements, not only provincial accreditation but city zoning and licensing regulations.
"We're on safe, sound legal ground and our counsellors, our lawyers, will speak to that," she said, declining to provide names of any lawyers.
"Everybody is aware that there are some questions about the legalities and we've got legal counsel, as does the government, and they're all looking at these concerns together," she said.
Wiebe focused on the $10-million facility's equipment, saying the clinic will have an advanced MRI, the first of its kind to be used in a clinic in Canada.
James Green, who made a failed bid for mayor of Vancouver, walked into the clinic just as one group of reporters was finishing a tour.
"I don't believe these types of illegal clinics should be open in British Columbia," Green said as he accused Wiebe of pushing him.
"These people are lawyered up with all kinds of cash and are able to do this only because the government's afraid of the law," he said.
"They shouldn't be open until we are sure that they, in every way, meet the standards of the Canada Health Act."
The Urgent Care Centre charges a range of fees for various procedures, including an evaluation fee of $199 and $50 for blood tests and $70 to set a cast.
Dr. James Woollard, spokesman for Canadian Doctors for Medicare, said the facility creates a class system for the wealthy.
"This is not just scare mongering," Woollard said. "This is exactly what's happened in Australia, it's exactly what's happened in Britain."
Woollard said he disagrees with Godley that the clinic will provide faster access to health care for everyone if patients are bypassing emergency departments and coming to his clinic for urgent conditions.
"People may get closer to the front of the line but the line will be slowed down," Woollard said, adding Godley's poaching of doctors from emergency wards means there will be fewer physicians in the public system.
Woollard also called on the federal government to enforce the Canada Health Act, which he said was established in the late 1960s to provide fairness for everyone.
"It comes down to a fundamental issue, that we believe as a nation that people's access to care should be dependent upon what they need and now how much money they have," he said.
So far, there are no consequences for provinces interpreting the Canada Health Act as they please, Woollard said.
"The Godley example that we have here is so obviously a step too far if it proves to be what it seems to be."
Federal Health Minister Tony Clement was not available for comment.
His spokesman, Erik Waddell, said it's a provincial responsibility to investigate whether any such clinic is violating the Canada Health Act.
"We are very much in favour of the Canada Health Act being enforced across this country in every province and being enforced equally," Waddell said.
"We do have confidence, though, that George Abbott is doing everything in his power that the Canada Health Act isn't being breached in this case."
Dec. 1, 2006. 05:40 PM
CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Canada's first private clinic to treat emergency patients has opened against a backdrop of opposition and a strong government warning the for-profit facility could be shut down if it's illegally charging for services already paid for under the public system.
"We've got a wonderful thing here," Dr. Gordon Bird, the facility's medical director, boasted today before leading several packs of media on tours of the clinic.
Bird is among 24 doctors who work in emergency departments around the Vancouver area and are also employed by the Urgent Care Centre, which treats broken limbs, lacerations and other conditions requiring "prompt attention."
Bird also works in the emergency department of Delta Hospital.
"That's one of the principles of our organization, that all physicians continue to practise in the public system," he said while conducting the tour.
"Isn't that dual practice, Dr. Bird?" asked a reporter.
"We'll continue, we'll have more questions later," said Bird, appearing flustered.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has chastised an Alberta government proposal of so-called dual practice that would allow physicians to bill the government for public funds while also making money from private facilities.
"Dual practice creates conflict of interest for physicians as there would be a financial incentive for them to stream patients into the private portion of their practice," Harper said in an April 3 letter to Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.
"Furthermore, dual practice legitimizes queue-jumping as it provides an approved mechanism for patients to pay to seek treatment at the front of the line," Harper said.
B.C. Health Minister George Abbott is warning of potential legal troubles for the clinic if it is in violation of the Canada Health Act because it charges for services covered under medicare.
On Thursday, the government proclaimed legislative amendments giving the Medical Services Commission the power to audit the centre and seek an injunction to shut it down.
But Carole James, leader of the Opposition NDP, said Abbott could have prevented the clinic from opening in the first place if he hadn't ignored a letter Godley sent to his ministry in January about his plans for the facility.
"All of Canada should be watching British Columbia right now, and watching and paying attention, because in my view British Columbia has a lesson to tell the other provinces," James said.
"And that lesson is here's what happens when a government neglects our public health-care system and basically has opened the door to private providers and you do end up with two kinds of health care — health care for those who can pay and health care for the rest of us."
Abbott has said he doesn't know what happened to the letter Godley sent and that the matter is being investigated.
James said Abbott has been blindsided on several other issues, including queue-jumping by people who paid for their own MRIs instead of waiting for the procedure in the public system.
Dr. Mark Godley, the operator of the "state-of-the-art" 10-bed clinic, has said the clinic will help ease overcrowding in emergency wards where people have to wait too long for treatment.
Godley did not speak to reporters as the clinic opened, apparently on advice from his lawyers.
His representative, Sherry Wiebe, insisted the centre meets all the legal requirements, not only provincial accreditation but city zoning and licensing regulations.
"We're on safe, sound legal ground and our counsellors, our lawyers, will speak to that," she said, declining to provide names of any lawyers.
"Everybody is aware that there are some questions about the legalities and we've got legal counsel, as does the government, and they're all looking at these concerns together," she said.
Wiebe focused on the $10-million facility's equipment, saying the clinic will have an advanced MRI, the first of its kind to be used in a clinic in Canada.
James Green, who made a failed bid for mayor of Vancouver, walked into the clinic just as one group of reporters was finishing a tour.
"I don't believe these types of illegal clinics should be open in British Columbia," Green said as he accused Wiebe of pushing him.
"These people are lawyered up with all kinds of cash and are able to do this only because the government's afraid of the law," he said.
"They shouldn't be open until we are sure that they, in every way, meet the standards of the Canada Health Act."
The Urgent Care Centre charges a range of fees for various procedures, including an evaluation fee of $199 and $50 for blood tests and $70 to set a cast.
Dr. James Woollard, spokesman for Canadian Doctors for Medicare, said the facility creates a class system for the wealthy.
"This is not just scare mongering," Woollard said. "This is exactly what's happened in Australia, it's exactly what's happened in Britain."
Woollard said he disagrees with Godley that the clinic will provide faster access to health care for everyone if patients are bypassing emergency departments and coming to his clinic for urgent conditions.
"People may get closer to the front of the line but the line will be slowed down," Woollard said, adding Godley's poaching of doctors from emergency wards means there will be fewer physicians in the public system.
Woollard also called on the federal government to enforce the Canada Health Act, which he said was established in the late 1960s to provide fairness for everyone.
"It comes down to a fundamental issue, that we believe as a nation that people's access to care should be dependent upon what they need and now how much money they have," he said.
So far, there are no consequences for provinces interpreting the Canada Health Act as they please, Woollard said.
"The Godley example that we have here is so obviously a step too far if it proves to be what it seems to be."
Federal Health Minister Tony Clement was not available for comment.
His spokesman, Erik Waddell, said it's a provincial responsibility to investigate whether any such clinic is violating the Canada Health Act.
"We are very much in favour of the Canada Health Act being enforced across this country in every province and being enforced equally," Waddell said.
"We do have confidence, though, that George Abbott is doing everything in his power that the Canada Health Act isn't being breached in this case."
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