Boy some people (health related rant)

[TJ.Brk]

Well we all know about my website. There is this free clinic at the mtn here that not to many people know about (they only charge Doctors and treatment fees). I've been trying for months to get a meeting with the lady who owns it. The reason being that when Americans and Brits visit here, if they get hurt/sick, their wallet becomes emptied very fast when it comes to medical care. Hospitals and clinics here in Quebec will not accept American Health Insurance Companies policies. You have to pay out of pocket up front here if you are an American. Then you turn the bills into your insurance company when you get home, and pray they reinburse you for it (Some companys will not unless they are notifide right away when you get to the hospital. FYI). If Americans/Brits knew what to do incase of a medical emergency ahead of time it might save them some cash.

So I've checked out some local clinics that take in emergency cases for around $80-120CAD per visit (fees can be turned into your insurance provider and most likely recovered because the cost is much lower than a Hospital. I also have a Canadian travelers policy linked on my site that you can purchase to avoid this cost. The policy costs between $20-25USD for a one week period). This will help people because the ambulance ride to a hospital is $300CAD and then the hospitals want $750CAD cash up front before even a nurse will see you. So if they can avoid that high cost by going to a smaller clinic for the same services it will save people alot of cash.

Anyway I get my meeting with this lady today at 11:30am today. I explain to her who I was, and that my site was non profit, and that I'm just trying to give people advanced information so they know what is going on when they get here, and so that their wallets don't end up getting emptied incase of an illness or serious injury. And to provide directions to where the Doctors, Clinics, and Hospitals are located.

Lady: So which people will this help? Canadians have health care paid by our taxes. All Canadians know this. Your site will not help them. Who are you wanting to help.

Me: Visitors from other countries that come here.

Lady: Which countries?

Me: The states, England, New Zealand, Japan, etc. People not from Canada.

Lady: We've had nothing but problems with Americans. Especially the college kids that come up here on buses. Their foul language, and they think everything should be free. Are you an American? (her rant continued, but I just don't want to go into the rest of it)

Me: Yes I am. And not all Americans are that way. You have to realize that these kids don't have much money when they come up here on group trips. If they become sick or are injured, they become scared, and just want good medical care. When people get scared they can become confrontational sometimes. Espeically when their might be a language barrier.

Lady: Well they are just out of hand, and you are on a power trip with your little website. I bet you want $1000 from me. Americans are all about money.

Me: (holding my temper at this point and still trying to smile) No I'm not on some power trip. And my site is free to be listed on. I don't charge any business's any fees to be listed on my website. I'm just trying to help people out. We've lost alot of American business here in the last 2 years because of poor customer service. I just want to keep tourists coming here so my friends here will keep their jobs. And to make sure tourists know where to go, to get good proper medical care incase they get sick or injured in an emergency.

Lady: You are a skier. What do you know about proper medical care? I've had this clinic for 20yrs. Seems to me all you want is money, or services for free. Don't you save enough money with the exchange rate. My daughter is in college at Crested Butte, Colorado. And we have to pay extra because we are Canadians.

Me: If I lived outside of the state of Colorado and want to go to college there I would have to pay a higher tuition rate as well. The Canadian Dollar has risen significantly in the last 6 months against the US Dollar. I have a college degree in nursing, and I was a certifide trauma nurse. I don't do that anymore. I needed a career change. Mam I'm just trying to get information to pass along to people if they need your services. I am not trying to rip you off. Your clinic is close by and has a good rep (my friends warned me this lady can be difficult). Which hospitals do you get your physicians staff from? The hospital in St Agathe or L'Annonciation?

Lady: Why does that matter. We have great Doctors here.

Me: I'm sure you do. The reason I ask is because L'Annonciation is a bigger hospital with better facilliaties, and it has a level one trauma unit. The doctors there have more training in trauma cases. That and they have a great pediatrics care unit as well for children. St Agathe is much smaller and has neither of those units, and in most serious cases Children end up life flighted to Montreal. In serious child trauma case's time is of the essence. L'Annonciation is better equiped for children.

Lady: I don't see how that matters. Both hospitals are great. You are a nurse, I'm surprised you are asking these questions. Maybe Quebec Gov't wouldn't give you a license to practice up here because you couldn't pass the test.

Me: No I didn't feel like paying $5000 to go through a Quebec LPN re-certification course when I already have a College degree, just because I am an American. (at this point I was about to get pissed and thought I should leave before I said something stupid) Thank you for your time. It was nice meeting you. bye

What is really funny is I had a meeting last friday with a clinic just down the road in St Jovite. I met the 3 doctors working that day, along with the 4 nurses, x-ray and lab techs. More than happy to answer any and all questions. Great people there and very professional. Oh and when I asked them about which hospital they send patients to.

A: For children, and life threatening injuries requiring hospitaliztion we send them to L'Annonciation.

The good about all of this is I know what to put up on my site now. I can send people to the right places if they get hurt.

Sorry for the long rant.

[Jiffy]

tj, its not uncommon to pay at time of service. In JH, the clinic operates that way. They will file insurance for you, but not in lieu of payment. It is a proven fact that without TOS payment, ski clinics get shafted. Our collections increased by almost 50% when we quit taking insurance as payment.

in this town you have no idea how creative people will get to get free service. By no means would service ever be refused, but you gotta cover your ass.

The lady was rude and stupid, but the Canadian policy does not surprise me in the least.

[TJ.Brk]

Oh I know Jiffy. The hospital's and private care I worked in the states had the same payment for services requirements. But unfortunately up here before hospitals will treat an injury (non life threatening) here in Quebec, you must come up with the $750CAD if you are not a Canadian. I found this out first hand myself. If you were bleeding out or about to die, then yes they would treat you. However, there was one kid last year up here on a group trip that splintered his femur. He didn't know the number the condo units they were at. He had my card because I showed them around the mtn the day before. He called me. I got ahold of his tour guide and they had to have people pitch in the money for him to be treated. He sat in the ER at St Agathe for almost 3 hours before they treated him. The lady taking the money counted it infront of everyone before the nurse was allowed to take him back (they would not take a credit card from anyone because his was denied at first). (his parents sent me the money I chipped in back last May with expo's tickets. Nice kid and very nice family)

I was royally pissed at this point. I spoke to the Nurse and she felt horrible about it. I mean she felt truely horrible. She told me that whenever a non Canadian is brought it that Admin people stop them from treating before the payment is made. It's not the medical staff making these descisions. It's pencil pushers

[CantDog]

I've heard the stories about the kids that go up and get really rowdy. My next door neighbor went up and got unbelivably trashed, broke down the hotel door for some reason, and broke his hand in the process. Another story involved a friend of mine at the time drinking waaaay too much and suffering alcohol poisoning, and had to be taken to the hospital to have his stomach pumped.

I've been at Tremblant during the high school trip weekend(I believe its coming up at the end of the month, TJ correct me if I'm wrong) and its a crazy scene. Basically high schoolers between 14 and 18 see it as a way to get smashed, and since its in another country...the consequences dont seem real. Part of me cannot blame the nurse that spoke so rudely because I've seen this first hand and was astounded how little respect the kids had for each other, the hotel/staff/mountain, and for themselves. It was truely sad. But its crazy to base your entire image of Americans based on crazed high school students and she is absolutely wrong to do so.

[schuss]

that sucks man, the quebecois attitude pervades a bit too much with some people. While there are plenty of a-hole americans that come up, there are plenty of friendly ones too, but unfortunately everyone only remembers the a-holes. Being the nice americans does get you great service though

[char]

However, there was one kid last year up here on a group trip that splintered his femur. He didn't know the number the condo units they were at. He had my card because I showed them around the mtn the day before. He called me. I got ahold of his tour guide and they had to have people pitch in the money for him to be treated. He sat in the ER at St Agathe for almost 3 hours before they treated him. The lady taking the money counted it infront of everyone before the nurse was allowed to take him back (they would not take a credit card from anyone because his was denied at first). (his parents sent me the money I chipped in back last May with expo's tickets. Nice kid and very nice family)

WTF! I'm not a medic or anything but this summer we were told, working 2-4 hours away from a hospital, that a femur fracture is automatically considered a "severe" or "critical" injury because of the chance your femur damaged the arteries in your thigh. We were told that if we called in a broken femur that Life Flight would be immediately sent to our location.

I think that is disgusting, there are other ways to get compensation out of a patient than having them wait for 3 hours with a potentially life threatening injury.

TJ- Sounds like you are doing a cool thing. You should have notified the bitch you talked to that you would not be recommending her clinic and in fact would reccommend people not go there. And then tell her your site traffic numbers.

[TJ.Brk]

Originally posted by char

TJ- Sounds like you are doing a cool thing. You should have notified the bitch you talked to that you would not be recommending her clinic and in fact would reccommend people not go there. And then tell her your site traffic numbers.

It's not as simple as that. I may have caught her on a bad day. And there are plenty of Quebers, English Canadians, Kids from all over the world that come here, get trashed because of the low drinking age, and generally don't care. To be honest I think we have all gone through that period in our lives. Schuss is right. Some people only want to remember the bad when they put people of certain nationalities in a group. It's not fair, but it happens anyway and you end up having to deal with it the best you can, then move on.

I'm still going to put the clinics info up. It does carry full services for a wide array of medical needs. If you are a parent with an injured child are you not going to go there just because one woman has a poor attitude towards your country. You would still go there because you have to. You have a sick kid, or you are sick/injured yourself and the clinic is right there.

I will put up with the clinics info telling people to: "please be polite, for you will get much better/prompter service if you are. Be prepared to pay $100 no matter what. Remember your actions will reflect on how the next American is treated if they need to use the clinic". That's the best you can do.

[Sublime]

Anyone know how a Canadian citizen would get treated in a US hospital if he/she were in the same place?

The college bit really made me

[Blurred Elevens]

T.JBrk-

First of all let me say that all humanity has been thrown out the door at hospitals. You come in with your nose hanging off your face, and they're asking for your money before helping you. That's just disgusting if you ask me.

T.J-Right off the bat I don't think you made yourself clear to this lady that you weren't looking for money, and that you just wanted to help people. She probably gets people trying to get money out of her all the time, and she was really skeptical about you. I'd write her a thank you letter for her time, and give a detailed explanation on why you are attempting to do what you are. If that doesn't work, I'll hook up with her Daughter down here at the Butte, and give mom a grandchild named Blurred elevens Jr....that'll set her straight!

[TJ.Brk]

Originally posted by Sublime
Anyone know how a Canadian citizen would get treated in a US hospital if he/she were in the same place?

Yes I can tell you. You would be treated first. Get your info later. No money. Well they mail you a bill and hope it gets paid. That's the way it worked in any hospital I worked at.

[TJ.Brk]

Originally posted by Blurred Elevens
T.JBrk-


T.J-Right off the bat I don't think you made yourself clear to this lady that you weren't looking for money, and that you just wanted to help people. She probably gets people trying to get money out of her all the time, and she was really skeptical about you. I'd write her a thank you letter for her time, and give a detailed explanation on why you are attempting to do what you are. If that doesn't work, I'll hook up with her Daughter down here at the Butte, and give mom a grandchild named Blurred elevens Jr....that'll set her straight!

Well she spoke perfect english. And on the introduction letter and on my card it states: Gratuit/Free with detailed explanations of what my websites goals are. Good luck with the grandkid

[OffAxis]

Originally posted by TJ.Brk
Yes I can tell you. You would be treated first. Get your info later. No money. Well they mail you a bill and hope it gets paid. That's the way it worked in any hospital I worked at.

Last year they got my info first then treated me. It sucked trying to remember my mom's birthday, give them all my insurance info. and sign a release when my shoulder had been dislocated for over an hour.

[G]

Originally posted by Blurred Elevens
If that doesn't work, I'll hook up with her Daughter down here at the Butte, and give mom a grandchild named Blurred elevens Jr....that'll set her straight!

Oh great, Blurred Junior.

How much would it suck to be a kid named B.J.

[schuss]

Originally posted by OffAxis
Last year they got my info first then treated me. It sucked trying to remember my mom's birthday, give them all my insurance info. and sign a release when my shoulder had been dislocated for over an hour.

thats because a dislocated shoulder isn't the most serious thing out there. If you really want to get treated immediately, walk through the ambulance entrance, otherwise they'll assume you aren't in so much pain you can't answer questions. My dad informed me of that after I told the nurse all my info, while hopping around with a severe 3rd degree burn.

[acostiga]

begin rant... now: last month i fell and hurt myself. slipped on some icy stairs and fell directly on my back. i was lucky enough to have my girlfriend present, or else i don't know how i would've made it to the emergency room. directly after i fell, the pain was so intense that i passed out. thank goodness she kept a cool head and helped me out.

in the emergency room i had to first register with a triage nurse, who took five minutes to even get to her station after i came into the emergency room. she asked me a few questions about my injury and then directed me to a cashier. in hindsight, it was a huge mistake not being either in tears or doing lots of screaming. i told her that i was a "10" on the pain scale and that i had already passed out once from the pain. actually, what would've been more effective would've been stopping off at mcdonalds for a few packets of ketchup to use as fake blood.

the lady who was basically a cashier in the next office room could barely type on the computer keyboard because her fingernails were so long and full of glitter. i don't know if she could read or not, but her speaking-level of ebonics was supurb. communications were certainly interesting.

anyhow, this cashier didn't know how to use the mechanism which reads a credit card. it took her three attempts with two different credit cards before she told me the machine wasn't working. although i was in so much pain i could barely stand it, i managed to tell her that she just had to look at the picture on the front of the machine which demonstrates that the credit card needed to be swiped with the reverse side of the card facing towards her. is there a special ring in the depths of hell which is reserved for morons?

once i was registered and the hospital had some of my money, i stood there in the emergency room for over two and a half hours. yes, i stood there. i couldn't sit because my back hurt too much. the waiting room was full of people who had colds and the flu. the place was like a freak circus or the jerrry springer show. and i couldn't even get an asprin from the triage nurse, nor a glass of water. good times, good times.

once i was led into an examination room, i was told to change into a gown and wait for a nurse. after 30 more minutes, a nurse came into the room and asked me a few questions. there was trash on the floor of the room and i didn't feel confdent about the cleanliness level of the place considering it was basically a cold and flu clinic that night. i'm not convinced the gown hadn't already been used by someone else that day. yummy.

when the doctor told me he needed a urine sample to determine if blood was present in the sample, he directed me to a bathroom. there was a quart full of orange/yellow piss in one of those hospital piss bottles sitting right in the sink. a few pubic-looking hairs were on the edge of the sink and around the floor, just to enhance my nightmare.

i don't live in a third-world country, and the hospital isn't a poor nor neglected place. those were regular conditions on a regular night in a regular american town. would my experience have been different anywhere else? i don't make a habit of having to go to the emergency room, so i just went to the closest place which came to mind. was i just unlucky with my particular experience?

[face to face]

Originally posted by TJ.Brk
Lady: You are a skier. What do you know about proper medical care? I've had this clinic for 20yrs. Seems to me all you want is money, or services for free. Don't you save enough money with the exchange rate. My daughter is in college at Crested Butte, Colorado. And we have to pay extra because we are Canadians.

oh what
that lady has some serious issues there. reminds me of this person me and DINMS met at the hood summit last summer. as usual DINMS had his butt hangin out of his pants and was going fast up the ramp at the bottom of the run. He almost nails the woman, or maybe he does, i dont entirely remember. Ask him. anyway, she starts yelling at him for almost hitting her. then starts yelling at him for having his butt hangin out. then goes into how stupid teens are.
she needed some counciling. she was a very angry woman.

[face to face]

Originally posted by acostiga

once i was led into an examination room, i was told to change into a gown and wait for a nurse. after 30 more minutes, a nurse came into the room and asked me a few questions. there was trash on the floor of the room and i didn't feel confdent about the cleanliness level of the place considering it was basically a cold and flu clinic that night. i'm not convinced the gown hadn't already been used by someone else that day. yummy.

when the doctor told me he needed a urine sample to determine if blood was present in the sample, he directed me to a bathroom. there was a quart full of orange/yellow piss in one of those hospital piss bottles sitting right in the sink. a few pubic-looking hairs were on the edge of the sink and around the floor, just to enhance my nightmare.

...................holy mother of god i pity you................thats disgusting..............especially the part about the pee cup and pubic hairs in the sink....................lol

[mr_gyptian]

I worked in the Cape for two summers and if there are worse tourons that the Quebecois I haven't met them. I also worked at two elkspensive in vail for a winter break. The Frog/Canadian is a dangerous strain of touron I've encountered.