Northern health care has reached a new low with the introduction of lotteries that terminate patient access to the system we all rely on. I, along with others in Prince George — and possibly elsewhere — have become victims of these unconscionable practices.
A letter from my primary care physician informed me that I would be dropped as part of an effort to reduce his workload. His justification was that "we are in a healthcare crisis." He chose to respond to this crisis by mitigating his own circumstances, at great cost to the patients entrusted to his care.
The letter explained that a "random draw" (i.e., a lottery) was used to select patients for removal. Finding it incredulous that patients would be removed without regard for their individual circumstances, I requested clarification. His office explained that, rather than a completely random draw, the physician had decided who would remain and who would be removed.
I found it doubly disturbing that, in addition to misrepresenting the process to patients, the physician adopted a method that is rife with potential for discrimination.
No reason was given for my removal. At 76 years old, I know that access to diagnostic tests, prescriptions, and referrals will be critical in the years ahead to maintain my health and independent living.
That access is now blocked for the foreseeable future, as my extensive efforts to find another physician have proven futile.
There are ethical and acceptable ways to manage workload stresses, such as limiting appointments during staff shortages. Given that primary care physicians serve as British Columbians’ gateway to essential services and referrals, terminating that access is unethical and will inevitably cause harm.
The process was callous, arbitrary, and deeply disturbing to those affected. Without our consent or input, we were subjected to a high-stakes lottery with catastrophic consequences for the “losers.” The effects include a deep sense of betrayal, elevated anxiety, and the fear of knowing that medical care will only be available after symptoms escalate into true emergencies.
Canadians support the national health care system through their taxes. Yet, I, along with others, am now blocked from the services we pay for and depend on.
I cannot imagine that these deplorable schemes would be tolerated by the Northern Health Authority or the Ministry of Health. How broken is a healthcare system in which doctors run lotteries to lighten their workloads and feel justified in abandoning patients — including the elderly?
I have written to Northern Health’s Patient Care Quality Office and eagerly await their response.
Winnifred Kessler
Prince George
