11 Comments

Thanks Dan, this is illuminating. I was urgently referred to a hospital specialist just over a week ago, my appointment letter arrived yesterday and it’s only a month away. There will always be horror stories, but my life-long experience in the system has been largely positive. I will fight tooth and nail for public healthcare in New Zealand and your three Americans have reinforced that view.

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ANNA, not Ann, I'm sorry!

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No worries Dan. I answer to any of the derivatives🤣

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Hi Anna! A month turnaround, that's great! The public system's been good to us, too. I hate what they're trying to do to it here of late. It's the public square, man. We should be proud to build nice hospitals! What else is a country for?

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This was so interesting to read! I wonder whether people from different countries would have different experiences than people coming from the US. Loved reading about this little behind the scenes in our healthcare system!

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Thanks for reading, glad you liked it! That's such a good point. I would love to read the comparisons with Canada, India, Philippines, etc. I've had a lot of good experiences with NZ med staff from all over.

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I met a Belgian cardiologist a few years back, and she decided to go back to Belgium because she felt she couldn't work under these conditions and she couldn't help people as much as she could in Belgium. I thought that was interesting!

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That's so interesting! That feeling of a limit to the good you can do--I know a doctor who burned out in Bolivia for a similar reason. You could do the tests and tell people they had cancer, but then there wasn't any way to actually treat it. We need doctors everywhere, in all conditions. I guess each one has to find their best fit.

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Hey Dan, ambulances aren't directly funded as part of NZ health care.

They get funding from Te Whatu Ora and ACC, but are separate charities and also need to fundraise.

It's a bit weird, like the lack of dental - I think it's due to how the system funding was originally set up. Generally services provided by doctors are funded, those by other people less so.

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Oh lordy, I'm sorry Louisa, I mixed up my names! Fixed it. Thanks for reading, and have a lovely day!

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Hi Louisa! Thanks for the clarification. I have seen the fundraisers, and donated! But no matter whrere the money come from--the word 'free' on the side of the ambulance is mind-blowing to me. When we call them back home, the first thought in our heads is a dollar sign.

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