Wait times to see a specialist

What is the normal wait time to see a specialist? My daughter has a blocked tear duct and it has been getting infected quite often. The pediatrician sent a referral to a pediatric opthamalogist back in December and I still hadn't heard anything as of Monday. I called the opthamalogists office and left a few messages, finally this afternoon some one called me back. I was told that my daughter will be lucky to get an appointment this year....I must say I am in shock...should I be in shock? Our healthcare sucks, I know this from watching my mother die from cancer and now I watch my Dad fight cancer.

Take her to the US. Much faster service.

Triniman wrote:Take her to the US. Much faster service.

Believe me if I could I would. I am planning on calling MB Health and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to see what my options are. If I can get her into one sooner like in Alberta or Ontario, I believe MB Health will pick up the cost.

goth chic, it depends on wether or not the system sees your situation as "urgent" or not. my own experience with it is that whenthey think it may be a life threatening issue, you get access to EVERTHING they have. this bumps lesser issues,in their minds, down lower. make something up that sounds more urgent. youll get better access that way.

I don't think I should have to lie in order to have my daughter seen by a doctor. Her eye is infected at least 2-3 times per month...is it life threatening? I would say no. I am sure if the infection becomes resistent to the antibiotics then yes it could cause the loss of her eye which in my opinion is right up there with life threatening.

If she is on the list and on the cancellation list , then you phone every morning early and ask if there were any cancellations. That got my 5 month MRI appointment done in 2 days.
The next time she is sick you take her to the hospital and you are likely to get in to see that "specialist". That worked for my Mom, when she got a 4 month appointment to see an eye specialist!
Free medical service, but not available! Good luck!

Don't frick around with vision. Do whatever it takes.

goth chic, the potential loss of your daughters eye to them is not "urgent". we have a sick medical ststem here. you have a responsibility to protect your daughters health. do whatever it takes. good luck, god bless.

grumpy old man wrote:Don't frick around with vision. Do whatever it takes.

That is why I am calling MB Health and the WRHA. Plus if this infection keeps up I will take her to Misercordia as they have an opthamalogist on staff.

If you don't mind me asking who is the ophthalmologist they are sending you to?
An old friend had a plugged tear duct problem. I think she was sent to a Dr. Lee Wing.

Outsider wrote:If you don't mind me asking who is the ophthalmologist they are sending you to?
An old friend had a plugged tear duct problem. I think she was sent to a Dr. Lee Wing.

I have the dr's name at home. The dr my daughter is waiting to see is a pediatric opthamologist.

calling the wrha might help. family doctor is useless except for prescriptions. the us is only if you got unlimited cash and or time. believe me there is a system that is responsive to your needs if they see it as relavent. nowa days it seems imenent death is a only reason. have you got a diagnosis for your daughter? there are natural slash alternative health care alternatives out there. talk to your extended family if you havent already done so. lifestyle is also important issue in health, diet, hygiene, social life, etc.... dont take that last thing as a judgement, cuz its not.

She has a blocked tear duct. They have to surgically open her duct up, it has been blocked since she was a baby, she is now 4.

i was assuming your dealing with an older child. sorry. natural health care is something still worthy. ive seen death in my family and people ive known over the years, probably why im so distustful of the system.

Goth_chic wrote:She has a blocked tear duct. They have to surgically open her duct up, it has been blocked since she was a baby, she is now 4.

My friends was plugged so bad, they ended up building a new one.
But she is an adult. I do not know what they do for kids.

Outsider wrote:

Goth_chic wrote:She has a blocked tear duct. They have to surgically open her duct up, it has been blocked since she was a baby, she is now 4.

My friends was plugged so bad, they ended up building a new one.
But she is an adult. I do not know what they do for kids.

Well there are only 2 specialist for kids in the city.

When my youngest daughter was around 10, her eye was cut by a piece of Corning Wear that shattered and popped up into her face. We took her very quickly to Children's Hospital and we saw a pediatric opthamologist within an hour. Granted this was an urgent case in that they had to operate to stitch her eye so she wouldn't lose it all together. She was in surgery within 90 minutes.

In saying that Goth, when your daughter's infection becomes extreme again, take her to Children's Hospital and DEMAND that she be seen by the specialist. Misery will only send you to Children's if the case is deemed urgent. Have you been documenting her infections on a calendar or journal so that you have dates to show the increase in frequency? If not you may be able to get the dates from the pharmacy of when you would have gone in to get prescriptions (if that is the case).

Good luck, keep up the fight.

Thanks Holly. I've already decided that the next time her eye is infected off to Children's we will go. Waiting till October or November for an appointment is ridiculous.

I am on the phone right now with the WRHA. I will keep bugging them, MB Health and the dr's office till my daughter is seen in a timely manner.

There's a 6 month wait for a simple colonoscopy for goodness sake.

Our system is broken and has been for a long time.

We simply have to get rid of the people in charge first, before we can fix it. However, we seem to be relying on these same idiots to fix what they've fcuked up. That's just stupid imo.

Goth_chic wrote:What is the normal wait time to see a specialist? My daughter has a blocked tear duct and it has been getting infected quite often. The pediatrician sent a referral to a pediatric opthamalogist back in December and I still hadn't heard anything as of Monday. I called the opthamalogists office and left a few messages, finally this afternoon some one called me back. I was told that my daughter will be lucky to get an appointment this year....I must say I am in shock...should I be in shock? Our healthcare sucks, I know this from watching my mother die from cancer and now I watch my Dad fight cancer.

I certainly was in shock when I find that out...

8 year old son 1... headaches and such no real reason. Sent by referral to that specialist.. this was in November... no call.. no call.. no call.. no call. I keep calling my eye guy and they keep saying we will call them again. Finally Feb rolls around get a letter saying you will get a call when we have an appointment. no call no call....winter turns to spring to summer then to fall into late october and early november

8 (now 9) year old son 2 gets a massive eye infection. We end up in the ER at childrens and he is put on two different antibiotics. Spends a week in the hospital and while there visits the opthamologist 4 times. ALL 4 times there is no one sitting in the waiting room. Is discharged and goes back to see him yet again 1 week later. Again no one sitting in the waiting room. 2 hours after son 2 gets back from his 5th trip to see this opthamologist my wife gets a call. We have an appointment for your son tommorow.... umm what? my wife says.. we were just there. oh they say well come in anyway I guess. unfortunately we miss that appointment but my wife calls 1 hour late and says can I still bring son 2 in? SON 2???? that appointment was for SON1 and no you now have to go back on the list...!

Isn't our system wonderful.??

It's run by fcuking idiots I tell ya.!!

ooo adendum to the story.

So we though well I guess its okay cause son1's headaches have gone away. We take him for a regular before school eye check up this August.. eye guys says... hmmm.. there is something in the back of his eye that I dont like... LETS SEND HIM TO THE SPECIALIST!!!

fug...

Seems like a guy named Monty Python runs our system.

waiting if they were busy does not bother me as much as knowing that they are either not busy.. or so damn well organized that no one ever has to wait in the waiting room which is as likely as my cat speaking english