To the Editor, 

 

Much has been reported about high-speed Internet lately. I thought the hospitals and medical centres were to be connected with the highest speed! Who is their provider? 

 

Last Friday I had a specialist doctor appointment in the Haliburton Medical Centre. The specialist had come from Peterborough to meet his patients here, which we thoroughly appreciate. However, his first words were the system was down so he could not access my files. Fortunately, as an advocate for my own health care, I had my files with me and the discussion began! On other occasions at the Minden site I have met the same experience, the system was down. Again I take hard copies with me. Why is this always happening? Why are they always changing the system? 

 

Also, why is the emergency department unable to access your tests from your family physician, even in the same building? Why is there not a connection between the hospitals, emergency departments, and medical centres for accessing your tests? 

 

I always give my family doctor’s name expecting her to be notified of any appointments when needed elsewhere. There should be a relationship with the health-care system providing a relationship with your family physician. We, the patient, need to advocate for a better system of connectedness or what is the point of all this latest expensive high-speed Internet that we have been reading so much about!

 

Dr. Danielle Martin, a family physician with Women’s College Hospital, Toronto has written a book, Better Now, with excellent ideas on improving our health-care system. Her thoughts on connectedness for patient care are spot on!

 

Lois Rigney

Canning Lake