The province has passed a health-reform bill that’s designed to cut long wait lists and a surgical backlog of more than 200,000 cases.
Hospitals are worried they will lose staff to private clinics, while the Opposition NDP is concerned the legislation won’t protect patients from being upsold.Statement from ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN” For-profit clinics can arbitrarily refuse to treat patients with complex needs or preexisting conditions, taking only the easiest, highest-profit cases. Says Ariss: “This means that for public hospital nurses, for example, there is an increase in patient acuity and even more of an unmanageable workload. The only winners in the passage of thisinto law are the investors, who are greedily anticipating the extra money lining their pockets.