Thread by @IvaCheung

Ida Pranteau, panellist on how patients want to be treated.

Fell out of a tree at 12 and tore up her arm. Spent 4 months in hospital and needed 2 skin graft surgeries. The doctor said, "Do you know how much money you're costing the healthcare system?" #BCSUC19

After that she didn't ever want to see the doctor.

"Racism in health care against Indigenous people is alive and well." #BCSUC19

"We're not asking for a handout. We just want to be treated with the respect and dignity that we have for you. Let us tell you our story and about how we're feeling. It's not up to you to tell us how we should feel." #BCSUC19

Leslie McBain said that when her son sought treatment for addiction, his doctor fired him as a patient, saying "You're an addict. That means if your lips are moving, you're lying." Leslie lost her son to an overdose. #BCSUC19

Hawkfeather Peterson: How do patient want to be treated? Do we really need a panel? Apparently so, because even though we all say people should be treated with dignity, it doesn't happen in practice. #BCSUC19

Laura Shaver: partner had infection, cellulitis. Asked for pain medication and got an Advil. Said to the doctor "You're basically forcing me to get possibly unsafe pain medications on the street." Doctor replied, "Well, that's your decision." #BCSUC19

What makes illicit drugs unsafe is the need to do them in secret. Only thing that separates people who use those drugs vs. people who need their coffee in the morning or "can't wait to get off work and go for a drink." #BCSUC19

"'Drug-seeking behaviour' just has to be turfed out of the lexicon. People don't go into hospital to get drugs to get high; they seek drugs because it's their medicine and they need it." #BCSUC19

Audience member says duty-to-report policies was a barrier to seeking care. Went to the doctor after she'd been self-medicating for undiagnosed PTSD. Doctor flagged her as suicide risk and drug user and had her children apprehended. #BCSUC19