1...When @shandro @jkenney & @UCPCaucus last Friday signalled a backdown on their self-created devastation of rural medicine they did three things: A) they clearly indicated they had messed up Alberta healthcare enough to threaten their political security in rural Alberta...2
2...B) they indicated that they were willing and able to about-face to save that political security, but C) they were not willing to extend those considerations to urban Alberta...3
3...2.8 million Albertans were told your healthcare did not matter enough. Because urban Alberta has not spoken out yet. Of those 2.8 million, 687,000 Albertans are over 55. This is the group that sees their medical complexity skyrocket...4
4...but the UCP govt continues to ignore your complex care needs. Despite rescinding on time modifiers, they STILL HAVE NOT ADDRESSED their removal of complex care plans (CCPs), the basis of the relationships/services that doctors have with their senior patients...5
5...Mr. @Shandro’s quote: “Albertans just aren’t complex enough”. You have already seen his ability to understand and wrestle with medical concepts...do you trust his personal assessment of you or your loved ones?...6
6...This government is willing to let your health needs go unmet. As COVID restrictions were put in place, those Albertans with complex health needs were asked to put their concerns on hold and their stability in jeopardy. Now as those restrictions start to be lifted...7
7...those Albertans that placed their health balance on the back burner for the good of society should expect to be able to return to their doctors and start the long hard battle to regain that stability. But, they will find that infrastructure gone...8
8...sure, it will still limp along, largely on the tail end of allowances that existed up till Mar31’20. But as that battle to regain balance stretches over months, then the loss of infrastructure will become apparent, but too late to alter course...9
9...The battle with chronic disease is a long battle, with delicate victories. When this is messed with, the consequence is years of lives lost down the road, and more good years replaced with bad years down the road. All this at an elevated cost to the system...10
10...Don't let your UCP MLAs tell you "It doesn't matter, we did a study", that study was deliberately flawed from its design, like the other fake "studies/reports". Don't let your minister tell you "Albertan's aren't complex"...11
11...His bumbling leadership screw ups and "me first, you don't matter" attitude is already world-renowned. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, emphysema, asthma, kidney disease, high cholesterol, mental health concerns, smoke, obesity, heart failure, angina...12
12...ischemic heart disease, coronary heart disease, a past heart attack, chronic bronchitis, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar, the list just keeps going and going, YOU WILL BE EFFECTED BY THIS. Further, if you are "urban" in where you seek healthcare...13
13...then no concessions have been made to offset this concern at all (not that rural docs made it good, we are still dealing with a govt that takes pride in not honouring contracts, would you work for them?). 2.8 million of you have been told you don't matter...14
14...and of those, 687,000 Albertans will potentially have direct measurable consequences of that govt disregard. BUT LISTEN HERE. You still have time, the restrictions aren't lifted fully yet, so your struggle to regain balance hasn't been stymied yet...15
15...The UCP has already shown they will back-down from bad policy based on bad information when they get push-back from their MLAs. SO GO, write your MLAs, send it to their CONSTITUENCY OFFICES, and go to those offices when it is allowed again. Tell them you matter too...16
16...Tell your MLAs (when its allowed, to their faces, and before then in letter), that you didn't let them into government so they could destroy the future of your health. Tell them that their lack of expertise in health should not be captaining this ship...17
17...Tell them you are damned mad that they are separating you from your doctor through underhanded and covert ways, to exchange your health now and in the future, for a few dollars in their own personal pockets now. TELL THEM NOW. Rural Albertans showed you how to do it...18
19...You only have yourselves to blame if you don't. This doesn't even need to be a new playbook. Rural Albertans already did it. Urban Albertans are going to have to do it too. Remember, their consistuency offices are more sensitive to these letters. Here is the link...20
20...assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx…. Here is the checklist:...21
21...a) complex care plans are important for stability of complex care, b) Albertan's put high value on honouring contracts and will NEVER trust those taking pride in breaking such promises...22
22...c) doctors are the experts in health delivery, not politicians without any actual medical training, d) your relationship with your doctor is sacred on purpose, because its earned, e) you will not tolerate someone undermining that to further a biased political agenda...23
23...There, you have everything you need to make a difference. And after you have written and sent your letter, and after you have met them face to face (when allowed), tell them @John1MD helped you.
And, if you read this and you agree with it, follow me, and share this. If you know someone who will be effected by these health cuts, let them know. print this out, send it to them, get them in touch with me, do what you have to do. You might save a life.
