What the hell?

“To keep the good of the patient as the highest priority.”

From the Hippocratic Oath

I was warned that finding a family doctor in Calgary was going to be difficult, little did I know that upon finding one who would accept me as a new patient I would have yet another obstacle. I realized that this wouldn’t be as simple as walking in to an office I really had no idea the hurdles I would have in this process. No names will be given in this tale due to my wanting my mother to continue getting medical care.

• My mom asked her gp if she would be willing to take me on as a patient when I moved here in July. Her doctor said yes, I believe provisionally at least.
• Calling every day for two weeks resulted in me believing that not only did this doctor not want new patients, they weren’t serving their current patients that well with a voicemail menu from hell that led in circles back to the original message with no opportunity to leave voicemail.
• Having finally reached the receptionist last Monday, I was informed coldly that she would have to confirm this with the doctor before adding me. I had no problem with that but her customer service skills could stand some sharpening. She informed me that she would call me back once she had spoken to the doctor.
• Having waited two days, I called her back today to check on progress. Without asking my name she informed me that I would not be added as a patient as the doctor had said no outright.
• Somewhat bewildered I mentioned that my mother had understood that as she was a patient, her doctor had agreed to add me. The receptionist did a 360 and then asked for my name. She told me much more warmly this time that of course I could become a patient.
• Somewhat relieved I asked when I might be able to make an appointment with this doctor. The receptionist told me December. Apparently this doctor is going off on leave until December but there would be locum doctors that I could see.

• Finally, yes, I could get my prescriptions filled. The receptionist asked me what prescriptions I needed refilled so I told her a list which included birth control. Total shutdown on her part, the Dr. (I use the term loosely) did not prescribe birth control of any kind.

Having lived in the religious soup that is Texas I have never run into a doctor refusing to write a prescription for birth control. I would not begin to wish to try and guess what other services this doctor doesn’t provide to women specifically. Religious beliefs aside, how could any physician be so narrow minded in their views? I appreciate that she (yes she) has been an effective doctor for my mother but obviously I need to find a physician that can tolerate the fact that premenopausal women might not actually want to bear a child as a consequence of having sex.

Re-acculturation

It might seem strange to some that I might have to be working at the process of making friends with my hometown again.  Like most relationships both parties have changed over the almost eight years since I lived here.  Calgary is booming, building cranes everywhere and traffic while not to Houston levels, is certainly  more congested.  People also seem to feel more cramped,  defending both their private and public spaces with an intensity I had not expected.  This seems to have led to a very small view of the world, their family, their jobs, and their immediate circle of friends.  I have heard statements from Calgarians on the news and in the newspaper that would not have seemed out of place in Texas.  There also seems to be a greater sense of materialism which is understandable considering the amount of money flowing through Calgary right now.

Perhaps it takes leaving your hometown to see it with clear eyes or perhaps I had always had an idealized perception of Calgary.  The Calgary that I remember had people who honestly cared about their neighbours and their city.  That Calgary, while more capitalistic than many other places, balanced it with a compassion and concern for all its citizens not just the ones with expense accounts and corner offices.