As some of you might know, I was referred to a surgeon for top surgery and went a year without hearing about a consult or anything. I was told that often doctors stop taking patients and don't tell anyone because we are so overbooked (government only funds certain doctors). Anyway, I decided to call this doctor's office today and see if they even had me on their list. The woman who answered told me that the clinic had done it wrong, that if they send her a referral letter, she sends them a letter back saying they need to make the referral by phone. She said if they did that for me, she could get me an appointment date tomorrow.

So yeah, lol. Take that as a lesson to follow up and speak to people directly. I probably could have had surgery last year if I had done so.

It was a little uncomfortable when she asked what the surgery was. I said "um, chest masculinization...like...removal of excess fat and breast tissue." She was like "ok..." Lol. Usually they RECONSTRUCT breasts on women who have had breast cancer, so that's probably why.

I've learned that lesson as well. The first referral from my GP to the psychiatrist fell off the face of the earth. The same thing happened with the referral from the psychiatrist to the endo.

Thankfully my GP was already prescribing me HRT otherwise I would have had a 21 month wait between the normal epic waiting lists and lost referrals!

After a month or two I would of been calling, not after a year...

Well, given that our healthcare is government-funded, I know these can take some time. Like I know people who wait two years for knee surgery, so I wrote it off.

Erin, that's interesting - given that we live in the same province so deal with the same psychiatrist, looks like we just have a busted provincial healthcare system.

Quote from: caleb. on January 08, 2014, 07:08:22 PM
Well, given that our healthcare is government-funded, I know these can take some time. Like I know people who wait two years for knee surgery, so I wrote it off.

Erin, that's interesting - given that we live in the same province so deal with the same psychiatrist, looks like we just have a busted provincial healthcare system.

That is where competition from private doctors and private insurance would help you.

No one should have to wait for years for a surgery.

Quote from: caleb. on January 08, 2014, 07:08:22 PM
Well, given that our healthcare is government-funded, I know these can take some time. Like I know people who wait two years for knee surgery, so I wrote it off.

Erin, that's interesting - given that we live in the same province so deal with the same psychiatrist, looks like we just have a busted provincial healthcare system.

It's strange though. I've never had problems with referrals before. In some cases I've had referrals made in the morning and appointments made that afternoon.

Quote from: Jamie D on January 08, 2014, 07:28:24 PM
That is where competition from private doctors and private insurance would help you.

No one should have to wait for years for a surgery.

My experience and my families experience hasn't been that bad (my mom waited about 6-9 months for her knee). I think the province triages elective procedures.

That being said, I'll take public over private health care every day. I'd rather wait a bit longer for surgery knowing that I always have coverage. 

I do hear horror stories about wait times up here, but I also hear just as many horror stories about dealing with private insurance in the US - that is if you're fortunate to have any.

Quote from: Jamie D on January 08, 2014, 07:28:24 PM
That is where competition from private doctors and private insurance would help you.

No one should have to wait for years for a surgery.

I was going to go private actually, started a savings account just for saving for Dr. G - but I considered calling them just to be absolutely sure there was no way I could get in because having these on my chest has become really bad due to what seems to be permanent ribcage damage from binding in the past. I think I'll know tomorrow. I left a message for my psych on his answering machine at work, and the woman at the surgeon's office said that if they refer me tomorrow, she'll call me tomorrow with a date for an appointment.

Quote from: ErinM on January 08, 2014, 08:12:09 PM
It's strange though. I've never had problems with referrals before. In some cases I've had referrals made in the morning and appointments made that afternoon.

My experience and my families experience hasn't been that bad (my mom waited about 6-9 months for her knee). I think the province triages elective procedures.

That being said, I'll take public over private health care every day. I'd rather wait a bit longer for surgery knowing that I always have coverage. 

I do hear horror stories about wait times up here, but I also hear just as many horror stories about dealing with private insurance in the US - that is if you're fortunate to have any.

I've never had a problem before this either. I heard about my hysterectomy really quickly, as well as ultrasounds, internal medicine...I do know they triage some procedures. My hysterectomy is a 7 month wait as I'm classified as "non-urgent" (which is totally fine, as I have absolutely no issues with those organs healthwise). But with the top surgery, this doctor is a plastic surgeon, exclusively - as far as I know he mostly reconstructs breasts for women who had breast cancer. But as far as I see it, that's equally as "cosmetic" as my surgery since the actual health risk of cancer was removed and poses no threat. But it seems that may not be the case here, just a miscommunication.