When does the waiting time for Healthcare Services become Devastating?

Canada has been lately in news for their lack of timely healthcare services and this unfavourable development has also been reported from its neighbour, the U.S. The delay in offering timely medical care is due to several factors, but the main reason is the lack of enough facilities and professionals to cater to huge masses of patients.

The waiting period is a very common terminology in the healthcare sector. It is the amount of time an individual spends waiting to receive proper healthcare services. From scheduling an appointment to receiving treatment, today, patients have to wait for a very long time to get the right treatment for their illness. 

Some of the time-consuming processes

Individuals seeking emergency medical treatment have to wait in long queue for a specialist’s appointment.

The tests for diagnosing ailments can take up to weeks to get completed.

The waits are extremely long for organ transplants

Long waits to book an operation

Devastating effect of long waiting periods on patients

Doctors are supposed to offer medical assistance to patients within 30 minutes of their arrival at the hospital or clinic, but at many centres healthcare wait times extend for several hours. Long waits for healthcare services can lead to the following adverse effects on patients -

Delay in diagnosis of an illness

Can lead to deterioration of the health

Additional expenses

Patients may give up on seeking treatment

Psychologically taxing. It can create anxiety and stress in individuals

Mortality

Causes of long waiting periods for medical treatment

Incompatibility in supply and demand

Complex procedures for accessing care and reimbursement

Use of outdated technology for scheduling

Geographical and financial constraints

Incompetent medical professionals

Going abroad for medical treatments

Medical tourism has gained immense popularity over the years and this is mainly due to the fact that some countries offer quick access to the best medical treatments. India has been the front runner in offering quality medical care to foreigners. Medical assistance in India is the best because patients can meet up with highly qualified doctors without long waits. The government offers quick visas for individuals travelling to India for seeking medical care.

People from all over the globe find medical treatment costs in India very affordable and of top quality. In fact, studies show that in India the medical costs are 30 percent fewer costs than in the western countries. The country has several modern healthcare facilities which house experienced medical professionals with various specializations. The technology is cutting edge and these facilities offer immediate treatment for heart attack, cancer, organ failure, infertility and other emergency conditions.

Since English is the second official language in India, patients from abroad will not find it difficult communicating the caregivers in India. Being home to 5000-year-old medicine systems such as Naturopathy, Ayurveda, and Yoga, India has made immense advancements in medicine. All of these holistic approaches are equally favoured by foreign patients, along with the modern medicine.