Canadian premier defends his decision to seek treatment in the US from his Florida condo

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Williams said he went to Miami to have a "minimally invasive" surgery for an ailment first detected nearly a year ago, based on the advice of his doctors.

"This was my heart, my choice and my health," Williams said late Monday from his condominium in Sarasota, Fla.

"I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics."

The 60-year-old Williams said doctors detected a heart murmur last spring and told him that one of his heart valves wasn't closing properly, creating a leakage.

He said he was told at the time that the problem was "moderate" and that he should come back for a checkup in six months.

Eight months later, in December, his doctors told him the problem had become severe and urged him to get his valve repaired immediately or risk heart failure, he said.

His doctors in Canada presented him with two options - a full or partial sternotomy, both of which would've required breaking bones, he said.

He said he spoke with and provided his medical information to a leading cardiac surgeon in New Jersey who is also from Newfoundland and Labrador. He advised him to seek treatment at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

That's where he was treated by Dr. Joseph Lamelas, a cardiac surgeon who has performed more than 8,000 open-heart surgeries.

Williams said Lamelas made an incision under his arm that didn't require any bone breakage.

...

Williams also said he paid for the treatment, but added he would seek any refunds he would be eligible for in Canada.

"If I'm entitled to any reimbursement from any Canadian health care system or any provincial health care system, then obviously I will apply for that as anybody else would," he said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianp...wYz_6_b-gsGGDxA

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

"I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics."

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I love the fact that he has a condo in Florida.

[Ali G. 37]

This looks like a witch hunt, which is going to fail.

"He said he spoke with and provided his medical information to a leading cardiac surgeon in New Jersey who is also from Newfoundland and Labrador. He advised him to seek treatment at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami."

If the system as a whole was awesome, then why would he not be treated by the leading cardiac surgeon in Jersey? Rather, he was advised to undertake the surgery and treatment at a specific hospital in Miami, was is obviously renowned for treating folks with his condition. Furthermore, located near a condo he owns in Miami, allowing him to be close to his place of treatment.

Modifying the insurance system does not mean a certain doctor will seize to be a specialist at something.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Booyah

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I love the fact that he has a condo in Florida.

I wonder if he is bisexual as well.

[Ali G. 37]

I love the fact that he has a condo in Florida.

Canada = cold

Miami = hot

No conspiracy there either..

[trailmix 77]

He could have had the surgery done in Canada by world class surgeons, although they don't really recommend that particular procedure in cases like his - he chose not to have it done in Canada anyway - just a non-story.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

He could have had the surgery done in Canada by world class surgeons, although they don't really recommend that particular procedure in cases like his - he chose not to have it done in Canada anyway - just a non-story.

Not the same procedure. In Canada they would have broken his bones. The procedure he was able to get in Miami did not break any bones, much less invasive.

This speaks to a fact about American healthcare. We do have the best, the latest and greatest. Unfortunately, access to the latest and greatest is limited to a select group of people and is unavailable to most Americans. The system we have today encourages this at the expense of encouraging wider access.

[trailmix 77]

Not the same procedure. In Canada they would have broken his bones. The procedure he was able to get in Miami did not break any bones, much less invasive.

This speaks to a fact about American healthcare. We do have the best, the latest and greatest. Unfortunately, access to the latest and greatest is limited to a select group of people and is unavailable to most Americans. The system we have today encourages this at the expense of encouraging wider access.

What this speaks to is that people only read the stories that are sensationalistic and don't bother to get the facts.

UPDATE:

Getting into the details of why Danny Williams made the choice to go to Miami is delicate. Health is a personal matter, and anyway, the real issues here are about policy, not the particulars.

Still, Williams told Canadian Press that doctors in Canada suggested conventional surgery, while his U.S. surgeon did the operation through a incision under his arm that didn’t require opening up the bones in his chest.

This might create the impression that minimally invasive surgery wasn't offered in Canada because of some limitation in the techniques available here. I put the question to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Quite properly, the institute stresses that its doctors can't comment on Williams case.

But Dr. Thierry Mesana, chief of the institute's cardiac surgery division, and a leading international authority on mitral valves, responded by email on the general question of how minimally invasive surgery is viewed by the experts.

"Minimally invasive mitral valve repair consists of doing an MV repair surgically through a 5 cm small side chest incision instead of a 10 cm incision in the middle of the chest. A recent survey published at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting (Jan 2010) expressed some word of caution and showed it is not recommended for complex mitral valve repair and also that the rate of complication (strokes in particular) is higher.

There are a few advantages in terms of length of hospital stay or transfusion or post-operative arrythmias. The only real benefit is cosmetic. Many world renowned experts do not advocate it, in fact. It is done in Canada, but again, with caution. I propose it only for cosmetic reasons in a young woman who dislikes the idea of having a scar visible in summer. This procedure is well publicized in the U.S. in some centres".”

Edited February 23, 2010 by trailmix

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The only real benefit is cosmetic.

Well then, it will be interesting to see if Mr. Williams is able to get his Miami expenses wholly or even partially refunded by Canada.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I have NO problem with this whatsoever. I agree that people are trying to make a story out of a non-story. While political leaders are "public servants" to some degree, that doesn't take away their right as individual human beings to preserve their lives in what they believe to be the best way possible.

This should not be a political issue.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I love the fact that he has a condo in Florida.

Why? There are literally millions of Canadians that have a place down here. You should see all the Canadian license plates during the winter here. Heck, if I lived in Canada and could afford it, I'd keep me a warm place around here to escape to when it gets brutal up there.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thank you, Mr. Premier, for your business. A very good reason for NOT having government F'd-up health care is never having to say you're sorry. Like any human being with a functioning brain, he made a decision about his health that was in his best interest. Good for him. One of the great benefits of being successful, planning, saving, making wise decisions..is not having to deal with mediocrity, I do not care to have it forced upon me by legislation. Neither do Canadians, they will leave whenever they can and seek treatment in the USA.

Great for our economy.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

From the article it says that there is a difference of opinion over the safety of that particular procedure. If you read the article of course.