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Quicker health care for a fee
WebPosted Wed Jan 24 15:59:16 2001

EDMONTON-- An Alberta firm says it has the solution for Canadians wanting faster health treatments, a referral service.

Dr. Philip Rutter and Dr. Reuben Weinberg formed the Private Care Agency last summer in Edmonton.

The company tells people what treatments are available outside the country and at what price.

On Wednesday they announced they were opening branches across the country, starting with one in Toronto.

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"I'm a very staunch supporter of the public system. But there are people who have conditions that... cannot be dealt with adequately in a reasonable period of time," says Rutter.

The agency charges a $500 fee for its service. The doctors have toured every facility they have listed.

The company does not offer any medical services.

It's up to the patient to pay for travel to the clinic and to pay for the bill after treatment.

For example, hip replacement surgery costs anywhere between $15,000 to $50,000.

Business fuels perception of healthcare in crisis

"The public system works very well...yes there are waiting lists, but it is determined that is safe for the individual to wait," says Kathleen Connors of the Canadian Health Coalition.

Connors says Private Care is cashing in on the troubles of the Canadian health system.

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The doctors both say they are not trying to make a political statement with their service.

Ontario's health minister, Elizabeth Witmer appears to be on their side. She admits her government has had to send people elsewhere for treatment, like radiation therapy.

But some doctors warn the service is just fueling perceptions that healthcare at home is in crisis.

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"A service like this may be exploiting those fears to get people to go (out of the country) when they don't need to be going out," compalins Dr. Vivek Goel of the University of Toronto.

Health Canada officials say there's nothing wrong with what Private Care is doing, but they say they will be monitoring the company very closely.

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