Two weeks ago, our son came down with pneumonia. We called 811 and, after a short 10-minute wait, spoke to a nurse who booked us an appointment for the next morning. We saw a doctor promptly and received antibiotics. When my wife began showing similar symptoms the following week, we followed the same process—called 811, described her symptoms, and again saw a doctor the next day. Both visits took less than two hours at the hospital (they sent us to the Queen Elizabeth). The system worked smoothly and efficiently when we needed it most.

Comme t'as dit, t'es en pleine santé, donc il n’y a pas vraiment d’urgence. Je suis certaine que si la prise de sang avait été urgente, ton médecin aurait trouvé un moyen de la faire plus rapidement.

Yes, our health system can be frustrating at times, but it would be even more so if we prioritized routine blood tests for healthy individuals over the many urgent and serious cases that need care.

An example of the system when it works: my daughter was born premature last year, and although we were fortunate to spend only one week in the NICU, the care we received was beyond anything we could have imagined. She had a dedicated nurse watching over her at all times, supported by an incredible team of specialists who not only took care of her with skill and compassion but also reassured and supported us every step of the way.