Re: Health care providers’ perspectives on medical travel in northwestern BC

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 65, No. 9, November 2023, Pages 327-328 Letters
By: Bernhard E. Driedger, MD, FRCSC

Having practised orthopaedics in the East Kootenays for 35 years, I was most interested in this article [BCMJ 2023;65:160-164]; however, I was disappointed in its focus. For some years now, there has been no Greyhound passenger bus service in Canada. The Regional District of East Kootenay provides bus service, but only 2 days per week. As a result, for surgery, a patient may need to travel several days in advance. Patients must find private transport. If they have no vehicle, they must rely on their social circle or hitchhike (remember, Northwest BC is the location of the Highway of Tears). This is unacceptable. I am surprised these obstacles were not discussed in this article.

Let us start with the focus of the article. Let us fight for travel justice for rural Canadians, for health care, and for all other needs. Amazon, eBay, and Purolator can bring us any number of items daily. They should provide similar transport services to our rural citizens. Greyhound did this. It needs to be replaced.
—B.E. Driedger, MD, FRCSC
Cranbrook

This letter was submitted in response to “Health care providers’ perspectives on medical travel in northwestern BC.”

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Bernhard E. Driedger, MD, FRCSC. Re: Health care providers’ perspectives on medical travel in northwestern BC. BCMJ, Vol. 65, No. 9, November, 2023, Page(s) 327-328 - Letters.


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