Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.12.2011, Blaðsíða 4

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Say your piece, voice your
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Sour
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MOST AWESOME LETTER:
I was wondering if anyone out there has no-
ticed how piss-poor the health care is in this
country? I´m from the USA and I know that
healthcare there is not perfect and as a result
of frivolous lawsuits, in many times, much
is done that is overkill. Isn t́ that still better
than indifference and unwillingness to pro-
vide adequate healthcare? During the time
that I have lived in this country (7 years), I
have become appalled at the inadequacies
in healthcare here. In the USA I worked in
the medical field such as the insurance end
of business, routine care, mental health and
emergency care, so I am familiar with how
things could be done.

A few months ago I saw a doctor for what
were allergy symptoms. The doctor pre-
scribed allergy medicine and an asthma
inhaler (I did not know it was for asthma as
the doctor didn t́ tell me and just said that I
needed it). In September I was ill and saw
another doctor and he questioned why I was
taking an asthma medication and asked me
if I had a history of asthma. I replied 'no', I
didn t́. He saw that in my medical record
from the previous doctor, I had requested
an asthma medication and that I needed
it. He told me that I should not be using
the asthma meds and to stop them imme-
diately. He was quite concerned about this
error on the part of the other doctor. Great-I
paid 5000 ISK for a medication that I never
should have been given. The previous doc-
tor, whom I have seen several times, due to
the lack of my speaking adequate Icelandic,
is always quite happy to prescribe drugs. I
have never left that office without a prescrip-
tion. On more than one occasion I didn t́
fill the prescription because I thought it was
not needed. I have even had to tell that doc-
tor what I thought needed to be done and
the doctor was like 'Oh, ya, ok. We should
do that.' Needless to say I have not seen
that doctor again because I have no trust
in her. Two years ago, I developed severe
abdominal pain (thought it could be my
appendix) and went to the hospital and told
the receptionist that I needed to see a doc-
tor right away as I was ill. This was about
9am and she was talking to a physician that
was standing there. The receptionist said,
"you´ll have to call in at 11 and talk to the
doctor on call as we can t́ see you today." I
told her that was not acceptable and wanted
to know who was on call. She said Dr. X,
who was the one standing there! That doc-
tor also told me to call at 11 as she had no
time to see me. She made no attempt at care
at all. At that point, I probably said a few
things that can t́ be printed and they man-
aged to find me an appointment 3 hours
later but that I needed to go home and wait.
I was ecstatic....

I am also borderline diabetic which is new
to me and saw a different doctor. Ya know
what that doctor told me?? "Here is a pam-
phlet in Icelandic. Have someone read it to
you and find the rest of the information you
need on the internet." No referral to a nu-
trionist, diabetic training, nothing. Yep, the
internet is 100% correct all the time (NOT).
I had seen a doctor at Reykalundur. That
doctor subsequently quit and I was cast
adrift, not transferred to another physician,
nothing. Again-massive indifference in
these situations.

About a month ago, I was talking to a physi-
cian friend of mine and he is planning on
leaving the country because the healthcare
system is such a shambles here. He is a car-
ing and competent person and is concerned
about the path of healthcare here. He is
predicting a complete collapse of the system
here in the next few years. That is scary. A
prediction like that from an Icelandic physi-
cian.

I am fortunate that all these medical issues
are behind me now and completely taken
care of and I am now well. I pray every day
that nothing serious comes up.

I think that the government or ministry or
whoever oversees healthcare in this country
needs to step up to the plate and make some
huge changes before all is lost and all the
good doctors leave the country. Of course,
most of those will probably be in the age
group that are now emigrating out. What
a loss.

Oh yeah, I'm also looking for a doctor that
is confident, knowledgeable and that I can
trust. Anybody know of one?

Anonymous
Dear Anonymous (if that IS your real
name!),
thank you for your letter. It’s quite long, and
there probably won’t be room for any other
letters in this issue because we’re printing
it, but you know: this is an important issue,
and probably an important letter.
While your horrid experiences of local physi-
cians and medical services might be due to
chance and circumstance, there are plenty of
these sorts of stories floating around. Is our
tiny healthcare system falling apart at the
seams? That would be horrible! Everyone
loves healthcare!
We should do a feature on this at some point.
That’s a good idea. Thank you!
Dear Grapevine
London is now in the grip of yet another fi-
nancial crisis and our Government is still
giving money and underwriting loans to the
banks. This is akin to giving an alcoholic a
litre of vodka and saying " Now make this
your last". The trouble in the UK has made
me reflect on the situation in your country.
My family spent a great four days in Reyka-
vik in June.
So I have two reflections.
- I am pro EU but it could be totally the
wrong move for your country. Surely the
history of Iceland tells us that where you
have been under foreign control
or the concentration of power has fallen
into the hands of a powerful elite then disas-
ter follows. Take the more democratic road
( which Icelanders pretty much invented)
then you can control your own destiny, ride
out the storms and even volcanic eruptions.
You have a well educated resourceful popu-
lation. unlimited energy, abundant water
and lots of cod. So what's the problem?
- When we got back home from a great
trip ( we were planning the next visit on the
return flight) the first thing everyone said to
us was.
"Sounds lovely but isn't Iceland impos-
sibly expensive like Norway? ". Your tourist
authorties need to get over the message that
Iceland offers a unique experience
and high quality but at affordable prices. I
spent more recently on a mediocre dinner in
Madrid than I did on a superb lunch at the
Laundromat Diner. You also don't have a
MacDonalds. This is a unique selling point
for millions of people who are sick of the
Golden Arches.
So wishing you alll a happy Yuletide.
Paul Bower
Dear Paul,
thank you for your letter, and your kind
words.
You are probably right in most of your
assertions. Well maybe. Some of them any-
way. Some people think that joining the
EU would actually serve to free us from the
powerful elites that run our shit (Iceland is
pretty much a feudalistic society, with some
nepotism blended in for good measure. Un-
fortunately. It’s a real bummer).
We are definitely cheaper than Norway.
Looking at Norway on a map costs like, thir-
ty quid. Forget about getting a pylsa there,
too (there’s plenty of million Norsk Krone
Big Macs though). But we’re still pretty ex-
pensive, right? At least in Madrid they give
you free food with your beer. Here, you bare-
ly get a beer in your beer. It’s just watery, yel-
low fizzy stöff (we call it “bjór”).
OK SEE YOU LATER!

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