Welcome Back to Canada

I am back in Canada. As I get accustomed to the system again, I see how much I have changed and how different things are to me now, after having been to the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics. Things that seemed normal during my residency bother and shock me now:

The lack of professionalism (dress, informality/familiarity, impoliteness, disrespect); nurses calling in "sick"; intensivist that think they are the only ones capable of managing post-op cardiac surgical patients; OR delays and summer slow-downs; provincialism; doctors "treating trials" rather than using clinical judgement; entitlement; surgeons abdicating the care of their patients.

(Just to name a few...)

Although I am glad to be in Canada because of the public health care system, I am loath to accept these improprieties. These things, and many others, are not acceptable to me. But how can I change attitudes? How does one engender excellence? How does one create a culture of service to the patient?

Canadians doctors have much to learn from beyond their borders. Pierre Trudeau was one to look beyond Canada to improve it, and for this he was accused of being arrogant.