tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3319042645944598014.post2781911122772746598..comments2023-08-13T10:12:27.788-06:00Comments on The Civic Mistress: Bring out the boogeymanCivic Mistresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07443710689996286139noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3319042645944598014.post-6776265288194671582010-09-12T17:28:55.073-06:002010-09-12T17:28:55.073-06:00While I am somewhat ambivelant on the existance of...While I am somewhat ambivelant on the existance of private clinics there are a few things that don't add up.<br /><br />If this is to aleviate a backlog (which appears to be consistant, not growing) then once the backlog is gone, the existing public facilities will be able to handle the demand. But opening a private clinic comes at a very high capital investment. One that will take years to pay off. No one would make that investment unless they knew they would have a steady stream of patients for the long term.<br /><br />If a private clinic is getting paid the same as a public facility, the only way to make a profit is to cut costs. There wouldn't be much room for savings in the cost of the equipment and other overhead, so the major savings would come in the cost of labour. I'm not sure I want my medical care in the hands of people who were not qualified to get a job as a nurse (or whatever) in the public system (here or other provinces, or public or private overseas) and is willing to accept lower wages.<br /><br />Often, especially with skilled personnel the public sector can pay better wages, though this is not always true. Take the City for example, they can't keep their hands on skilled trades because the private sector is paying more while the City is locked into a contract and can't arbitrarily raise pay rates to match to attract staff.<br /><br />I've run a business before. In my experience, good talent costs money. You usually get what you pay for.<br /><br />A fellow employee at a former employer once uttered words that have always stuck with me. When a manager suggested (in very abusive language) that he should work harder and faster (which he was more than capable of doing) his response was " you pay me minimum wage, you get minimum wages worth of work. If you want more, so do I"<br /><br /><br />So how are these private clinics going to a) stay in business for the long term, to make a return on their investor's money? and b) keep their expenses down and turn a profit?<br /><br />Do they already know they will have a long term, steady stream of patients even after the backlog is gone?<br /><br />Low wages? Which will attract what quality of staff? Cut corners (health, safety, etc)?<br /><br /><br />But like any good hypothesis, it might be worth some experimental testing.Ghostrydernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3319042645944598014.post-1559949577341495302010-09-10T11:44:11.187-06:002010-09-10T11:44:11.187-06:00Same old union bully tactics as always in Saskatch...Same old union bully tactics as always in Saskatchewan. I sure hope union members are aware their dues are going to fight holding back the medical system as a whole. If they can't do the work, then by gosh no one will, for better or worse to the people they claim to serve. <br /><br />And they wonder why they have such a hard time garnering public support from the majority. As always, Sask Unions prove themselves selfish and self-serving.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com