First nation eyes private hospital Westbank looks at care for wealthy medical touri

[skookumchuck]

Westbank looks at care for wealthy medical tourists



Robert Louie, chief of the Westbank First Nation, hopes to build a private hospital on band lands that would cater to wealthy medical tourists from around the world.
For two years, the band has been planning the $125-million, 100-bed private hospital facility on a spectacular 15-acre site on band lands overlooking Okanagan Lake.
But before it can proceed, the first nation needs a partner.
Louie said WFN's contribution would be the land; it is looking for a 50-per-cent partner to build the centre. "We've had discussions with Johns Hopkins but nothing is concluded yet. Having them affiliated would lend instant credibility."
The self-governing WFN has five reserves on 2,161 hectares with 700 band members. It is looking to copy clinics like Mayo and Johns Hopkins in the United States for the proposed, for-profit "five-star private health care medical clinic."




First nation eyes private hospital

I'm wondering if this could be a can of worms regarding band members and even other bands wanting enhanced access. I hope not as it sounds like a good idea.

 

[Cliffy]

Westbank looks at care for wealthy medical tourists



Robert Louie, chief of the Westbank First Nation, hopes to build a private hospital on band lands that would cater to wealthy medical tourists from around the world.
For two years, the band has been planning the $125-million, 100-bed private hospital facility on a spectacular 15-acre site on band lands overlooking Okanagan Lake.
But before it can proceed, the first nation needs a partner.
Louie said WFN's contribution would be the land; it is looking for a 50-per-cent partner to build the centre. "We've had discussions with Johns Hopkins but nothing is concluded yet. Having them affiliated would lend instant credibility."
The self-governing WFN has five reserves on 2,161 hectares with 700 band members. It is looking to copy clinics like Mayo and Johns Hopkins in the United States for the proposed, for-profit "five-star private health care medical clinic."




First nation eyes private hospital

I'm wondering if this could be a can of worms regarding band members and even other bands wanting enhanced access. I hope not as it sounds like a good idea.

Robert Louie wears a Rolex and drives a Mercedes while his band members are being pushed off their reserve to make way for big business. Just about all reserve land has been leased out to corporations and is home to one of the largest WalMarts in Canada. He even tried to claim New Denver as part of their territory so he could move most of his band there to make room for more leases and so they couldn't see what he was doing. This is Sinixt territory and we attended the meeting in New Denver and ran the schmuck out of town.

 

[MHz]

I bet the 'smoke house' and 'folklore medicine' rooms will be the most visited. Yes they will have 'rubber rooms' for those who want the 'hallucination weekend' stay. Reservations open yet? (all sorts of puns in that comment)

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I oppose this. They are going through the back door what cannot be done through the front. It violates the Canada Health Act. Who else could propose a private hospital? This could start a flood.

Westbank Indians are not Canadians? They live in Canada, follow Canadian laws and media, use Canadian lawyers. Canadian laws apply to the whole country.



http://www.vancouversun.com/news/re...l+wealthy+medical+tourists/6450680/story.html

B.C. reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical tourists







By Pamela Fayerman, Vancouver Sun April 13, 2012







Robert Louie, Chief of the Westbank First Nation, hopes to build a private hospital which would cater to wealthy medical tourists from around the world.

Photograph by: Handout , Vancouver Sun




VANCOUVER — Robert Louie, Chief of the Westbank First Nation, hopes to build a private hospital which would cater to wealthy medical tourists from around the world.


For two years the band has been planning a $125-million, 100-bed private hospital facility on a spectacular 15-acre site on band lands overlooking Okanagan Lake.


But before it can proceed, the First Nation needs a partner.


Louie said WFN's contribution would be the land; it is looking for a 50-per-cent partner to build the centre. "We've had discussions with Johns Hopkins but nothing is concluded yet. Having them affiliated would lend instant credibility."


The self-governing WFN has five reserves on 2,161 hectares with 700 band members. It is looking to copy clinics like Mayo and Johns Hopkins in the United States for the proposed, for-profit "five-star private health care medical clinic."


"Patients could drink a nice bottle of wine the night before [their surgery] and there will be chefs preparing food," said Louie, adding the facility would not provide emergency, maternity or psychiatric care.


"The way legislation is written, you can't call it a hospital but that's what it will be, although it will also be a holistic medical wellness centre that could include traditional aboriginal healing practices like sweat lodges, spiritual ceremonies and burning sage," he said.

Louie would not say which provincial or federal politicians are aware of the plan but "as a self governing entity, there are certain things we can do on our lands and we believe that offers us a significant advantage.


"No one has said 'don't do this' but we know there will be issues raised because it is a new concept."


B.C.'s Health Minister Mike de Jong was unavailable for comment, but the provincial health ministry released a statement saying it didn't have enough information to weigh in on the legalities of the proposal.


"It would be premature for the Ministry to comment on the merits or legality of such a clinic in the absence of any detail around the proposal itself and how it might fit with existing federal legislation, including the provisions of the self-government agreement between the Westbank First Nation and the federal government and the Canada Health Act," it said.


Health Canada said the federal government would only be concerned if Canadian patients were charged for insured health services.

Meanwhile, band planning documents obtained by The Vancouver Sun reveal an intention to serve international clientele while improving health care access for WFN members. "Of particular benefit to [band] members is the prospect of a profitable and unique business venture that will not only provide useful services to a worldwide clientele but will also cater to WFN members, giving members priority wait-list service.


"WFN members, their spouses and dependents will receive treatment, excluding cosmetic surgery, at the clinic free of charge."

Construction and operation of the clinic — where newly minted first nations medical school graduates might choose to work — would also provide hundreds of jobs and training opportunities for band members, according to the material.


Louie said he's not concerned about finding health professionals to work at the hospital. "We know there is interest from all over the country, finding them is not the problem. We've just got to work out the pay structure, the contractual relationships."


He also said he hopes the facility might become a centre of excellence for aboriginal health care, which could close the existing gap in health status between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians. The clinic would also benefit Canadians on waiting lists who might otherwise seek care outside the country, Louie added.


Little is known about the project's potential partners, but the planning documents reveal discreet meetings about the medical facility have included Dr. Lyle Oberg, a former Alberta Conservative cabinet minister who is now an adviser to that province's Wildrose Alliance Party.


Oberg, a former family doctor, served as a Conservative MLA for about 15 years before jumping ship over budget deficits and the introduction of one super-sized board to replace nine health regions in Alberta.


Oberg, who retired from political office nearly five years ago, was a founder of an Edmonton-based company called the Canadian Centre for DNA Diagnostics (C2DNA) which was touted as the first private DNA sequencing lab in Canada. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Louie declined to discuss Oberg's involvement.


An entrepreneur named Mark McLoughlin is a partner in the medical facility enterprise, which Louie said will be entirely privately funded.


"We're not looking at any money from the government or any other agency.


"We have the land component and we are looking to our partner to come up with the financing."






​

 

[skookumchuck]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I posted this a couple days back.

 

[L Gilbert]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Makes sense to me. Why not have private hospitals and clinics. Is there a rational reason? We already have medical tourism because people want to get medical services done in other countries rather than in Canada for several reasons. The best reason I can think of is that they don't want to wait months to get it done in Canada when they can have it done within a week somewhere else.

Dumpy, you want natives to be like the rest of us yet when it comes to them sprouting new business, you snivel. Make up your tiny little mind.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I posted this a couple days back.

Sorry, I never saw it. Someone should merge them.

 

[L Gilbert]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I didn't see it either.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Because it was in the Member's Lounge and not News. I always check news when I come to CC.

 

[TenPenny]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

The argument that's usually trotted out against such things is that if we allow private, for-profit hospitals, our best doctors will go there instead of public hospitals.

Which isn't actually the case; 'the best' won't go there, the ones looking for more money will.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Makes sense to me. Why not have private hospitals and clinics. Is there a rational reason? We already have medical tourism because people want to get medical services done in other countries rather than in Canada for several reasons. The best reason I can think of is that they don't want to wait months to get it done in Canada when they can have it done within a week somewhere else.

Dumpy, you want natives to be like the rest of us yet when it comes to them sprouting new business, you snivel. Make up your tiny little mind.

A private hospital is not a regular business in Canada, it is surrounded by volatile political issues that restaurants and lumber mills are not. A casino, while not great, is a bit better.

There are over 600 reserves in Canada and they have vastly different economic opportunities available. For a simple beginning that lacks complicated negotiations between govts and bands and all reserves could do, I think Indians ought to have to have the right to own private property on their reserves, to be able to own their own house. By not being able to own land, they live a feudal existence, controlled by chiefs who tend not to run reserves democratically. Without money, leaders kick all people around. Money is power in this world and aboriginals tend to have less of it than the average in Canada.

 

[MHz]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

The argument that's usually trotted out against such things is that if we allow private, for-profit hospitals, our best doctors will go there instead of public hospitals.

Which isn't actually the case; 'the best' won't go there, the ones looking for more money will.

Perhaps they should rethink their long-term strategy, a small but elite place will have competition, a place geared to many patients in a rehab type of setting means they provide a medical setting for many that would be in prison but not getting any treatment for their curable illnesses. That would have minimal room and facility development and include outdoor settings for people who are physically active so while the paths might have to be wheel-chair standards the zip-lines can be dialed in to give everyone a case of the 'willies'. There will never be a shortage of customers and if the market dries up you have some facilities to use for your own.
Just putting together tracks of 'enhanced nature' DVD's could be income and allow writing off studio quality equipment. The teacher would have helpers that are recent graduates so expensive management is not needed.

 

[taxslave]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Let them build it as long as there is no cost to taxpayers who cares? By no cost to taxpayers I mean band members that may go there as well.

 

[L Gilbert]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

A private hospital is not a regular business in Canada, it is surrounded by volatile political issues that restaurants and lumber mills are not. A casino, while not great, is a bit better.

So? The pot business has difficult issues as well. That makes the pot business and private hospitals unable to satisfy needs?

 

[MHz]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Let all 600 be Govt projects as far as construction and pushing through the paperwork that gives then a line on customers (low level criminals and medical patients that are dealing with life altering condition that are non-lofe threatening. (pretty much sign a waiver is all the law and insurance people would require. Being sent to the Indian Schools will be a switch for the Canadian Christian Clergy should any of them need some form of forced rehab.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I totally forgot about the pot business, that's good for anyone. I have a patio that gets to over 90 F in the summer, I would like to grow some and get paid by wholesalers to do it. But I can't d it now because some punks might break in and steal the plants. And no messy processing on my premises, they would just carry the pots out, pay me, end of a nice neat transaction.

If Indians have businesses like pot growing on their reserve, that's great. Organic aborginal weed, that would sell.
Hospitals are another story though.

 

[L Gilbert]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

I totally forgot about the pot business, that's good for anyone. I have a patio that gets to over 90 F in the summer, I would like to grow some and get paid by wholesalers to do it. But I can't d it now because some punks might break in and steal the plants. And no messy processing on my premises, they would just carry the pots out, pay me, end of a nice neat transaction.

Until you get caught. There's the political and legal shytestorm you mentioned.

If Indians have businesses like pot growing on their reserve, that's great. Organic aborginal weed, that would sell.

Hospitals are another story though.

Nope. Private hospitals are rationally viable in Canada regardless of who builds, owns, runs them.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

NO private hospitals.

 

[gerryh]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

unbelievable.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Re: BC reserve proposes private hospital for wealthy medical patients

Of course everyone is ignoring the big pink elephant in the room...

If our government(s) were to quit wasting money on stupid sh*t and pork-barrel special interest programs and actually provide fully-funded complete health care for every Canadian as they are mandated to do then we wouldn't have any arguments about private hospitals.

Isn't it time to start holding the government accountable to do what they are mandated to do under the constitution which is provide infrastructure, essential services and regulate commerce. Everything else they do is over and above what the mandate of the constitution specifies and is a waste of taxpayer money!!!!