Free Medical Advice

Since l live in Ontario, Canada and have OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) as all Ontario residents do, I took advantage of a service last night.

I can go to a Doctor or an emergency room for free because of OHIP.  The emergency room was out of the question.  I certainly wasn't having an emergency.  I was just a little concerned that l still have laryngitis.  My voice doesn't seem to be getting any better, but otherwise l feel fine.

Some people do choose to go to the emergency room for little illnesses, which is a problem because when you do end up being sick with an emergency, you now have a bigger wait at the emergency rooms because of these people.

Another choice was a visit to my Doctors office.  Which also seemed extreme since l really wasn't all that sick.  I have been resting my voice, mostly because l have been off for the last couple of days and haven't needed to talk all that much.  I just wanted a little bit of medical advice to know that what l have been doing is about all l can be doing.

So, in walks a new service that has been advertised on the radio and TV for over a year.  It's Tele-Health.  You place a phone call and speak to a nurse practitioner.  Tell them your symptoms and they advise you.  If they think it is worth while for you to go to a Doctor they would tell you to go, or recommend little things for you to do to ease your symptoms.

She said l could have this for two weeks. (great!)  And for me to keep doing what l have been doing, rest my voice, drink warm liquids, rest.  Advice all given to me from the comforts of my couch.