I remember about a month ago reading a news article on MSN stating the United States 911 systems were choking with non-emergency calls. I’ve got to be honest, I was befuddled, my inquiring mind just had to know more.

After reading the article, I was even more amazed. The United States have national 911 systems thought to be infallible, yet they were being choked by callers in uproar over sandwhiches, cellphones, grass mowing, and more.

Other articles and blogs have spoken of hours taken to recieve emergency medical attention in the United States, granted life saving care is given top priority, but many true medical emergencies will not result in imminent death,yet still deserve prompt emergency care; I couldn’t imagine having the same in my country.

In Mexico we don’t have an emergency number. I take that back, we do have 060, but a reported 48% of calls are unanswered. It is very common for government telephone lines to not be answered or purposely taken off the hook to lighten the work load. We don’t have a line to choke even if we wanted to. With the offical emergency lines out of service, we could use our local numbers, but since they are considered non-emergency numbers, they are generally busy or temporarily suspended for non-payment.

Not to worry, if there is a true emergency and the Mexican stars have not magically aligned to allow us direct communication, we still manage. Everybody knows somebody, we’ll call a neighbor who’s cousin works at the needed department to make a direct call to their cellphone or we will find another way. For Medical emergencies, if an ambulance can not be reached, it is common to just get in the car and go..If you don’t have a car, you get a neighbor or a taxi. It almost always works out. Although having all capable technology in Mexico, systematic and human response failures are common. We, citizens, have compensated by always having emergency backup plans on hand, in case of an emergency.

Mexico doesn’t have an emergency room issue either. The reasons for this are very simple. If you are wealthy, you will have private care, paying big money grants you immediate attention, regardless of the importance of your medical need. If you are government employed you will have special care and minimal waits. If you’re employed in the private sector and pay your fees, the medical staff at I.M.S.S., Mexican Social Security Institute, will decide, for you, if it’s an emergency or not. Generally, if you are not bleeding profusely or are capable of breathing and or walking with manageable to slightly intolerant pain, you are not considered an emergency. You may or may not be given the standard eight tablets of diclofenaco as being told to make an appointment with your family doctor and walked to the door. We have no free system to abuse. End of story.

In the United States a standard emergency room wait, which is non life threatening, is 4-9 hours. How is that possible? According to reports emergency rooms cannot deny emergency healthcare to any person. The same law does not specify what a medical emergency is. Many uninsured and underinsured citizens cannot afford to pay for a doctor’s visit, thus they enter the emergency room for colds, hangnails, hangovers, and more. This is creating many hospitals to close down and others to limit the quality of care provided.

It’s sad really. So ofton we find ourselves looking towards our great Northern neighbor and can’t help but feel envy of their citizen privlages. I admit, I don’t like having to wait three weeks to visit my I.M.S.S. family doctor. There have been times I’ve gotten sicker and forfeited my insurance to see a private doctor and other times my sickness passed well before my appointment came around. The point is, at least I know if I do have a true need, although not dying, they’ll be a hospital still standing and qualified staff to attend me.