CLSC in Canada , Quebec

Canada is great country, however after I have lived here for 5 years I realized how poor is a health care system is relatively to general prosperity of this country. If by recent survey Canada quality of life on 7th place Canada health care is at 22 place (if health care was better general Canada location at this survey will be also higher of course) http://www.prosperity.com/rankings.aspx

Since I have 2 small kids that get sick more often then usual I have a lot of experience with the system.


Just yesterday I had some experience in CLSC , usually we do not go to CLSC since we don’t really understand the purpose of this place.
There is a doctors and there is hospitals and there is 811 health phone line.


But Yesterday it looked to me as the right place to go , my younger son fall down on the floor and open up his lip. He was bleeding a lot and his lower lip kind of opened up into 2 pieces , so I was not worried about his general health but my concern was regarding aesthetic aspect of this trauma if I should put stitches’ on it or not to prevent the scar. I could not determine it myself because I have lack of experience on this subject, so I needed somebody to tell me. For this reason I have decided to go to the closest CLSC. I came in at the evening about 7 and I was the only person there, besides me they had receptionist some facility manager and nurse.

After I gave my card to the receptionist I got in pretty quick.
Actually when we came in front of nurse my son lip closed up into 1 piece and hasn’t looked as bad as it was originally. The nurse told us it is ok and we don’t need the stitches so I was relieved with it. However she also told me that I should use judgment before coming to the CLSC and in situation like this I should not come , since we all pay taxes and each visit cost money to tax payers. As well I put extra pressure on the system and even that today there is nobody but for example yesterday they were busy in the CLSC.

It all has been told in the nice form and have been mentioned that she doesn’t want to insult me, so I was not insulted. But as result I have few questions:

1) Why CLS exists and the nurse is located there? Isn’t it one of the goals is for situations like this when I can’t determine the gravity of health condition so in order not to go to doctor I would rather go to CLSC to help me to determine the situation?

2) There already 3 workers in CLSC when I came in and zero patients isn’t a patient is a means to justify they presence there?(if we already talk about taxpayers money)

3) How the fact that the CLSC was busy a day before is relevant on telling me not to create extra pressure on CLSC any more?