The only reason there are waiting lists in Canada is because people go to the emergency room for the common cold. The doctors diagnose them in two seconds, and put them on the waiting list. Emergencies are dealt with on the spot, no waits. You will find that people are placed on the waiting list according to the seriousness of their condition, not on a first-come first-served basis. Someone with a chronic knee problem may have to wait a few months for treatment, while someone with a shattered femer who is bleeding out, who arrived at the hospital 30 seconds ago, is already getting scanned.