The Hospital

Maxine Care

Having spent 24 hours in a Lithuanian hospital after a minor meniscus repair, I have made come interesting comparisons to the American hospital and how we might be able to reduce the cost of health care.

First point of change would be to the facility. Hospital rooms would become just that hospital rooms not 5-Star Hotels. Rooms would have beds, reading lights, bedside stands, one closet and one sink for 5 people with a hand towel for each patient. There would be plain walls – no artwork, no color schemes, black mold is optional. Large windows that open slightly for fresh air and a modest living plant will do. This highly functional room would save so much money because the following frills would be eliminated: Televisions, telephones, Wi-Fi, privacy curtains, private toilets (one down the hall for the entire floor would be sufficient), automated beds, mechanical beds, sheets. In addition, the full supply of disposable personal items such as ----plastic gloves, basins, drinking cup, straws, tissue, hand lotion, hand soap will no longer be provided. Sterile disposable items for surgery are available at the hospital pharmacy. Please go get them and pay for them before you fully settled into your room. Our new reduce cost hospital will meet needs but not wishes. Blood pressure cuffs, monitors, oxygen outlets – so overrated and unnecessary.

Beds will have disposable plastic bearer with disposable sheet (quality of those pillow covers on the airlines). Blankets will be covered by disposable duvet, surface of blanket is fresh; however, previous user’s smells may remain.  There will be no complaints about the food since each patient will bring his or her own. Soup and rye bread will be served at times and of course breakfast will be cheese and bread with mush. Obviously, there will be no fully stocked refrigerators at the nurses’ station for when a patient needs a little something to tide them over. Patients are welcome to bring their own water as well. Ice? You have got to be kidding, right? If there is no ice at the nicest of restaurants, why would there be ice served in the hospital? Room temperature water is better for recovery.

Not only patients will be well served with the basic necessities but so will the visitors. Each patient will have a low, wooden stool for visitors. This prevents visitors from over staying their welcome. There will be no waiting rooms for family and friends with TV, Wi-Fi, newspapers, magazines, phone, and complimentary tea and coffee.

Nursing staff will be another area where costs will be drastically cut. Because patients need to rest once they return to their rooms, nurses will never disturb them with the busy work of charts full of blood pressure readings, pulse rates, and temperatures. If a patient needs to go to the restroom down the hall, she or he can hop or have a visitor or another patient help them. This too will save on staffing costs. In addition, at 9 PM the nurses’ station will be locked up and staff may go home. After all, patients are only sleeping. A nurse should be on duty by 6 AM however.

Surgery rooms do not need to be fancy either. High tech equipment and highly qualified surgeons and staff are sufficient. Just hoist that bag of water for the arthroscopic procedure up to the ceiling using a pulley and all is ready to go.

First class accommodations highly overrated. Quality surgery and a knee that works --- priceless. Literally, I did not pay a single lita thanks to the nationalized medicine.