Monday, May 14, 2007

La Clinica

I thought I would write a little about how hospitalization is here in Venezuela. The first thing is...Never go to the HOSPITAL! Go to a CLINIC! The hospital is socialized medicine and lacks just about everything. I have seen two, recently delivered moms sharing the same bed. I have been in a pediatric hospital with 300 patients and no doctor in the building. Socialized medicine is not a pretty thing, it is free, and as they say, you get what you pay for!

A Clinic is a private hospital. It is not free, but you can get great care. The little clinic I was in for my surgery, is a family owned hospital. The older brother is the only surgeon and various family member s are doctors, nurses, secretaries, etc. This is the type of hospital Chavez is now enforcing price controls on which will lead to bankruptcy or nationalization of all private medicine.

I must say, I love the personal attention and care given in the clinics here. For instance, there are only three beds in this clinic all private rooms. At night, I had my own doctor. Just me! No other patient at all. Not a nurse..a surgical resident. He spent over an hour and a half in my room and rubbed my hair off my forehead and patted my arm. He came back the next day with his son to check on me, on his own time!

The second night, another resident was with us and the one other patient. She came and changed my sheets after some bleeding , yes, the doctor! She helped me change and get comfortable. Being a woman she adjusted all the garments "just so" and kept asking if it was ok.

The surgical nurses kept coming in to check on me the next day as they had several out patient type surgeries and a little free time in between. They brought me jello from the kitchen.

My anesthesiologist also came and checked on my each day. As did the assisting surgeon.

The housekeeper also doubled as the cook. She would come in before each meal and ask me what I wanted to eat. She would cook what ever I asked for. Even oatmeal for lunch! She always made an extra hot ham and cheese sandwich or arepa for Clint so he could eat as well. She would bring him coffee a couple of times a day.

When I left, everyone was hugging and it was like I was leaving a family I had been visiting!

The Venezuelan people are a great people on the whole. I love their hospitality! I will miss that.

24 comments:

Harry said...

A few years ago, my brother was in a really nasty car accident in S. Africa. He was taken, unconcious, to a government run hospital. He may have died there, but my mother told our rabbi, who contacted a missionary friend there, who made sure he was moved to a private hospital. It cost a bottle of scotch to transfer his records, and his wallet was never recovered. But it's true. You get what you pay for. Universal health care sounds better in theory than the examples I've seen in practice.

Welcome back to full time.

Rebecca said...

Oh that sounds so WONDERFUL! I wish that I could work in such a place. I hate the overcrowding of hospitals that make it impossible to give patients the care that they deserve to get.

WomanHonorThyself said...

Next time just dont get sick girl!..lol

memememe said...

Well that attention its soon to be over by the recent president actions. Althought some prices of the clinics are certainly over rated, the truth its that they response to the disaster that the public service has become throughout the years. Now Im afraid that if I get sick I wont have other choice but going to those hospitals, that should be free but good!

Melissa Lea said...

Hope you are feeling tons better! Glad that you are back to blogging!!

TO BECOME said...

Jungle Mom, I am glad you were treated so well. I am glad they took such good care of you. I hope you will soon be better than ever. connie from Texas

Anonymous said...

Julia1984: In part this is due to the expensive and difficult it is to import drugs and medical equipment, vid. the high parallel exchange rate and CADIVI's problems.

JM: I am glad you're back.


General: a nice example that competition does improve service.

Momma Roar said...

It is nice to know you were treated so well. It would have been hard to leave! :)

Sarah Joy said...

I have heard that private health care is much better than the public hospital in Mexico also. We have not had to use any medical services yet.

I'm not fond of the hospitals in America (Four homebirths might clue you in to that) but socializing medicine is NOT the answer!

Sarah Joy said...

Jungle Mom, it's good to see you back! I'm glad you have such excellent care available.

Pen of Jen said...

Rita I m glad that you are back. I am reading a great post that could be expanded and submitted to a national newspaper or online one such as the weekly standard.(just an idea)
Americans NEED to read about this and your voice can share the truth.
Thank God that you are well and went to the clinic.
Rest and Take Care!

Jane said...

Rita, I agree with jennifer... get it printed girl!

Are you sure you had a medical procedure... sounds like a really nice hotel with all the personal services! lol ;)

Glad to see you around blog world... you are an encouragement to all of us!

Lyndy said...

So glad that you received such excellent care and that you are back to blogging.

Rest and be well.

Lyndy

Deedra said...

I'm glad you were treated well. I had actually wondered about the quality of care you would receive there. Thanks for reading my mind and sharing it with us! Have a wonderful night!

Pilot-Pooja said...

very right frd.. clinics are much better..

but there is a mojrity of people who can't afford the same..
it keeps me confused!

Jane said...

jungle mom... I was over at "Chats" blog... most likely he found you through my blog... we are members at the same church. I have blogged with him for while... finely met him this past Sunday (not easy to do with over 8,000 every Sunday)... he is a total Jesus freak like me....even loves Jesus more than he likes planes!

Anonymous said...

I don't get what the Venezuelan people see in Chavez? Is it the free hand outs?

Or does Chavez have the election system rigged in his favor?

Rita Loca said...

John: Yes, for the poor,it is the hand outs. once that dries up, they will not support him. Which is why I think the USA should boycott Citgo.

And the elections are rigged and there are repercussions for voting against the regime. They are not free or secret elections at all.

Unknown said...

I think I wanna go *on vacation* at your clinic! LOL I'm so happy they treated you well. And what a blessing you could afford to go to a private one!

Unknown said...

My Father-in-Law is a victim of social medicine right now. Ooohhh I think I feel a post coming on!!

Brooke said...

Glad you're back, and you're right; socialized medicine is a NIGHTMARE.

Susan said...

Thanks for the information on the clinic and the care you received. I was wondering what the situation was like for you. Glad you are home and doing well.
Susan

Anonymous said...

To see some sad, sad photos of a Venezuelan hospital visit

http://www.therealcuba.com

Scroll down and see the article called Venezuelans are arriving at the "sea of happiness". Click the photos to enlarge. How sad!!

Also notice they can not even get their garbage picked up.

groovyoldlady said...

My heart goes out to the common folk who can't afford such care. Socialized medicine sounds so tempting until one sees how it can play out.

However, having said that, Canada has socialized medicine and I rarely hear complaints from my Canadian friends. Could it just be badly managed socialized medicine that is the problem?