Welcome to Mount Auburn
I am reading that the state of Massachusetts has the highest per capita health spending in the US. I like to be in places with loads of hospital. It reinforces the sense of bubble and it is perfect for health-conscious individuals like myself.
However, when you are surrounded by three major hospital with hundreds of beds you wonder if America's health commercialization does any good to this society or just makes them (us) all pill and doctor consultation addicts.
My friend Kirs was hospitalized yesterday. She will be fine in a couple of days, nothing serious. I am not worried about her stay at the hospital...it resembles more to a sanitarium than to a place where people are in pain.
In her individual, private lavatory, air-conditioned room there is a welcoming board saying "Welcome. Today is 24th of January". The hospital offers room service, there is a restaurant-like menu over the bedside table offering vanilla ice-cream, caesar salad and filet mignon. Besides Kirstin's room there is a patient's lounge with ergonomic chairs.
Last time I visited hospital wards I was in Northern Benin. The contrast is hard to describe.
Nurses are all unfortunate looking and chubby, but smiley and friendly. It is like they've been trained to say 'Thank you' with an smile when a patient screams at them and calls them something nasty. They come to the room armed with a kind of weapon which introduced in Kirses' ear for a second tells us her exact body temperature. These are non-invasive techniques! One of the roundy Haitian nurses (in deep love with Spain since the age of 18) brings Kirstin water lolly pops to refresh her mouth.
Kirs is going to get well very quickly. I thank Mount Auburn hospital and the icy lolly pops...but I thank even more Harvard's Health insurance for paying the bill.
However, when you are surrounded by three major hospital with hundreds of beds you wonder if America's health commercialization does any good to this society or just makes them (us) all pill and doctor consultation addicts.
My friend Kirs was hospitalized yesterday. She will be fine in a couple of days, nothing serious. I am not worried about her stay at the hospital...it resembles more to a sanitarium than to a place where people are in pain.
In her individual, private lavatory, air-conditioned room there is a welcoming board saying "Welcome. Today is 24th of January". The hospital offers room service, there is a restaurant-like menu over the bedside table offering vanilla ice-cream, caesar salad and filet mignon. Besides Kirstin's room there is a patient's lounge with ergonomic chairs.
Last time I visited hospital wards I was in Northern Benin. The contrast is hard to describe.
Nurses are all unfortunate looking and chubby, but smiley and friendly. It is like they've been trained to say 'Thank you' with an smile when a patient screams at them and calls them something nasty. They come to the room armed with a kind of weapon which introduced in Kirses' ear for a second tells us her exact body temperature. These are non-invasive techniques! One of the roundy Haitian nurses (in deep love with Spain since the age of 18) brings Kirstin water lolly pops to refresh her mouth.
Kirs is going to get well very quickly. I thank Mount Auburn hospital and the icy lolly pops...but I thank even more Harvard's Health insurance for paying the bill.
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