3:19 AM
The doctors and medical facility is one area I was never happy with in Udine, Italy. It’s not that it is bad, but given the situation here it is obvious. It lacks something. But let me comment on its plus points before I point out its lacunae.
The best thing is that the whole medical system is monitored by state (like education system). It means there are no private players, no private doctors, no private hospitals, no nursing homes, no medical shops. Everything is owned and managed by state. The obvious benefit is that almost all basic facilities are free of costs, some advanced facilities are at rebated costs, luxury facilities are at full costs. The second benefit is that the poor and needy are not fooled by greedy doctors, you will not spend un-necessary money on unwanted tests and you are not trapped in money-racket of the so-called doctors. The third benefit is everybody is on equal footing, unlike in India where we have chaturvarnya system everywhere, even in health facilities. (In India, The lowest stratum of society does not even know that they can approach doctors, they simply die. The poor avail government health-centers or municipal hospitals which are very poorly managed. The middle-class who can afford private facilities can go to private doctors, specialists, nursing homes and hospitals to fall in trap and loose money. And rich class going to Lilavati and Bombay hospitals and can have five-star treatment.)
In Italy, they have government doctors on salary, who have their own clinics and they are general practitioners and act like your family doctor. For small problems, like cough, fever they prescribe you medicines which you can buy at nearby pharmacy at nominal cost or free of cost. For complicated issues which requires specialists’ attention, they will direct you to government hospitals where again almost all the treatment is free of cost or at subsidized rates. For any complicated issue, I need not ask ten people, who is the best doctor and get confused with different opinions. In India, I was always facing this situation and never sure if I took correct decision to approach particular specialist, e.g. when my father was operated for his back problem, I remember how confused I was with different advises. There is only solution here and it is the specialist available in hospital. He may take opinions from other specialist if your case in unique.
But there are many drawbacks here. Since doctors are government salaried, they take least interest in your well-being, there are many exceptions though. Being doctor is not a lucrative profession; less people choose to become a doctor and not necessarily the best brains. So, the health-medical facility can not be termed as the best. My friend, hospitalized for fever was never diagnosed properly and fever never receded till 15th day and it left specialist doctors without any conclusion, one more friend waited for 2 months for appointment of an specialist for his leg-sprain which was cured & healed automatically and he needed no visit. This is because of shortfall of doctors and staff.
But, you visit a hospital, you will feel as if you are in 5-star hotel, so clean, neat and tidy, full of all facilities, humble and co-operative staff, good quality food for admitted patients. One will love to be in hospital but without being ill.
The best thing is that the whole medical system is monitored by state (like education system). It means there are no private players, no private doctors, no private hospitals, no nursing homes, no medical shops. Everything is owned and managed by state. The obvious benefit is that almost all basic facilities are free of costs, some advanced facilities are at rebated costs, luxury facilities are at full costs. The second benefit is that the poor and needy are not fooled by greedy doctors, you will not spend un-necessary money on unwanted tests and you are not trapped in money-racket of the so-called doctors. The third benefit is everybody is on equal footing, unlike in India where we have chaturvarnya system everywhere, even in health facilities. (In India, The lowest stratum of society does not even know that they can approach doctors, they simply die. The poor avail government health-centers or municipal hospitals which are very poorly managed. The middle-class who can afford private facilities can go to private doctors, specialists, nursing homes and hospitals to fall in trap and loose money. And rich class going to Lilavati and Bombay hospitals and can have five-star treatment.)
In Italy, they have government doctors on salary, who have their own clinics and they are general practitioners and act like your family doctor. For small problems, like cough, fever they prescribe you medicines which you can buy at nearby pharmacy at nominal cost or free of cost. For complicated issues which requires specialists’ attention, they will direct you to government hospitals where again almost all the treatment is free of cost or at subsidized rates. For any complicated issue, I need not ask ten people, who is the best doctor and get confused with different opinions. In India, I was always facing this situation and never sure if I took correct decision to approach particular specialist, e.g. when my father was operated for his back problem, I remember how confused I was with different advises. There is only solution here and it is the specialist available in hospital. He may take opinions from other specialist if your case in unique.
But there are many drawbacks here. Since doctors are government salaried, they take least interest in your well-being, there are many exceptions though. Being doctor is not a lucrative profession; less people choose to become a doctor and not necessarily the best brains. So, the health-medical facility can not be termed as the best. My friend, hospitalized for fever was never diagnosed properly and fever never receded till 15th day and it left specialist doctors without any conclusion, one more friend waited for 2 months for appointment of an specialist for his leg-sprain which was cured & healed automatically and he needed no visit. This is because of shortfall of doctors and staff.
But, you visit a hospital, you will feel as if you are in 5-star hotel, so clean, neat and tidy, full of all facilities, humble and co-operative staff, good quality food for admitted patients. One will love to be in hospital but without being ill.
