American healthcare; a new perspective.

 Unfortunately, none of the doctors I've come across so far look like McDreamy...

I've always been rather rude about healthcare in the US compared to the UK. In general I tend to sing the NHS's praises, and I approve of free-at-the-point-delivery healthcare in principle, whereas an insurance-based system is unfair, too open to random money-spending (and charging by insurance companies) and in the end, no better than what we have at home.

And I still hold by most of that. I hate that one's decision whether or not to visit a healthcare provider is always clouded by "how much will the co-pay be?". That some medications are not covered by your insurance. That if people lose their job, they lose their insurance. Or it changes, and they have to change all their healthcare providers. It's definitely unfair, it's confusing and I think most British people would be shocked by it. One of the best things Obama has done is to try to reform healthcare in the US. (Not that he's really succeeded - the Republicans are making sure of that.)

I tend to laugh when Americans knock "socialized medicine", because they seem to have this great fear of the unknown, when their own system is far from perfect. For example; in the US, you are often kept waiting for routine appointments, and there is no apology given. Medical receptionists are notoriously grouchy and unhelpful here. Emergency room visits are all very similar to what would happen at home. (Note: it is nothing like Gray's Anatomy, ER or House.)

Having said all that; my recent healthcare experiences have taught me that there are some advantages to being in America. You can, for example, go and see a specialist with literally a few days' notice. You don't have to be referred by a GP (GPs/primary care practitioners here being a bit different from what they are home, and generally, not that helpful). You simply ring up - yourself - and get an appointment, often that same week. If you are anxious to get on with things, that is definitely helpful.

Yesterday I spent the morning at our local hospital (for which The Doctor works) having a series of investigations. I have to say, it was extremely efficient - hardly any waiting around, everything happened like clockwork, the staff were kind and courteous, the environment was squeaky-clean and pleasant. From my experience of similar appointments within the NHS at London teaching hospitals (which were only ever pregnancy related, I must say), this was a definite improvement. By the way, I don't blame individual doctors or nurses in any way; the NHS is simply run off its feet half the time. In some ways, it's a miracle that anything happens at all.

But that is private healthcare. Would my Hispanic cleaning lady get the same treatment at the local public hospital, using Medicaid? I doubt it somehow.

Still, if there is nothing else good about my ongoing horrible situation, at least I am finally able to compare the two systems from an informed point of view. And no, I haven't found Dr. House yet.