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Well it depends on how severely hurt i would not care which hospital i went to. there is a hospital right up the street from me and it is through the catholic health system so I'm not sure if it is fro profit or not. as long as the doctors know what their doing then i really don't care where i go.
Not for profits fit in with my personal philosphy of providing health care regardless of one's ability to pay or insurance status.
In this area the for-profits (one particular ogranization who in the 90s bought out a lot of them in the area) in the past have been dreadful places to work with poor ratios and lack of support. I'm not sure if things have gotten better or not.
I would prefer a not-for-profit hospital, and would run from a for-profit one. None are really non-profit, and yes healthcare is a business, but the profit motive is much higher in a private, for-profit hospital. Based on stories I have heard from friends, I think people are sometimes over-treated, especially for emergency room visits. AND, I knew someone who went into an emergency room for a broken bone at a local for-profit, and they actually were trying to demand full payment (I'm not sure how they calculated that ont he spot!) before she left!
I have worked for Public, Private; not-for-profit, and For Profit hospitals. There was a difference in my opinion (for the nurses which then affects patients).
For Profit hospitals in my opinion pinch pennies so much they restrict supplies and resources for the nurses and therefore the patients. I had never had a patient on an IV without an IV pump until I worked at a For Profit hospital. There were no pre-packaged IV start kits; I had to gather supplies each and every time to start an IV. That's just a couple of examples but they were typical. Oh, and the worst nurse to patient ratios I have personally seen have been at For Profit hospitals, also high turnover for nurses. Sometimes though they offer fantastic sign on bonuses because they can't get anyone to stay (sign on bonus only paid after several months or a year). Probably not everyone's experience, but it is my experience.
My experience with Public and Private; not-for-profit hospitals was pretty comparable. As a patient I would not care as long as it wasn't a For Profit hospital. Mainly because I have seen those high nurse to patient ratios and I would want better care, also don't want my nurse having to waste her time searching for equipment rather than monitoring me.
I'm not saying For Profit is evil. I understand the importance of capitalism and the "bottom line". I just don't want to work for them because it's harder for me.
My once not-for profit employer was bought out by the for profit Vanguard corporation and I can tell you the differences are enormous. I long for the good old days when every patient was given the best care with the best of equipment/supplies by nurses who weren't spread so thin because they were adequately staffed. If the $$ doesn't flow as fast and often as Vanguard wants, beware they will be on the march to cut supplies, cut staff, services, much quicker than any not for profit hospital I've ever worked in.
mommy2boys
161 Posts
at a not for profit hospital or a private hospital (for profit)? Also, if you had a choice being a patient where would you rather be treated at.
A few of my friends and I were talking about this and I wanted some more views.
TIA
Erin