So the truth is I am still pretty sick, and have been in the hospital for the past 3 days, which is why I haven’t been posting. I guess this is one of the pitfalls of travelling, because my nagging stomach illness is in all likelihood the result of food poisoning that I got in China months ago. I’ve been feeling terrible. Add to that that, I’ve never been in the hospital and HATE needles, so my morale is pretty low and my hypochondrianism is probably at an all-time high (though tests have revealed that the stomach infection that I have is legit).
Being in the hospital in Hong Kong is funny. I’m not too sure if it’s a cultural thing, or if I’ve just stumbled upon the wrong people but the hospitals here appear to differ from ones in Canada (and in the United States) in that:
1) Bedside manner here is definitely…umm… different. I got looks of consternation and a tongue-lashing from one of the nurses, for screaming out in pain when she had to put medicine in my IV. There were a few other incidents with the same nurse that I don’t care to recount here.
2) Hospitals back home usually enforce a “quiet/silent” policy. Maybe the do the same here, but the people don’t seem to abide by that rude. It is very loud here, between nurses hollering at each other in the hallway, to my “roommates” talking loudly on their cell phones, to their guests coming and speaking in very loud, rapid-fire Cantonese.
3) You can order food from a menu. Whatever you like. Now, I’ve never been admitted into a hospital in Canada, but I was always under the impression that for food, you get what you get, and at set hours. Here, I have a full menu that I can pick food from. I can order however much I like, at whatever time I please, as long as it’s within “room service” hours (7am to 7:30pm).
4) You have to pay for everything! Everything has a price tag here. That breakfast that I had this morning? It was $88 Hong Kong Dollars (about $11 USD). Kind of steep for a piece of toast, fried egg white, a bowl of cereal, and a mint tea. The receipt was attached to my breakfast tray. Now, I would have never dreamed of seeing a receipt in Canada- excuse my ignorance, but from what I know our provincial health care (OHIP) covers all expenses. I’m pretty sure my health insurance in Hong Kong will foot most of the bill, but it’s still weird to see prices attached to everything and know that if it’s over a certain amount, I will have to pay out of pocket. But then, I am Canadian, and the health system over there is a good one. For you Americans out there, is your health system closer to the Canadian model or the Hong Kong, model?
5) They have free wifi, which means that I am writing this post from the (relative) comfort of my hospital bed. Gotta look at the positives, right?
45 Comments
hope you get well soon and get out from under the nurse nazi's thumb. being sick in a foreign country is so hard but hang in there and I am happy your sense of humor is still healthy.
I don't know about the US since it's been so long since I was in the hospital there. I don't think you have to pay for the standard food though. In France it was all-included but not always the best quality. And breakfast was just baguettes and butter or jam and they made fun of me when I asked if I could have a specific flavor. Hope you start to feel better soon.
Sounds like you're having an interesting time being sick. I hope you feel better soon. I haven't been in the hospital overnight here in the U.S. in awhile but I have been urgent care more than I want to be. Bedside manner is always good though, I already feel bad please don't fuss at me LOL. The last time someone I know was in the hospital, they got to bring in their own food, no dietary restrictions.
Aw, I hope you feel better and is released quickly. I wish you a speedy recovery. And, I can say that no, the treatment you are receiving in the Hong Kong hospital does not happen home-Canada. the last time I was in the hospital was to get my appendix out and they were nice to me, I got free food, they make a point to keep the floor as quiet as possible. My grandma was in the hospital within the last 5 yrs and it was the same. The only thing you have to pay for is tv if you want it.Thank goodness for OHIP. Take care and try to get out of there as fast as you can!
I'm sorry to hear your illness has taken you to the hospital for three days! I know the feeling all too well. The menu thing is funny, though I have seen this in some private US hospitals. For the most part, OHIP covers everything except the TV and sometimes phone calls depending on the hospital. From what I remember, if you're admitted to the floor, OHIP covers 4 to a room and if you want a semi private room you need additional insurance or you can pay extra. Private rooms are hard to get and are often reserved for serious things like isolation orders/resp /surg/neuro/TB. As well, hospital food consists of jello, mashed potatoes, green peas and some other strange cafeteria concoctions, though I've always managed to sneak food in.
I'm always amazed at how hospitals in other countries operate. Some of them often admit their patients for longer hospital stays then we do. For example, if you come in to the ER and you're deemed serious enough to be admitted, as soon as you're somewhat "cleared" by the physician, they rush you home due to bed shortages and budget cuts, as is the case now with flu season causing bed shortages. This difference may also be characteristic of countries who have parallel private and public health care systems where the private sector can compete with the public system. Anyway, I'm glad you're getting proper hospital rest even if the bedside manner is off. Get better soon!
Ahh! I didn't realize it was bad as all that. Glad you have/had your wifi to keep in contact with your fam and love one.
I really hope you beat this thing and get back to being amongst the living.
Get well soon!
As for the menu, I had the same experience (minus the price tag) in Toronto. I was given a menu for the entire day. The menu indicated how much of what I could order (for example, x number of carbs, dairy, protein, etc). It was like being in a hotel but with nurses.
Just get better soon!
I'm sorry to hear that you are still ill. Rest up and get better soon..and yes, thank God for wifi!!
get well soon!
Oh no, I hope you recover quickly and get out of there, it doesn't sound like fun at all!
In the U.S. I think you almost always have a deductible, so you pay up to whatever your deductible is (a couple hundred dollars up to a couple thousand, depending on what kind of plan you have) and then everything after that is covered. I don't think you get a bill for it while laying in your hospital bed, but I've never been a patient in a hospital in the U.S. so I don't know.
Oneika get better soon!!! I'll be praying for you! I know a woman who's daughter just got back from Morocco and was hospitalized for 3 days because of a BAD stomach virus (her plane ride home was a mess!) BUT she pulled through and is back to work so I hope the same for you!
Sorry that you've been in the hospital ill, very best wishes.
As far as hospital stays in the U.S., a previous poster is right. If you have health insurance, whether private or public, you just get a bill for whatever your deductible may be. The bill doesn't have to be paid right then and there. My personal deductible for being hospitalized is $1,000USD, then everything is covered by my insurance after that. It honestly just depend on your insurance. Some will on cover 80%, etc after the deductible, it just depend on your plan. If you don't have insurance, you just give all of your info and get the bill yourself. If you fail to pay the bill, eventually its attached to your credit report. The U.S. doesn't have the best system, but I can't personally complain too much seeing that federal taxes are low and my state doesn't have an income tax to boot. Employers in the U.S. cover the largest part of health insurance cost, especially with the recent healthcare reforms.
Honestly, food just depends on the hospital your stuck at here. My mom was in a hospital last year that had an extensive menu and the food was at no additional cost to her. Whether they charged her insurance company or not, I have no idea. From what I've seen throughout the years, it's pretty standard for U.S. hospitals to have set menus for each day of the week with 2-3 options you are able to choose from.
Thank you thank you for all the kind words!
After 5 days in the hospital I got out on Sunday afternoon and I am feeling a LOT better!
@kimvan: you're so right! being sick in a country where you don't speak the language is a bummer!
@Mil: mmmm, just the thought of a french baguette is making my mouth water.. i'm thinking that even the hospital baguette in france is more appealing than the ones in stores here- the chinese do NOT make good pastries!
@flaming_star: i know, right! the last thing you need when you're sick is somebody to be mean to you!
@rhona: honestly, i will NEVER take OHIP for granted again. our health care system in canada is STELLAR!
@samantha: you know what? that's so true about shorter hospital stays back home, especially when it comes to people who have just had babies! most new mothers who give birth in the hospital are back home after two days!
@Lei: thanks! the wifi was definitly a saving grace! wouldn't have survived without it!
@tanya: that sounds like a pretty swanky hospital! ive visited people in humberview in toronto and it wasn't like that at all!
@mae: wifi is awesome! and you are looking fab in your avatar! so pretty!
@toyin: thank you!
@mamacita: thanks! i wonder if there is a difference depending on which region/state of the U.S. you are in? a friend of mine fainted in san francisco and was admitted for 1 night in a hospital there and got a bill for a couple thousand dollars!! luckily her travel insurance covered it all!
@Thann: thanks so much for the in-depth info! is this health insurance something that you have to purchase, or is it provided by your job?
Hope you're feeling much better now.
@geotraveler: I am! Thanks!!
That’s a great point
Wonderful views on that!
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this
onto a friend who has been conducting a little homework on this.
And he actually bought me dinner due to the fact that I
found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the
meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to talk about this issue here on your website.
I like reading through an article that can make people think.
Also, thank you for permitting me to comment!
Link exchange is nothing else however it is only placing the other person’s webpage link on your page at suitable place and other person will also do same in support of
you.
Appreciating the hard work you put into your site and detailed information you
provide. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the
same out of date rehashed material. Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding
your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Hello to all, how is everything, I think every one is getting more from this web site, and your views are good in support of new visitors.|
Hey there would you mind letting me know which web host you’re working
with? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different web browsers
and I must say this blog loads a lot faster
then most. Can you recommend a good internet hosting provider at a honest price?
Kudos, I appreciate it!
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading
it, you can be a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and may come back later on. I want to encourage that you continue your
great posts, have a nice holiday weekend!
Hello! I just would like to give you a big thumbs up for your great info you’ve got
here on this post. I’ll be returning to your blog for more soon.
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your webpage?
My website is in the very same niche as yours and my
users would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this okay with you.
Appreciate it!
I don’t even know the way I ended up right here, but I thought this post was once good.
I don’t recognize who you’re but definitely you are going to a famous blogger for those who aren’t already.
Cheers!
Hi there, I enjoy reading through your article post.
I like to write a little comment to support you.
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on websites
I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always helpful to read
through articles from other authors and use something from other web
sites.
I have read so many posts concerning the blogger lovers but
this post is really a nice piece of writing, keep it up.
Fine way of explaining, and fastidious article to get data about my presentation subject,
which i am going to present in school.
I every time used to study article in news papers but now as I am a user of internet thus from now I am using net for articles or reviews, thanks to web.
Appreciation to my father who told me regarding this
website, this blog is actually awesome.
Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site
is great, as well as the content!
I’m not sure exactly why but this blog is
loading very slow for me. Is anyone else
having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later and see if
the problem still exists.
Hello there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Looking through this post reminds me
of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this.
I am going to forward this post to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a great read.
Thank you for sharing!
I was just telling my friend about that.
That’s a great point
What’s up to every one, it’s truly a pleasant for me to visit this website, it includes important Information.|
Hi friends, how is everything, and what you desire to say on the topic of this paragraph, in my view its really remarkable for me.|
Comments are closed.