Question of the Day | 09/16/2009 5:00 am

Have you ever gotten sick and then experienced health care in another country?

Joan Juliet Buck | 09/16/2009 12:00 am

Joan Juliet Buck on Italy's Health Care

Sure. It works. Except in Italy where they use words like cistifellea and throw nuns at you.

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Joan Ganz Cooney | 09/16/2009 12:00 am

Joan Ganz Cooney: Shingles in Florence

I got sick a number of years ago in Florence and the hotel sent a doctor. Since I had had previous experience in other countries, I told my husband that he would immediately want to give me an injection (always unnamed in non-English speaking countries) and that I was going to refuse, which I did. He gave me something to stop my violently revolting stomach but he had no way of telling what was causing the nausea. Fortunately, we headed for Milan the next day and then came home — where I was diagnosed with a bad case of shingles and stayed in bed for a couple of weeks. I don’t think the doctor could have done any better because the rash didn’t start until a few days later.

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Julia Reed | 09/16/2009 12:00 am

Julia Reed Recommends This Hangover Cure – Sold in London

I have never been sick in another country, but I always stock up on the best over-the-counter headache medicines when I’m in Spain, and D.R. Harris’s "Pick-Me-Up" (excellent for hangovers) when I’m in London.

As for foreign doctors, the only experience I’ve ever had with one was on a ship. When we were in college, my first cousin Frances and I took my grandfather on a cruise through the Caribbean (for reasons I now cannot fathom — I imagine so that he would pay for it).

DeeDee (the name we called him) had been an officer in the Navy during World War II and I think the last cruise ship he’d been on was the Andria Doria. So he was used to being in white tie at the captain’s table and there we were on a giant Cunard that was like a slightly nicer floating Holiday Inn and sharing a table with some really, really nice (and very patient) people from Waco, TX.

DeeDee was a pretty good sport until we got off one morning in Venezuela, and an unsuspecting waiter told DeeDee he was not allowed to serve him a martini until noon. For a scary moment I thought he might literally break the poor man’s neck. He started off every day with martinis anyway, but on this particular occasion he was also self-medicating — he had bursitis in his shoulder and it was driving him crazy, but he refused to see the ship’s doctor. "He wouldn’t be a doctor on a ship if he weren’t a bum" — bum being the worst epithet in his lexicon, worse even than "s.o.b." The bum seemed pretty okay to us — he was tanned and English and so good-looking that Frances and I shamelessly flirted with him every night in the bar.

Anyway, the shoulder got so bad that we finally forced DeeDee into the doctor’s office. The guy gave him a shot of cortisone, the shoulder instantly felt better and the bum was elevated to: "You know, I think that ship’s doctor is one of the finest physicians I’ve ever encountered — and don’t you find him remarkably attractive?"

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I’ve used both the public and private health care systems in Spain, including having a baby. By the way, the hospital stay was 5 days – a Caesarian with no complications and no complications for my son. My gynecologist visited me daily, including Sunday, and so did the midwife to help me establish breastfeeding. In the case of both the public and private systems, there is no paperwork involved and I’ve never had to battle to have a procedure covered. Medical coverage is determined by residence and is not tied to employment. I went through a nasty divorce with a young child in a foreign country and I am grateful that medical care has never been a worry. I’m not saying the system is perfect, because I don’t think there is such a thing, but there is a healthcare system in place for everyone. It does work, it is not bureaucratic, and most importantly, I have the peace of mind that if either my son or I become sick, we will receive medical treatment. There is no worrying about access to doctors, there is no worrying that a serious illness could financially wipe me out, and, God forbid, if one of us were to develop a chronic condition, there is no worrying that the healthcare could disappear.

By Elizabeth Parrish on 09/16/2009 3:45 pm

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My wife had treatment for box jelly stings (very nasty things!!!) in Cairns, Australia. Very competent doctors & facility. We’ve been healthy for our other trips, fortunately.

By John G on 09/16/2009 4:27 pm

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box jelly stings? aren’t they deadly? wow. am glad everything is ok.

By macwoof woof on 09/17/2009 12:52 am

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They can be deadly. In our case, I was stung mildly and my wife rather severely (and the woman in the next cabin also). The stinging part(s) apparently draped across her thigh (she still has a scar). She had vomiting, high fever and shakes all night (we were on a cruise). I took her immediately to hospital on arrival in Cairns (the friggin’ cruise "doctor" was worthless, and the cruise captain did nothing… I had to flag down a cab…), where she received excellent treatment. She was fairly out of it for a couple days afterward.

By John G on 09/17/2009 11:02 am

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Uh, excuse me, but I’m not part of a far-left bait and switch plot, or a propagandist. I’m a Canadian citizen/US resident who is speaking honestly from my own experience, which considering I’ve grown up in a family with two children battling a chronic life-threatening illness, is pretty comprehensive. My mother is a nurse educator. My nephew is an emergency room doctor. I can certainly document anecdotally a good number of examples of fine health care under the Canadian system. It has some problems, but is not underfunded and falling apart - that’s what the far right are promoting in their propoganda. And when an issue needs addressing, we can lobby our government. Try lobbying an insurance company. As I said, however, I can only speak from personal experience, and based on my experience, I support national healthcare.

By Heather Cariou on 09/16/2009 6:23 pm

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My husband got sick while we driving through Provence. Our Auberge-keeper called a doctor, who came over almost immediately — at 7 in the morning. The doctor was a young woman, still in her twenties. She prescribed three medications, which I had filled at the local pharmacy. The cost — $10 euros for the doctor and $18 euros total for the medications. And my husband recovered very quickly.

By Babette dYveine on 09/16/2009 9:21 pm

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Have lived out of USA for over 30 years…came to Connecticut 4 years ago and first summer here, smashed my thumb in the car door…I went to a clinic and was told to see an" expert" because I would need to get the nail pulled ..after 250$ for the 1st and 2 nd Doctor,,I was informed that it would cost around 3200$ to pull nail, and that it would never be normal in appearance afterwards..

I immediately bought a ticket for El Salvador, went to a surgeon ,had the operation the next day with general anesthesia, nurse and Doctor..woke up with no pain… 4 weeks later..the nail was on its way to growing back…perfectly.. oh, yes..the plane (round trip) 10 days in hotel, great weather, seeing friends…cost under 2000 dollars..

I am not eligible for either medicare or medicaid,and the cost for a single person without any social security is enormous..I cannot believe what has happened to us in this country !

By virginia gascon on 09/16/2009 11:48 pm

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today i went to the doctor ( ent specialist) who said my sinuses were really badly infected. I could have an operation ( 3 year wait) or pay 6 thousand and have it done sooner. If i were in the states i might not be able to have an operation at all, but here in canada i have to wait 3 years. Unless i have an emergency. i have been thru this before . years ago i was at the same clinic, same hospital, same reason. same results.. they keep me coming in and they keep losing my records. st. pauls in vancouver. the last time i waited a year and a month to get an operation. I did NOT pay. but i waited a year and a month.

it sucks. but at least….. it is fair and i can be treated.

By macwoof woof on 09/17/2009 12:59 am

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While in Victoria, BC, Canada about 10 years ago I came down with strep throat. I went to a local clinic and was told I would have to fully pay for my visit because I was not Canadian. I was very sick and said fine. The Dr. confirmed my strep throat and gave me a prescription for the needed antibiotics. The cost of the visit was only $50! I got my prescription filled at a pharmacy that day, and was much better by the next day.

By Erin Otterstrom on 09/17/2009 10:10 am

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Yes, in Saba, where the doctor came in to the island hospital in his shorts and sandals from the fishing trip he’d been enjoying, gave me good treatment and meds for my flu, then refused to accept payment saying that trying to bill an American insurer was more trouble than it was worth. He smiled, tipped his hat, and went back to continue his fishing.

By Carrie N on 09/17/2009 2:26 pm

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I am an RN and I have been in Hospitals in a few other countries—they always seemed way behind where we were at for medical.

I was wondering about health care reform would we have to ”wait” for tests and surgeries.

Well it seems a few of my online friends from other places have written me and talked a lot about having to wait…most of them saying they wish they were in America because with what they had wrong with them they would be treated as a medical emergency and not had to WAIT.

I cannot disclose personal info of my friends but as a nurse I was floored when one told me of the surgery she was waiting for—here it would be same day surgery positively.

Lets not be in a major RUSH to change everything right NOW!

We will all pay for it in the end if we do.

I never hear Obama saying anything about medical teams-meeting with Mds—does he have a Medical CZAR????????

By Lynn Marie on 09/17/2009 8:10 pm

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Lynn, you need to read Consumer’s, Commonwealth Fund, and the AJN’s reports on conserative medicine vs. aggerssive in American hospitals - and do the comparisons - bottom line: most of the "rush" is totally uncessary. Lastly, "same day surgery" is not safe for many patients, in fact, anyone with a breathing condition, or disorder, or NMD should never have "same day" anything!

By C jay on 09/18/2009 6:32 am

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I have read them.And I have been in nursing my entire life—I have seen all the fads and changed rules and insurances come and go.

The friend I was referring to who lives in another country (in my previous note) —If she lived in the USA—

she would be considered an emergency surgery=

take my word for it-

she is diabetic and needs to have a leg amputated asap

-but because of her advanced age

and that she only has one kidney left functioning

they are making her wait-

-over 4 months now.

That would be and should be considered neglect/abuse here. I can’t even imagine!

I have spent most of my career as a Hospital Nurse (retired now)==I remember when ”day stay” surgery started,

In the beginning it was a mess but they tweaked it and it seems to be under control now.

Did you know that 70% of all people who go in the hospital leave with an infection they did not come in with"

”Nosocomial Infections"

It is in your best interest to be out of the hospital as soon as you are able to be—-they follow up with Home Care Nurses

I had Cardiac ByPass Surgery at 50 and was in CCU for 24 hours then Telemetry for 48 hours then home,

3 Days,,,I was home in my Bed at home,,,,,Plus I have Lupus….,I had a Visiting Nurse who came everyday.

I have also had Day Stay Hospitalization-I see nothing wrong with it.

The surgery has to fit the stay —I have had a spinal nerve block done day stay and a tumor removed without any problems.

I personally am disabled so I know about going in/out of hospitals.

I used to have Urology Patients that stayed 3 days for a Cysto-now they go home same day or have it in the office.

Even gallbladders can be done daystay—they make a tiny little inscision and use scopes to remove it.

You can go back to work in2 weeks instead of 8 weeks big difference if you are the bread winner in your house.

The issues that used to come up now most times do not because you no longer have the large inscision to heal.

I don’t know what is going to happen to the system but it does not look good.

We used to do Primary Care—not anymore—now they try and tell the Doctors what they should be doing with Managed Care Plans.

The Doctors hate it.

By Lynn Marie on 09/18/2009 6:56 pm

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Santander Spain.

My daughter was suddenly ill and went to the emergency room.

Checked in, assessed, diagnosed, given medication, in a taxi (that they kindly requested) on the mend returning to the apartment - all in under 40 minutes.

By E . on 09/17/2009 10:14 pm