Is it just me or is the United States Healthcare system f*cked up really bad? Is it like this everywhere in the US? Is it like this in most of Europe?

Question

I ask this as someone who’s been to the Hospital myself, and also been there to visit a friend.

Anyway, after 23 hours of waiting, my friend is finally being transported to another hospital by ambulance where they can perform his surgery.

He has to be transported to another state to treat a bacterial infection from a penis implant. The nearest hospital that can treat him is a five and a half hour drive away. And we’re not even in middle of the bumf*ck nowhere.

We’re just outside a city of 33,000 people, which you would think would have the infrastructure to treat him.

But surprisingly the state of Maine is apparently ranked #9 in the country for best healthcare according to US News and World Report, even though the entire state lacks the medical expertise anywhere in the state to treat him.

I shiver to think about what the healthcare must be like in the states that rank lower.

I mean not only did it take 10 hours just for my friend to get processed out of the waiting room once he checked in, but he still had to wait another 13 hours in his hospital room until they were ready to transport him to another hospital where he could undergo treatment.

Imagine being in pain and having to wait over a full day just to get treatment.

I’m not very familiar with American healthcare in general but what I saw inside that hospital while I was visiting was enough to invoke the fear of God inside of me.

It literally looked like a warzone inside of the waiting room. Hundreds of people crammed on top of eachother. It was as if 300 people were in that room just waiting to be treated. It reminded me of those old photos I’ve seen of the Spanish influenza, or people inside field hospitals at an active military warzone. Just absolutely terrifying stuff.

It was so bad that they didn’t even have enough room for people in the waiting room, people were being moved into the hallway and taking up space there too.

Anyway, we’re supposed to be a 1st world country. So WTF?

Aerissa_Jade · Accepted Answer

I've been in it a lot due to my health issues.

It really depends what the problem is though, as I often will say healthcare and doctors are a lot like tech support. If they have seen it before, they can help but if they haven't they don't know what the hell to do. They simply guess and hope it works.

At the same time if you need specialty care, such as a heart specialist, clinic then yeah I have to travel pretty far for that.

Same goes for cancer, as there are only certain area's to get cancer treatments for things such as bone marrow transplants or other types of treatments.

People have to travel hundreds of miles.

The federal government is also a problem for rural hospitals, as they don't make enough money to stay in business but they will give them grants, on the condition that they don't do inpatient care so around here, the small/medium sized rural hospitals will start treating people then they have to transport them to the big cities or else lose federal funding.

Now imagine what it is like to be in the big city, two hundred miles from home and no one can come visit you for three weeks.

Now what you are describing in the ER, that does not happen here, there is large waiting rooms and people are seen relatively quick, as they are rated. Your friend would of been quicker and there never would be that many people unless there was a major emergency going on like a natural disaster or zombie apocalypse.

At the same time, one of my Uncles died in Canada due to the really shitty healthcare he got there when he got covid. They simply put him in a room to die.

Things are getting worse though as covid has caused a large number of healthcare workers to exit the field, nurse shortage and other factors may be causing what you experienced. Covid burnout, it is a great time to go into the medical field if someone is considering it.

XiJinping · Accepted Answer

Don't blame the emergency rooms, they are just following the law. Emergency rooms. Can't deny care for anyone for any reason. Trust me on this, I drove a taxi for a few years. I've seen it all. Many of the people sitting in that emergency room, are there to get painkillers. Some use them and some sell them. My taxi was rear-ended on the freeway and it totaled it.
I was at the emergency and the triage nurse put a mentally handicapped woman in front of me, just because she had a blister on her toe.
I know that lady very well, because I've driven her to the ER about 800 times. To her it's just a place to go to get attention and talk to people. The taxi ride is free both ways and of course everything at the ER is free.

NaultD · Accepted Answer

I'm Alaskan native and i get healthcare from a "for profit" native corporation. I broke my ankle on ice no fault on anyone. The next day i went to Anchorage spent 3 weeks in the hospital got the surgerys i needed, free travel, free medical care, free housing for my cousin helping me getting there. This corporation profits from me being alive an prosperous and getting well again.

my work place insurance that i also had took 20 weeks day after day To get my sick pay time off that I've earned for 10 years. This work place health "insurance" only profits from me dying. After profiting from 10 years of my work. FUCK THEM!

We need healthcare insurance that profits more people being alive and fighting better. The strongest figure is the government and wanting taxes. They want you alive and well working for the tax man. The insurance company wants you dead before you ask them to do their job.

jshm2 · Accepted Answer

The USA is the only Western country which doesn't have a healthcare system, rather, it has healthcare businesses.

Now I don't know about your education level and social status. But if I'm going to buy something to eat, I want to be able to get something quick and easy when in a rush. Or be able to dine and relax at an upmarket place when not. That's capitalism.

However, If you have a broken arm; you want to be able to walk into any hospital and get the best of care. Not "whatever your insurance can afford" or get shipped out to someplace that can.

This is why Americans get laughed at so hard. You talk "freedom" and "development" but have the health system and acumen no better than your forefathers did in the 1700's.

exitseven · Answer

It has been bad since covid. Even though we are pretty much on the other side of it, the problems with staffing and the supply chain persist. There is a big nursing shortage and kids dont want to be nurses anymore.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

„Not so funny now, is it, funny man?“  - Peter Creedy, V for Vendetta You might want to start here:

lightbulb27 · Answer

yes, most important part of going to hospital is getting out of it. It's dangerous. Stay healthy, and stay out. What the hell does he need an implant for?

richardcory · Answer

The US system is totally broken. Incredibly expensive, not very good.

SaoirseS · Answer

A city of 33,000 is not going to have all the specialties needed to treat everything.

Dargil · Answer

Even under Obamacare, it is still the best of any large population in the world.

Anonymous · Answer

At least he got treatment. In Canada, his treatment would be free, but it would be a 6 month to a year wait time for said treatment.

gorydetails · Answer

If you think it's bad now, wait till it's "free".

Is it just me or is the United States Healthcare system f*cked up really bad? Is it like this everywhere in the US? Is it like this in most of Europe?

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