Patient Experiences - Mini Monopolies

I write this a day after I had a minor outpatient procedure. The procedure was conducted at the local hospital, which is the only facility within a 3o mile radius for such procedures. The intake process was demeaning and impersonal. The intake clerk expected me to provide all information without question or hesitation.

When I was to sign the contract between me and the hospital, she refused to comply to my request for my copy of the contract. I would be able to ask for a copy from medical records some other time. I was not allowed to get a copy of what I had just signed.

Wait! This is the sort of contempt back-office and billing areas of hospitals seem to normally exemplify to patients. I only requested a copy of a legal contract I was entering into with the hospital. I do believe that is part and parcel for US business; all parties are provided with the agreements to which they enter.

A secret agreement or one in which is hidden certainly is one that is not made in good faith. And that is what I postulate here - that the contempt and one-sidedness of US hospitalization (the back-office, admissions side) makes the validity of the contract questionable.

Please understand, I had absolutely wonderful care from the floor nurses. They were attentive and concerned about my feelings, concerns and desires. My biggest problem with the floor nurses was that they were a little hurried trying to do as many procedures as scheduled, so much so that they were not always aware of my little jokes or comments. They were being extremely professional, moving fast, but efficiently and always aware of how I, the patient, was feeling.

Wow! the situation was exactly the opposite of the intake/admissions person. She would have rather me drop dead than actually dig out the "Patient Rights" booklet when I asked where it was after I was to sign I had already received it. The booklet was in a bottom of a cabinet on the opposite side of her office area and she had to move her chair and rearrange locations of a few items just to be able to get to a copy. But, I was required to sign a formal document saying I had already received it, but there was no intention of having me get it. I forced her into complying with her own laws which I doubt had been done for a long. All this in regard to documentation stating she had provided mythical information.

Contempt doesn't appeal to me as a way to continue doing business with a company or entity. And yet, what choice do we have? My physician is in a town 11 miles away and the hospital is the only facility in a 30 mile radius. Do I or the people who live in my community really have an option? NO. We are in a localize monopoly. And the hospital knows it too. Every week they spend local advertising dollars to tell the community how wonderful they are. The hospital has several half-page newspaper ads touting their contribution to the good of the community. Why would or is that necessary if it were really the case? Truthfully, because it isn't. The emperor is all to aware he (or she, as is the CEO) has no clothes. The hospital is not all that great. It overcharges by a factor of 400% on procedures and more on pharmacy and oncology. The hospital is stated to be a "Christian-based and not-for-profit", but has employed about every technique available to make it a huge "reserve" generator. Recently, the hospital added more new construction, new heli-pad and business relations with other, larger hospitals to feed patients. And above all, nastier, meaner and more contempt-filled back-office workers.

If other hospitals were available, I would certainly like to check them out. And basic consumerism is denied. At great expense to the consumer.