A Dr is cheaper than a tour guide

Oscar is thankfully better and out of the hospital . After the head doctor approved the discharge, it only took another 5 hours to navigate the multiple layers of mindless burocracy that is to be found in an Indian hospital I shall spare you the details, but just three snippets. They asked us for the documents they gave us at admission to allow us to leave. We have them at the hotel, but not here. Should we go back and get them? After some thought, the lady says I need them to certify reimbursement. Ah, we say we don't need that, and the lady seems amazed. Where should I send the originals when I have everything? We don't need them. Really?, so she insists she will send us a copy of everything with an official stamp, and since we insist, it will be a pdf. Each step of discharge is sequential, and done so that the Dr can't do his bit until the bill is paid, and the pharmacy can't issue the discharge medications before the Dr has signed, and the nurse can't give the frequency and dose of medicines, until you bring them to her, after buying them by fighting through the crowd at the hospital pharmacy. etc,etc.

The previous day at the Amber palace, a guide had cost 1200 ( $15) rupees for an hour. Today, I had to pay for Oscar's 3 days in hospital, including 3 days of at least 3 doctors, including the head of intensive care. They cost only 2100 ($28) rupees. 7 wrong in this country. In fact, the total bill is about $500 for everything with a bed in the intensive care costing 4000 ($50) rupee per day. I have no idea how that is possible other than very low wages, since the last thing you can say is they are short of staff. They aren't. Remember, this is a private hospital. The state one is overrun and understaffed.Read more