Storytime: Getting BACK SURGERY in POLAND | what to expect from a Polish public hospital 👀
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- In December 2023, my husband had back surgery to fix three herniated discs. He spent four days in a Polish public hospital.....and here's what happened 👀
In this storytime video, I'm sharing all about our experience with the Polish public hospitals. It was VERY different from the hospitals we have in America, but hopefully you find this video helpful and informative in case you need surgery or are wondering what to expect from the hospitals in Poland.
And don't forget--be sure to share this video with anyone you know who is curious about healthcare in Poland vs. America, and let me know in the comments what you thought of our experience in the public hospital!
A FEW NOTES:
1. The doctors and medical equipment used in the Polish hospital were the best of the best, which are the most important things when it comes to care. While we were completely unaware of the hospital conditions before arriving, we would do it all over again because of how great the medical staff were!
2. While there are some benefits to American hospitals, there are also a lot of things wrong with the healthcare system (with financial burdens being one of them). With that said, I am very grateful we were able to get this surgery done in Poland due to the high quality doctors and equipment, with the procedure being fully covered by NFZ. While our American insurance would have covered a lot of this, it wouldn't have covered everything. WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more about my thoughts on the differences between American and Polish healthcare: • HEALTHCARE in POLAND v...
3. It's a myth that everyone goes broke going to an American hospital. How much you pay out of pocket completely depends on your insurance, type of treatment, the hospital, where you are, and the copay/deductible!!! While some people can come out only paying a small fee, others may experience serious financial woes, which is absolutely heartbreaking.
4. According to federal law, American hospitals with emergency departments are required to provide emergency treatment to anyone in need, regardless of their ability to pay.
SUBSCRIBE and give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed! I make NEW videos once a week, so I hope you stick around to see more about my life (and travels) in Poland and beyond.
//TIMESTAMPS
Intro 0:00 -1:30
Disclaimer: 1:31-1:52
Backstory: 1:53-6:35
Surgery and first impressions: 6:36-9:54
America vs Poland: 9:55 -14:34
Q&A: 14:35-24:50
Outro: 24:51-25:13
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#healthcare #surgeryrecovery #herniateddisc
Disclaimer: I know every country has it's pros and cons, but overall I would say that I'm much happier here than I was in America!
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We come to the basic question of whether a beautiful room and food like in a 5-star hotel or the doctors will cure you.
Our hospitals are very, very modest but they are quite effective in saving lives. look at the statistics example…the current infant mortality rate for
U.S. was 5.48 deaths per 1000 live births
Switzerland 2.90 deaths per 1000 live births
Poland 2.60 deaths per 1000 live births
Still, treating people like sh"t isn't to everyone's standard.
You say the US has a problem with infant mortality. I don't doubt you. The US also has a problem with maternal mortality let us once again reference Grey's Anatomy, or even The Resident.
All I know is what I see on TV and possibly if I read about it. I've never had children. My mother had two. We were fine. Somewhere in the never-ending pile of garbage in my house, I actually have hospital bill from when I was born. But I was born in 1959. So probably the beds really did look like that back then.
I don't mind that the beds well maybe it's not the beds. I don't mind the walls. I don't like the call button is on the other side of the room. If you're having surgery on your back probably the bed is not the best. And it would have been nice to know about the towels and the sheets and the food. And thank you for showing those. Everything doesn't have to be beautiful but if you're in pain it helps to be more comfortable. I really like the way that your cat keeps walking by. That's really cute. I used to volunteer an hour local hospital back in 78 I think 79 back then. And I do remember that people were admitted to the hospital the day before their surgery. Although it was in the afternoon. And that they got a bunch of testing done, blood urine x-ray... I don't know if they had CAT scans back then. But I worked in admitting so everyone had blood urine x-ray and then they were taking upstairs. Hopefully with the correct chart. One time they handed me the wrong chart and the patient did not match but thankfully I did call him by name when I got him upstairs and he said Wait a minute what did you call me and we determined he was the wrong patient. So I took him back downstairs and got them to give me the right chart. I think those beds are from the '50s. You may not have been alive in the '70s. But the beds were better than that then. Of course this is the US and wasn't a communist country. Oh the one other thing I wanted to add was that I saw a hospital in Chelyabinsk. In Russia. Somewhere in the past five or six years I'm going to say. Possibly 10 probably not. Public health Care and think - it's probably worse now. The paint was peeling off the walls. It's possible you had to bring your own food. I don't know. Things may be great in Moscow - or at least before the war - but outside of the two major cities, probably not so much. They might actually make whatever town that was an hour away look good. And, oh good, I said a communist country and not the USSR because Poland was never the USSR. Just Warsaw pact, tanks in the backyard... But that hospital in Russia looked pretty grody. And I've never used that word in my life. Also something interesting was that I think the patient was only on oral antibiotics. And if I had only been on oral antibiotics, in the US, I wouldn't be admitted. He had pneumonia. He wasn't on oxygen. He didn't have an IV. It was really interesting. And now with all the doctors tending to all the soldiers in the country next door, things are less good. I couldn't tell you about the paint though. I only heard a story about the ER. And I've seen some documentaries on the NHS in England and this was before COVID, and the wait times for surgery were like - You came into the hospital and you sat there all day to see if they might possibly have a bed free in the ICU so that you could thereafter have your surgery because you would need a bed in the ICU afterwards. And then sometimes it was just no we are not going to have a bed. Go home we'll try again. So I guess even two weeks was good. And the speed of getting your MRI was good. I had an x-ray. They lost it for 3 weeks. They insisted I was never there. They inputted my date of birth incorrectly. By the time we determined that I had fractured my ankle, it had pretty much healed. Okay there were those 3 weeks before I decided that it probably was broken. So all together it was more like six. But they did lose it for 3 weeks. And I can't remember how long I had to wait to get it done because I had to go to an imaging center. And my doctor didn't have software to read the X-ray. All my friends have pictures of their X-rays I have a written report. I can't wait to see what Medicare is going to be like...
The biggest difference between Polish and American health care is accessibility and affordability. In Poland everyone has access to healthcare., in USA on the other hand many people with health insurance go bankrupt after hospital visit.
"in USA on the other hand many people with health insurance go bankrupt after hospital visit" Rather without health insurance!
How much you pay out of pocket completely depends on your insurance, type of treatment, the hospital, where you are, and the copay/deductible! While some people can come out only paying a small fee, others may experience serious financial woes, which is absolutely heartbreaking.
In Poland, the appearance of the hospital or the appearance and equipment of the rooms determines the effective cure. The appearance of hospitals and rooms varies. Yes, it looks better in America, but can you afford such an operation and how will your insurance cover part of the payment and then pay off the operation for half a year? You don't pay anything for such an operation under Polish insurance, that's the difference. In Poland, you can do a major surgery without paying anything if you work, and when you work, tax is automatically deducted from your salary. You have the option of additional insurance and you can use private clinics without ruining your budget. Anyone working in Poland is provided with medical and hospital care, the so-called National health Fund . In Poland, practically everyone has access to medical care, not only the rich as in America, in this respect it is better in Poland and if someone is rich, as in America as in Poland, they can use private health centers.
Where did you get the information about the US healthcare? I live in USA, I'm not rich, I have regular job, I have private health insurance It is not expensive and it is deducted from my salary. I get free preventive checkups, I have very low copays and deductibles. I was in hospital got quality care and it was not expensive. I'm very happy with the US healthcare.
@@peter_g546 Well, that's fine, until something serious happens, and then will insurance be enough?
@@jerzy7118 There is no limit, everything is covered. There is not many rich people here. Most working Americans have similar coverage as I. You shouldn't believe that hospital stay will bankrupt average American.
@@peter_g546 Every medical procedure in the USA has a price many times higher than in Poland. In Poland, treatments in private hospitals can cost a lot of money, but it is still a fraction of what it costs in the USA. Either you are exaggerating, or Americans coming to Poland are presenting the situation in the USA in bleak terms. A year ago, during a karate competition, our competitor broke his finger. The insurance company paid $5,000 for dressing and securing the finger during the trip to Poland. In Poland, a private doctor would charge a maximum of $120 for such a service. It doesn't matter that in the USA these $5,000 may be your monthly income and your finances may not be ruined, but in our country the $120 is a small fraction of the salary. For $5,000, you can perform a major surgical procedure under anesthesia in Poland.
@@ezb4 You generalize basing on one example that is not typical. There is no one price for one service in the USA. The same procedure performed in different place could be chipper or more expensive. Insurances have contracts with hospitals and those prices are negotiated. I've been to a hospital more than once and it was not very expensive. I think for a chip money you get poor service for a good money you get good service. This applies not only to healthcare.
After surgery, you don't move much, so you are given very light meals, usually soup, to avoid constipation, which may lead to complications.
I have had back problems since 26 (50 now) in USA and my mom 75 has the same problems in Poland (Szczecin). The facilities in Poland are scary looking. My hospital here looks like 5 star hotel compared to Poland. The huge difference is the doctors. In Poland doctors are doctors because they genuine want to help people where is US is all about $$$. I had 3 surgeries and 2 of them were unnecessary without any improvements but since I had good insurance policy from Fortune 500 company, they just kept on cutting. $280k worth of surgeries. Most people is US actually fly to Germany for artificial disc replacement as USA is way behind on that technology.
I'm sorry to hear about your back! I hope you're doing much better!
Do you know in Poland you can call the Ambulance to take you to the hospital for your surgery and after the surgery ask them to take you back home by Ambulance for FREE 🤯. The reason why they do not allowing many visitors in the hospital is because of the bacteria and safety for other patients. And also I think is better to sleep on the corridor and get "fixed" , than sleeping on golden pillows with chronic pain . Those hospitals aren't build to keep you comfortable and to keep you in if is not necessary, because nobody charge you an $1000 a day😂. But of course the most important thing on the end of the day is that your husband getting better and both of you have a clean head not worrying of any surprise with extra costs. Much love to both of you ❤
In Poland, everyone laughs that prisoners in prison get better food than patients in hospital, and this is not a joke. Literally, prisons have more funding for food than hospitals, this is absurd. The level of education of doctors in Poland is very high and they have extensive experience, so you can count on them to take good care of you, but you cannot count on comfort. Polish hospitals are underfinanced in this respect.
Yes, I definitely agree that the doctors here are very educated and that you are going to be in great hands! That's the most important thing, and we were very grateful to have that.
@@SarahAchleithneris there an option to feed "your patient" in the hospital, I mean would you be allowed to bring him food, if not dinner then at least some snacks?
@@LMB222She wasn't even allowed to go in with him after dropping him off. No visitors. Maybe they let you bring food When you come?
prisoners may revolt, patients may not, specially those ones who cant move
Polskie szpitale niedofinansowane? A na co idą nasze wysokie składki ubezpieczeniowe?
If in Poland free treatments cost $200,000, we would also have nice hospitals and private rooms with new beds :) in the USA, the simplest treatment costs +$10,000
💯☝
Yes American healthcare can be very expensive, but how much you pay out of pocket completely depends on your insurance, type of treatment, the hospital, where you are, and the copay/deductible!
@@SarahAchleithner In Poland, all students and those who work have insurance that covers all types of medical services. In the USA, there are many types of insurance covering various benefits depending on the price of the insurance, so the difference is that if your insurance does not cover medical services, you have to sell your house or die on the street, and in Poland there is no such thing, maybe the hospitals are in a terrible condition and you have to wait for services, but in emergencies (via emergency services), people have priority for life-saving treatments. I am a supporter of half-private and half-public health care, I always undergo private medical procedures, but I am always protected by the state in the event of something more serious (such as an organ transplant or treatment of a serious disease). The Polish system is quite weak, but I still think it is better than in the USA. So far, the best medical system I have encountered is in the Netherlands (although it also requires private insurance, which is required from all citizens, but is much cheaper than in the USA).
@@SarahAchleithner which is a big problem. Because then it is more or a luck thing. if you happen to have an employer with a good insurance, you will pay less. But if not, then you are fluffed. Add to that, that insurance company can reject you based of pre-existing conditions (and not all of them would be your fault). In comparison, in Poland, payment is done based on your level of salary and is not seen as a "benefit", but as something that every employer has to do for their employees. In addition to that unemployed and retired people are covered by state (for which state has to collect enough taxes of course). And then cherry on the top. Health insurance is not seen as a money making business, but as a service for citizens, hence health insurance company are kept under strict negotiation and watch by the government. That also includes basic medicament prices.
The food serving in hospitals in Poland is a meme since forever. Some hospitals also look like time has stopped in the 80's. Not everywhere is like that but yeah ;). Doctors are good though
The most important thing is that the surgery went well, and I am so happy for your husband, Sarah. You may consider letting the Polish Ministry of Health know of your experience so that the necessary improvements will be implemented. My best wishes Greg
thank you ♥
Well, Polish health care is, (together with education), the most neglected and mismanaged public service. The staff is well educated and experienced, but overworked. No one cares about working conditions or patient comfort. No one trains doctors and nurses how to talk to patients (working conditions kill empathy in employees).
However, there is one positive. When you leave a Polish hospital healthy, you do everything to not go back there again
Tak się mówi, ale chyba nie miałeś doświadczenia w innych krajach, gdzie jakąkolwiek pomoc lekarska, nawet ta pofstawowa jest tylko dla bogatych a szkoły kształcą idiotów - nasze uczą po prostu zbyt wielu niepotrzebnych rzeczy, ale człowiek kończąc liceum czy technikum ma wiedzę o życiu i świecie i może wypowiedzieć się nq jakoś temat. To nie jest takie oczywiste jeśli czasem porównasz sobie jak to jest rozmawiając z ludźmi w innych krajach. Co ciekawe - jeśli chodzi o edukację to już tutaj pieniądze nie mają aż takiego znaczenia, bo są biedne kraje, gdzie o człowieku , który skończył szkołę średnią można już śmiało powiedzieć, że jest wykształcony.... a są takie kraje, gdzie jest kilka dobrych szkół, a większość beznadziejnych i jak nie miałeś szczęścia się urodzić w danej dzielnicy, albo rodzice nie są bogaci to będziesz systemowym debilem :) )
First of all, congratulations on everything going well and that your husband is feeling better. I am probably the only Pole who considers the Polish healthcare system excellent. I know it sounds provocative, but the reason I think it's great is the type of questions that accompany accidents. In Poland, after an accident, questions like "where does it hurt, do you feel my touch, do you know what day it is," etc., are asked. In the USA, there's only one question - do you have insurance. That one makes a difference. By the way, the quality and aesthetics in Polish hospitals are changing. Perhaps to slow, but I have seen some that look great too. Still, the equipment and knowledge of the doctors are the most crucial factors. Rest like a poor food, old beds, and even unpleasant service don't matter. These are tertiary issues. Best!
ps.: Out of curiosity, I'll ask - are you able to provide an estimate (not necessarily exact, but roughly) of how much would such a surgery have cost you in USA despite having good insurance?
1000s up to 10,000s of USD. I know somebody on the east coast who paid 25k, other people I know paid ~1500. Its super varied
And it's even so if you have fairly good insurance right?@@AA1zxca
Yes, the amount you pay out of pocket is dependent on the insurance you have. So final bill will widely vary based on your insurance, type of treatment, the hospital, where you are, and the copay/deductible!
Lady you are comparing US private, paid health care facilities to Poland's public free ones (big mistake). There are private hospitals in Poland as well and the level of service there is much higher. The only thing is that one has to pay for all that luxury. Ps. Really glad Andreas made it through after all and did not end up with a huge bill (the bright side of it)
My experience has only been with public hospitals in America - not private. And yes we are very glad he is feeling so good and that we had such amazing doctors!!
@@SarahAchleithner Sarah look I live in the UK (as an EU citizen) and to tell you the truth when it comes to health care services (and a patient's needs) the most important thing is to get a high level service (which includes diagnosis, perscriptions etc.) by the doctor. What a hospital looks like is secondary to me. For example I have type 2 diabeties and here's my problem: My diabetic doctor in Poland says I should be taking insuline shots (which needs to be prescribed by a doctor) but back in the UK my GP says it's not so as insuline is for type 1 only and he refuses to issue a perscription. There's a lot of deaths each year in the UK due to misdiagnoses and the NHS (British public health operator) ends up paying millions of pounds in compensations to the families. Believe me your husband got a very good professional service by the doctor(s) as they are well trained and educated (compared to UK ones) regards Jacek ps. If you have the time I recommend (it's on TH-cam) a classic polish move (but I think it's avaiable with English subtitles) Its title: Znachor Polski film z 1982 roku
Poland's public free health care in reality is quite expensive.
Public hospitals in Poland vary a lot. There are some nice hospitals, recently redecorated and furnished and the are also many hospitals in old buildings, equipped with old furniture. The same refers to food. Most hospitals offer rather miserable meals, but actually there are also some hospitals that serve decent food (not great, but decent). The same refers to the staff- if you are lucky you meet nice nurses and doctors and if you are not ...well. TV in rooms where patients sleep is always paid (as far as I now), but its free of charge if it's in a common hall - some hospitals have such rooms where one can borrow a book to read , watch TV or even play a guitar.
The thing that surprises me is the issue with visits, because you definitely have the right to visit your friends and relatives in hospital, but usually there are certain hours when visitors are admitted , so I guess , there was some misunderstanding in this respect. Maybe you just didn't get the info about the visiting hours. From my experience I can say that if you kindly ask for permission to enter "just for 15 minutes because ... " outside the official visiting hours, they will let you in. Its also common that you bring food for your patient when visiting him. There are also small cafeterias or shops in hospitals where patients can buy something to eat and if they cannot move after surgery its common to ask another patient, nurse or nurse's aid (salowa in Polish) to buy something for you in this shop - nobody has to do this but I have never been refused such a favour.
I've had a few serious surgeries in different hospitals, and I've also visited some of my close ones in hospitals on many occasions and the esthetics, food quality and staff kindness varied considerably. Nevertheless, the staff professionalism is usually very high.
Thats post covid neurosa.
Things are so great in the US that 50% of Americans are afraid to go to a hospital/doctor in the US lest they go bankrupt and be fired. A simple example is that my sister's son who lives in Kansas broke his head in a fall and it cost her $5,000 to get 4 stitches. Really, just live in the USA 😂😂😂
"experience"... I can lay on a wooden desk with one pillow under my head inside a tent, and I will not complain if super experienced top notch surgeon will operate me.
edit: Yeah many Poles complain about the food, overall aesthetics, less privacy in a room etc. etc. But the most important thing I want from hospital is top notch equipment and top notch specialists and you didn't pay a penny for that.
The conclusion that I arrived at after listening to Sarah and her husband is that the level of medical competence of the health professionals in Poland is up there, however the secondary priority services need improvement. Well, marketing services has never been a Polish specialty, so I am not surprised about that. On the other hand, people go to hospitals to get medical treatment and things like food and modern facilities are less important. Given a choice, I would opt for the quality and the price tag of medical care over the ‘wrapping and presentation of the image’ of the hospital experience:
As was said many times, the Doctors and equipment was 10/10, the other stuff was subpar :)
@@AA1zxca That’s exactly my point! One does not go to a hospital for the ‘other stuff’, right?
In the USA not all hospitals are great. I have witnessed old failing equipment ( 5 different monitors were changed while I was there)and old furniture while visiting someone at three different hospitals. Respirator loud like a tractor. On top of that someone stole a smartphone from a patient and some personal stuff. When the meal came I took a look at the receipt and a couple things were missing on the tray. Interesting way to make extra money! I don't know if people can stay with someone for the night these days because everyone had to be gone by 8 pm. That was in CA where they have great hospitals like Stanford or UCLA.
Yes, hospitals definitely can vary from state to state and even city to city! I've only had experiences in the West (Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and California) so I'm just speaking from what I know and the places I've worked. But I am not saying all US hospitals are great - there are a lot of systemic problems that should be addressed!
It's true that hospital food is nasty, you have to take toiletries, towels and something to read with you. It's strange that there were no showers, I guess it was an old hospital, because in newer ones, showers are in the rooms or generally available somewhere in the back. corridor. In fact, my husband went to a not very interesting hospital, but with specialists and that is what counts. I know that in America, after such an operation, they are sent home the next day - the money and the number of operations are important, and in Poland, such operations last 3 days. but if you get a discharge letter from the hospital after a few days, don't be surprised that your husband stayed for 7 days. This is a common practice in public hospitals, because the hospital is then paid for 7 days, and here the money for the hospital counts. Good health .
Sarah overall I think ur husband it is happy 🙂 about polish public hospital. I think you didn't pay anythink ...i can imagine how much will cost that operation in US. Almost 2years ago my fiance had breast cancer. One from 5 of the worst. And she went to hospital realy quick after one week. And operation went well. We didn't pay at all... I saw cost in UK in US same operation was like 100k $ Before operation she had chemoterapy and one small bottle was cost 5k $. She had 12 like this for free. Hospital was in Łodz and building was nice had overhaul and was nice inside. I know about food in public hospitals in Poland it is like trash...from year's it is like this. I hope sooner will be better. We r happy ur husband fell better now. I wish you lots of health 🙂 cheers
I would say that we are most happy with the doctors and equipment at the hospital. We are even more happy that he is feeling so much better and is pretty much back to normal! I hope your fiancé is doing better :) cheers!
You can travel in time even in the same hospital ;) One ward on the same floor will be renovated with new beds etc and another one will looks like from a horror movie. The same with food - one time I was moved from one ward to another and catering looks different completely.
For me the most important thing is to be care with knowledge - I can eat good meal at home after a few days. But in fact first impression is very scary.
Money is paid from the most important things to less. So operating rooms, diagnostic will be always new.
Thanks so much for sharing this info. And I am happy for, and sending prayers for your husband's continued healing.
I am deliberating living in Poland for six months and the US, here for six months, and good health care is part of my consideration. So thank you again!
I hope you found this helpful! Overall, we were very impressed with the doctors and medical equipment here in Poland.
I’m glad that everything went well.
Now the sour part.
Don’t expect in other country that every one will speak English, it’s bad attitude.
Don’t compare public healthcare with paid one. Assume, you could pay easily $100k in states for it. In Poland there is private healthcare as well, and you can easily pay 50k there.
About food, menu, private rooms, look above, in private sector you’ll have it.
Food maybe not great, but it’s proper diet to your conditions.
For last five years I was in hospitals more than 50 times, and I pains nothing. In states non of the insurance companies could insure me. And bill could few millions of dollars.
This maybe harsh, but I’m honest.
Best for you guys
I know someone who spent weeks in a hospital in Poland, and he said it was fine. Not a luxury, but sufficient to make for an overall pleasant experience. The staff was great. The appeal of the building architecture might have a psychological effect but it's by far not the most important thing. Most of the Polish healthcare building infrastructure originates in the communist times. It is expensive to demolish a hospital compound and build a replacement, at the same time disrupting the operations, so for now it is what it is. Perhaps some people have too high expectations, going in expecting a 5 star hotel. Healthcare has to be affordable. You can install fancy hospitals with great food, but if only parts of the population can afford it, those who can't left to fend for themselves, is it really that great?
Looks like pictures of Meridian Idaho hospital St.Lukes. I had a disk replacement in my neck. In at 8am at home by 5pm that day.
Sarah, I thought you guys had a nice middle class jobs in Poland and hence should go to the private clinic, like your well off clients do. And when you decided to save money going public hospital in Poland, you accepted the metal hospital bed, no visitors, and the slice of bread with a tomatoe for breakfast. The Cook County Hospital in Chicago and other municipal hospitals in US where the inner town blue collar and unemployed people go to is equally rough and substandart, but you unfairly compare Polish public healthcare with the for profit private clinics in US. I have a good grasp of both systems as I grew up in Poland and been living in US for 32 years now. The hospital food in Polish public hospital is so you don't die from starvation while undergoing complicated medical procedure. It, is not the posh private clinic where they treat you like a celebrity. Witamy w Polsce. Welcome to Poland. All the best to you guys!
Interesting perspective! (Having just gone through an outpatient, just like he said, arrive 2 hours before, wheel out to the car one hour after the surgery procedure.) Healthcare used to be terrible in Poland (decades ago), glad to see things are not too bad now - that is all one realistically can expect from any health system. Everyone is grumbling a bit, all over the world about their healthcare.
Yes it's very true that no healthcare system is ever going to be perfect!
As an ex-paramedic and hospital worker I can you assure you, that you just had a little bump with the hospital estetics, due to public health care, we have a less money for renovations, cause most of it is spent on surgeries, medical equipment, post-operation therapy and upskilling the staff. But more and more hospitals are upgraded and looks better, the priority is on children hospitals.
Food in hospitals is ledendary awful in Poland, but it's part of the expirience, you have awful food, so you go home faster xP But I'm in shock that no one spoke english, especially, that most medical staff are educated people under 40yo. Towels should be provided, that's true.
Smaller rooms or having couple people in one room is a way to treat more people at once, that is why in Poland we don't have a custom of family by the bed full time, there are visiting hours.
Truth to be told, we don't really give a damn about the estetics and the food, we wan't to have a procedure quickly and go home fast.
In Poland hospitals are for the patients, not for visitors. One thing that is also very important, is that that lack of family by the bed is proven making patients to make progress faster, cause they are not codependent (i know it is a bit cruel, but it works). When patient needs more attention, or needs assistans, he/she will be transfered to onepeson room, where family can be by the bed full time or an additional nurse would be taking care of him/her.
That is a cultural difference, you'll just get use to it.
I've had the same issue as your husband and I never even heard of nerve regeneration medication, are you able to tell me what this pill is, I'd like to research it. Thank you, and quick recovery to your husband. I had a surgery and have very infrequent mild back aches since, nothing compared to the debilitating pain I was dealing with prior to surgery.
I would personally screw privacy, TV, and any comfort, if the surgery succeeds. I don't care cozy environment , when my body doesn't allow me to normal functioning. Anyway, I'm happy for you. Stay Healthy.
I found it quite funny when your husband said that his surgery experience was not good except for the surgery!
Like others mentioned before me food in hospitals in Poland is horrible hence tons of memes about it. One thing to thou i would rather deal with Polish doctor who is in it because he likes helping people that with an American one who lets face it is in it for the money at least most are.
I understand you didn't like the interior design, and I get it. Some hospitals are not much better here in Germany, I work in the ER, but normal wards are not always nice 😅. However, let me tell you, the pictures and your story reminded me of when I was staying in a High School dormitory of a PRIVATE SCHOOL close to Seattle, WA in my junior highschool year and I was in SHOCK when I arrived. Cried the entire first week and have never seen such dated and dirty rooming. My parents were shocked at the bills and I had the worst experience getting used to showering in flipflops, trying to never touch any wall or ground, repulsed from the most disgusting carpet and (?many cracked) tiles I've ever seen. I liked everything outside the dorm and the ppl but I still can not believe I survived that. It was a PRIVATE school😂 it cost all my parents' savings that year and when I saw how some ppl lived in the city and country I couldn't compare it to what I was used to in Europe. The food at the caf was like on your hospital pictures actually 😂 just sweeter and probably tastier due to all the high processed ingredients.
(Please do your research on protein and the mythology around it. After surgery you need vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.) So glad your husband got well and the surgery was a success. Our ER and ICU is probably as modern and well-designed as yours in the US. Still, I see the mistakes and flaws everyday and how everything is done for the money. Somehow all this needs to be financed. YOU pay for it, not big pharma. So maybe it is important for visual ppl like you and I 😂❤ to look past the superficial screen and understand what is essential and what is not. I totally get you though, but I try to tell my patients to not expect a hotel experience with a menu to choose from and the nurses to be at their service. 😂 It's always our expectations that make us happy /unhappy isn't it. Thanks for sharing this to you and your husband. Great video❤
We have great doctors , moody nurses, good equipment but rooms can be ruth and terrible food service. And all of it for free.
In America my brother go to hospital with cut on his head and doctor just look on it and said 1000$.
I prefer Polish system.
I'm curious which hospital exactly was that since I remember you're in Kraków. It can be a hit or miss. I unfortunately also had some experience with hospitals last year because my grandparents were hospitalised. One hospital (Wojskowy) looks definitely like time stopped in the 80s but at the equipment was new, like the beds and machines. Small rooms and 3 people in them tho. Can't tell about food but I know grandpa did get protein shakes because he hated them and tried to give them away. Another hospital was the freshly opened University one and WOW that felt like a freakin' 5 star hotel to me. The rooms were still small but each had its own bathroom with a shower! Automatic shutters on the windows too, super new equipment. I also happened to see one meal served and that actually looked good. It was also bread, veggies, ham, cream cheese and also crackers and jam. It was quite a large portion, not what you showed on the pics. I was a bit annoyed to see my grandma being picky because if I landed in hospital and was served that I would be in heaven 😂 But it might have been the meds messing with her sense of taste.
I'm not here to defend our hospitals. I know they are not perfect, but judging a book by its cover is more of an American thing rather than a Polish one, I guess ;-)
Just because the walls are not perfectly painted or the building is not in the newest fashion... who cares? I'm afraid that this mindset is going to change with the newer generation because of the culture transferred from American pop-culture, series, social media, etc. That's a lifestyle where people replace good things with new ones just because those new ones exist, not because the old ones are bad or broken. That's a very risky approach, especially for women, by the way. ;-) I personally prefer the 'JeszczeDobre' movement by Klawiter (which means 'it's still good').
The other thing is that public hospitals in Poland are more or less for free. The staff doesn't speak English, but I don't think that's a problem. I mean, if there are, like, 0.001% of patients who don't speak Polish, it's an issue to be addressed by them, not the healthcare system ;-)
The food is terrible, I agree, but the amount of money in the system is limited. Food for a single person is rather cheap, so a family can bring something if needed. The same goes for towels and other stuff. Everyone has towels at home and can wash them themselves at almost no cost, doing laundry for all other things. For a hospital, it would be a huge cost, so I prefer hospitals cutting costs in things that regular Kowalski can take care of and using that money for things Kowalski can't do by himself.
Sofas, families staying with the patient all the time, free entertainment, menu... a hospital isn't a hotel or a spa ;-) American hospitals are private; here we have private hospitals as well, and they have way better amenities and appearance, but they are not free.
Thanks for sharing your perspective to our country, it's always nice to hear the second opinion :-)
I've had two surgeries in the UK in total and after each surgery I was released from hospital within 2 hours of waking up while still high on anaesthesia. The hospitals also don't look that great although some new ones are quite modern and pleasant and staff are nice too. I guess every country has its own health service "crazes". It's just best to look after yours and your family's health throughout your entire life so that you can avoid using those "services"☺
It's so unfortunate that quality healthcare is not a priority in many countries 😥
@@SarahAchleithner Yes, unfortunately it is not but hopefully AI will help us increase healthcare quality in the not so distant future and eventually eliminate healthcare problems for good. One day we may even be able to buy our own personal home surgeon for a few bucks on Amazon hihihi☺
The truth os that the system in Poland was never **by design** intended to cover everything or everyone.
In the 90's, when the financing was reorganized from single payer (like UK) to something closer to the German system, the tax rate was 7.5%. It was quickly upped to 9%, but…
In Germany the rate is 15-16%.
Bottom line: buy complimentary private insurance.
6:30 - this is main reason why US have opioid epidemic and other countries don't. I have expirience with polish healhcare and I can tell you that, it's gives access to everyone, it's cheap, they will give you threatment on high level, they will cure you but nobody cares about how pleasant expirience is or how family feels about it. That's why it's cheap and accessible, they don't spend money on good food or family rooms. And another thing is that regional hospitals "Powiatowy" are the smallest type in polish system.
Mmm , very interesting, And I am now not looking forward to my upcoming hospital stay in March, not for back surgery though and in a different public hospital in Kraków 😮 But they look much better than public hospitals in my hometown in South Africa. I was just wondering was it safe in that you could lock away your valuables somewhere ?
There wasn't anything like that in the hospital we were at! Best of luck with your surgery - there isn't anything to worry about, especially since the doctors and equipment are of the highest quality!
Hi, thanks for your video. Well, now you know what's the difference between the public and private hospitals are alike.
hospital food is infamous for the horrible quality. It has been a meme for decades
American Healthcare is great if you can afford it and/or have good insurance. Unfortunately in the US, insurance is very expensive and covers as little as it can get away with.
I work in US as medical claims examiner and even with insurance you can go bankrupt. I came from Warsaw to Chicago 40 years and work in medical insurance claims for bin US insurance company.Bills we pay daily are in millions. Even I gave insurance I try not to go to doctors much because one day you get let go from job and what with treatment and bills.I can deal with bed as long as I don't go bankrupt. LOL
Food in polish hospitals is disaster, authorities think ppl buy food for themselves, or patient's family bring sth. My mother had back's surgery in 1993 in one of Warsaw hospitals , up to today (2024) no problems with back at all. Hope U will have the same.
Many things here work like this: they are effective and depressing at the same time.
i was in hospital in 1999 and food is the same I see, nothing changed for better, we even memeing that you go to hospital to lose weight, or prison food is better, because it will be unhuman to prisoners give them hospital food
God luck in Poland. Greetings from Krakow.
Great video and point well taken about the aesthetics of the Polish hospital, however, this is about only one hospital in the Krakow area. All hospitals in Poland are not leftovers from the Communist era. Although, most US hospitals are "modern" the care you get can vary greatly. Personally, if the surgery or any procedure was a success, I would not even think about how bad the paint was on the walls.
How did you feel when you received the hospital/doctor bill after the experience? I'm sure that was much different than in the US.
♥♥♥
You have absolutely nothing to complain about at all, gal.
I, after waking up after surgery, found that they mistakenly had sewn me on an extra third half-ass. And it happenned on my torso. I even don't know a donor however everything indicates that he was a black man. But you can get used to such minor mistakes here and just ignore them
Cheers from Poland.
😂😂😎
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Remainder: we had 45 years of communism - ineffective system. I’m surprised that surgery has happened in public healthcare so quickly. Thankfully all good with your back now - that is most important thing. In Poland we don’t stress much hospitals about food - we bring own food with.
Oj tam oj tam!
You could get a private surgery. It would be under 10k$. On the other hand you will forget about bad expierience before you would pay for it in US. 😁
Unfortuntely Polish hospitals are still in comunist time.
It's funny that you are complaing about a hospital built in the 70's in a small town whe you have some of the most modern hospitals in Poland in Krakow like the Krakow University hospital which is the biggest most modern and very much on par with any American hospital. I have been to the hospital in Chrzanow and I can honestly say that, that hospital is as bad as it gets. It is also very ironic that right next to the hospital there is an American private clinic that also performs surgeries.
Well those additional aesthetics in polish hospitals would mean additional costs, and our healthcare is underbudget. For those extra sheets, towels, etc. you would need probably a new laundry department with additional staff and that means money. Average budget for food in polish hospitals is like 15 PLN (less than 4$) a day, so here's your answer about that slice of bread with tomato (hospital food is a meme in PL - just google "jedzenie w szpitalu polska"). But for the sake of our health, the equipment like MRI's and so on is being updated, because with limited budget our hospitals spend their funds for what's most important. So better paint on the walls and additional sanitary might just wait for some time... Kudos for learning polish!
@Sarah Achleithner - can you tell us what would be average cost for that kind of operation in USA (I assume that greatly differs on your insurance, but still)?
Warunki bardzo podstawowe ale każdy Polak ma prawo do leczenia i zdrowia niezależnie czy jest bogaty czy biedny, mamy to w naszej konstytucji 😁
W Polsce badanie krwi w przeliczeniu kosztuje kilka dolarów , w Stanach Zjednoczonych za badanie krwi 700 dolarów podstawa nie mówiąc już o innych rzeczach, złamanie nogi , operacja wyrostka , wezwanie karetki itd System goli obywateli USA w głąb kieszeni i jak futro owcze do gołej skóry , ta bezgraniczna pazerność na pieniądz.
17:10 so youve stayed one day before and two days after a major surgery?
It it was 4 days, not 5*), then why are you complaining, seriously? Of a specialist decided hat for tiur health youre going to stay at the hospital, then listen amd dont argue. Its covered after all.
*)procedures that take ≥5 days are calculated sifferently amd hospitals sometimes abuse it.
Dlaczego w USA na ulicach jest tyle świrów bo tej wspaniałej służbie zdrowia nie opłaca się ich leczyć
To prawda, korzystanie z polskiego systemu ochrony zdrowia moze być pod pewnymi wzgledami traumatycznym doswiadczeniem 😅😅 Trzymajcie się! ❤
Amerykanie płacą tysiące dolarów rocznie w podatkach od nieruchomości a i tak opieka medyczna nie jest darmowa ( jak w Kanadzie na przykład ).
your husband is cured? he survived? You don't have to pay with your mortgage?... are you happy? Do you know the WOŚP? The Great Orchestra Of Christmas Charity in Poland that always plays in January? well a lot of the gear your husband was on was bought from this action...so you can support it:) cheers!
so you would have been an Oxicodin junkee in USA now, and in Poland you can live your life now.
As long as you're paying your taxes in Poland, its all right .
and all this for free ;)
A restricted diet during sickness is natural and normal. Fasting is even better.
This ought to be practiced in USA land of the obese. **
Hospital beds are for the convenience of doctors. They could put their backs out if they spent all day bending over hundreds of patients stretched out on the mud floor.
American beds are designed for these **
Well i get it last time when i was hospital there where a cockroach
😲😲😲😲😲
Just curious...I dont follow Polish politics very closely (I have to get better with that) but has there ever been any conversation on nationalizing healthcare? Or funding the current system? Or rebuilding hospitals? You see so many beautiful roads, bridges, highways, parks, with signs announcing funding by the EU....was there ever any conversation about using some of that money to build better healthcare facilities? Im not judging just honestly curious because i dont know and im afraid to broach politics with family.... ;)
1. In general, Poland has been developing for 20-25 years;
2. Not all areas have developed evenly;
3. Health has not been the most important area of public concern. Is only 10 years after we have dealt with poverty and lack of jobs;
4. Roads were in much worse condition than health care;
5. However, the fact that something has not been done in Poland does not mean that it will not change in the next 10 years;
6. The priority now is the Oncology, where the EU has criticized us a lot. Modern therapies are being rapidly incorporated;
7. The previous government finally released money for the modernization of hospitals, and this policy will be continued;
A "great deal" will change in the next 10 years, (regardless of who is in power). I would call this the effect of COVID and the needs of society.
tyle narzekania, co przeciętny Polak ;). spolszczyliście się
uhhh Polish Public Hospitals are the target of many jokes, especially the food - as you noticed, and the TV that you have to pay to watch (that's usually not even any decent TV) -> just historical stuff from the communism, and one of the last bastion that didn't got a decent reform since then. Every time i had to got to hospital in Poland it was kind of traumatic experience, and now as I live abroad - remembering of this public hospital experience is one of main reasons for me to not go back. I really really hope someone will finally fix the system, but polish politics is all about gay vs no-gay, abortion vs no-abortion, go-west vs no-go, but nothig about the actual experience of a patient in a public hospital...
That's also the reason why almost everyone who can afford this has the private insurance (but, as you also mentioned - it doestn't cover too much).
a Polish hospital is a death sentence, our doctors are, at best, taught how to issue a prescription, in short, how will you have a limb amputated? do it yourself
So, the bottom line is:
Specialist: top class.
Food: I've had better on the flight to North Korea 🇰🇵 😂😂😂
haha yep you are spot on!
Thank PIS for the hospital crisis, you are however comparing public aka not for profit hospital to american private hospitals... I would check out Polish private hospitals...
in poland ''envelope '' does magic, especially in hospitals but they will never ask you for envelope they will just ignore you!
I've undergone 5 surgeries so far and have never given any "envelopes". A thank-you card, chocolates or a bottle of wine afterwards - yes.
thank you card ?🤣@@dorotabarbowska2184
Every time I tried to slip an envelope in a hospital they almost kicked me out. Doctors always got offended and told me to keep my money and to get some high quality coffee and sweets for the nurses. You are full of sh. That's some 30 yo stereotype that keeps being repeated even though completely outdated.
What u eat u became . You forget your health is the most important.Shame you had operation .You can make still massive good 😀changes to your health .You make food choices every day .Good lack
Hi. Kraków in Poland is famous for tragic hospitals ( only Uniwersytecki szpital jagielloński have good quality and hospital for kids in Prokocim). Doctors are very good specialists but all medical society in Kraków is very corrupted. In orher Polish big cities is better ( especially in Warsaw where ewerything is on top world level), but Polish public health system is one the worse in EU...not that like in southern European countries or even UK but not is good. Fortunately is great private care 😊
powinnaś iść do prywatnego szpitala to miała byś wszysyko co w usa