• TOPICS
    • Design
    • Manufacturing
    • Inspection
    • Heat Treating
    • Lubrication
    • Materials
    • The Gear Industry
    • Gears by Type
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Departments
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Subscribe
  • VIDEO
    • Gear Technology TV
      • Ask the Expert Live
      • Revolutions
    • Industry Videos
  • BLOGS
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • NEWS and EVENTS
    • Product News
    • Industry News
    • Events
  • ADVERTISING
    • Brand Awareness
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
    • Response & Lead Generation
      • Online: Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • Online: Buyers Guide
    • Print Advertising
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • Print: Specifications
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
    • Online Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • Online: Buyers Guide
      • Online: Specifications
    • E-mail Advertising
      • E-mail: E-Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: AGMA Industry News
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Specifications
    • Special Promotions
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
  • CONTACT US
  • AGMA
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Education
    • Emerging Technology
    • AGMA Media
    • Standards
Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Blogs » Gear Talk With Chuck » Observations on Health Care

Gear Talk With Chuck
Gear Talk With Chuck RSS FeedRSS

Charles schultz
Chuck Schultz is a licensed engineer, Gear Technology Technical Editor, and Chief Engineer for Beyta Gear Service. He has written the "Gear Talk with Chuck" blog for Gear Technology since 2014.

Observations on Health Care

April 12, 2016
Charles D. Schultz
No Comments
A lot has been written on the American Health Care System. Proponents tout the amazing cutting-edge technology; detractors lament our poor standings in rankings for infant mortality and other measures of the breadth of care. The Affordable Care Act has changed the landscape, but not the players. In the Chicago suburbs where I live, we have several “super groups” of hospitals that compete for every medical dollar. Most are teaching hospitals with the best equipment money can buy. Is it a cost-effective way to take care of people though? After several years of waffling, I scheduled a minor surgical procedure and now offer the following observations:
  1. My local hospital is now the largest employer in the county. It is a non-profit teaching hospital that had a “surplus” of almost $200 MILLION in a recent year.
  2. The facility’s public areas are on a par with a 5-star hotel; granite desk tops, designer furniture, marble hallways, and plush carpeting everywhere. There are two valet parking zones for patients; (unfortunately, the valets were late the day of my surgery). I am not sure there is a connection between high-end furnishings and patient outcomes, but they obviously don’t need to hold a bake sale to keep the place open.
  3. The people are top-notch and there are many of them. Four different healthcare professionals verified the spelling of my name and my date of birth. My procedure was not common so I appreciated the surgeon himself using a Sharpie to mark the “cut here line” just before they knocked me out.
  4. I have no idea what the operation will cost me or my insurance company. People were polite when asked for an “estimate,” but explained that “the system” was not set up to quote costs like you were getting an oil change.
If only we could apply that logic to our gear customers! Health care is a highly emotional topic; everyone wants the best for themselves and their loved ones. I suspect all customers in all markets want the best, and there is nothing rude about expecting good value for the dollar. Are American hospitals and surgeons ready for the offshore competition coming their way from Healthcare Tourism?

Recent Comments

Thank you for this - Happy Saint Patrick's...

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
FEATURED VIDEO
  • Helios1
    Forest City Gear Taps Helios Gear for Custom Cutting Tools
January 18, 2023
RECOMMENDED
  • Precision Equals Performance at ZPE GripTec

    October 12, 2022
    gt0922_Page_28_Image_0003.jpg
  • State of the Powder Metal Industry

    October 12, 2022
    gt0922_Page_30_Image_0001.jpg
  • The Afterglow of Furnaces North America 2022

    October 12, 2022
    gt0922_Page_20_Image_0001.jpg
  • Reigniting the Educational Infrastructure

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_20_Image_0001.jpg
  • Profile: Continuing Education and Training with the AGMA

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_26_Image_0001.jpg
  • Reigniting the Educational Infrastructure

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_20_Image_0001.jpg
  • Profile: Continuing Education and Training with the AGMA

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_26_Image_0001.jpg
  • Precision Equals Performance at ZPE GripTec

    October 12, 2022
    gt0922_Page_28_Image_0003.jpg
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • AGMA
Powered byAGMA
Copyright © 2023 Gear Technology
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact