Public-funded hospitals occupy a major proportion of healthcare system. However, it is usually argued that people who can pay more to avail a faster and better treatment should be encouraged, in a public-funded hospital. However, I completely disagree with this, due to the fact that this can lead to various problems, such as bias in the quality of care and unavailability of appropriate treatment.
To begin with, partiality in healthcare based on the financial status of the patients can be a huge disadvantage in the healthcare system. As richer patients would be able to afford more, they would be treated differently than the others. This will not only lead to fast tracking the normal waiting time but also will lead to difference in treatment provided. Sadly, various factors, such as drugs, bed-side care, nursing care, are delivered according to the amount of money a patient can spend. Moreover, this is the primary reason why there is a huge difference in the quality of care between general and private wards. A recent report showed that, the mortality rate in general wards is around 20% higher than that of private wards, in a same hospital. Clearly, this difference in care can be attributed to the difference in financial status between the two groups.
Secondly, when a richer patient bypasses the normal workflow (fast-tracking) in the hospital, it creates a seamless delay in the treatment of other patients. Unfortunately, these can deter someone who deserves, from receiving the appropriate care. Hospitals in general have limited resources, such as the number of MRI machine, X ray machine and ICU beds. The approximate time an MRI machine takes to process a scan is around 45 minutes. And there are instances, where someone who needs to get the scan first, as he/she was higher in the priority due to an emergency condition was denied, due to another elective non-emergency patient who paid a higher amount for the same scan. This is a huge disadvantage to this system and can even result in deaths.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that, stratifying healthcare according to the financial status of the patients in a public-funded hospital to avail faster and better care should not be allowed. As this can cause partiality in the quality of care and unavailability of appropriate treatment.
Public-funded
hospitals
occupy a major proportion of healthcare system.
However
, it is
usually
argued that
people
who
can pay more to avail a faster and better
treatment
should
be encouraged
, in a public-funded
hospital
.
However
, I completely disagree with this, due to the fact that this can lead to various problems, such as bias in the quality of
care
and unavailability of appropriate treatment.
To
begin
with, partiality in healthcare based on the financial status of the
patients
can be a huge disadvantage in the healthcare system. As richer
patients
would be able to afford more, they would
be treated
differently
than the others. This will not
only
lead to
fast
tracking the normal waiting time
but
also
will lead to
difference
in
treatment
provided.
Sadly
, various factors, such as drugs, bed-side
care
, nursing
care
,
are delivered
according to the amount of money a
patient
can spend.
Moreover
, this is the primary reason why there is a huge
difference
in the quality of
care
between general and private wards. A recent report
showed
that, the mortality rate
in general
wards is around 20% higher than that of private wards, in a same
hospital
.
Clearly
, this
difference
in
care
can
be attributed
to the
difference
in financial status between the two groups.
Secondly
, when a richer
patient
bypasses the normal workflow (
fast
-tracking) in the
hospital
, it creates a seamless delay in the
treatment
of other
patients
. Unfortunately, these can deter someone
who
deserves, from receiving the appropriate
care
.
Hospitals
in general
have limited resources, such as the number of MRI machine,
X ray
machine and ICU beds. The approximate time an MRI machine takes to process a scan is around 45 minutes. And there are instances, where someone
who
needs to
get
the scan
first
, as he/she was higher in the priority due to an emergency condition
was denied
, due to another elective non-emergency
patient
who
paid a higher amount for the same scan. This is a huge disadvantage to this system and can even result in deaths.
In conclusion
, I
strongly
believe that, stratifying healthcare according to the financial status of the
patients
in a public-funded
hospital
to avail faster and better
care
should not be
allowed
. As this can cause partiality in the quality of
care
and unavailability of appropriate
treatment
.