ADVERTISEMENT
New exhibition coming end April www.ukrainianmuseum.org
Posted by Bohdan Oryshkevich, MD, MPH on December 13, 2000 at 20:08:38:
In Reply to: health care posted by Oksana on December 12, 2000 at 14:26:03:
Ukrainian health care is in a chaotic state. Technically it is still free. But its financing has eroded to almost nothing. Reformers look towards the Canadian system of health care as a model. But the reality points in a another direction.
Much of it depends upon what you can afford. Hygiene and absence of quality control is a major problem. This results in relatively low and erratic standards.
Nevertheless very good doctors exist. They make the system work under difficult circumstances. As an outsider it is difficult to find them.
In helping one pay for health care there are three levels of payment. First is payment for the medical facilities and the technical services as part of the hospital that are needed for the surgery. Second, is payment for physicians' fees and equipment. Third,is payment for hotel functions, food, linen, rooms, post-op care, and medications.
The secret is to find an honest broker who can sort out all that is necessary and orchestrate everything. Ukraine's hospitals are underfunded and from what I understand the patient at times has to organize everything before undergoing surgery.
That is all I can write about since I am in New York City.
Bohdan Oryshkevich, MD, MPH
usa.usa@attglobal.net