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Sunday, October 8, 2017

Italian Public Medicine: Testimony From My Readers

·      I gave birth to my second one at Fatebenefratelli Hospital. I still remember it as an experience from a third world country.
·      I had a protesi inverso [reverse prosthesis] right shoulder done, great young doctor, great 50 days therapy after, all free. I have a young woman base doctor here in my town and she has saved me twice on diagnosis...
·      an email written at 11:39 AM: Here at xxxx Hospital since 8:00am, haven't yet seen the doctor (eye check up). So far 82 patients all in different stages of waiting and all assured we will be seen....
·      My son had a collapsed lung and was immediately operated on for free by a top doctor. That son is now studying medicine, practically for free...
·      I had the personal experience of visiting a friend's father who was in a Firenze hospital with lung cancer. The green tile on the walls of the rooms and hallways harkened back to 50s operating rooms, and the oxygen breathing apparatus he was using was a crude enclosure that sat on his head and covered his face with a plastic mask. He shared the room with another patient who smoked during our visit.
·      I just could not bear to hear one more doctor say "Non si preoccupi signora, ci penso io" [Don’t worry your little head, ma’am, I’ll take care of everything] when I had a question.
·      My experience with the health system in Italy was positive. I had the same GP throughout (22 years), neither of us aged a day, I never paid a penny. My best experience was when I succumbed to a bout of despondency in the doctor's studio, this about 1992, in tears I was, and he poured me a glass of whiskey.

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