We had friends of ours visiting from India a few years ago. They both are doctors. They stayed at the Hilton in San Francisco. We were staying about 50 miles from the San Francisco City.
I and my wife showed them around the Bay Area. Then took them to our home for dinner.
The conversations were mainly about hospitals in USA and in India.
I opened my big mouth and said hospitals in USA are required to treat you in an emergency whether you have money or not. Whether you have insurance or not. Even big-name brand hospitals have to treat a patient in case of emergency.
I also said it is not like that in India. I read many news items where women who are in delivery pain were not admitted because they do not have the financial resources.
He (the male doctor) said delivery is not an emergency. These ladies know for 10 months that they are going to deliver a baby. Emergency is something that happens unexpectedly like someone is involved in an accident and have to be taken to the hospital immediately and operated upon.
She (the female doctor) took umbrage to her husband’s remark and started arguing with him.
Back and forth, it almost became a fight.
I and my wife, being the host, tried to calm them down and told them dinner is ready.
And they enjoyed the dinner. After dinner we dropped them in their hotel in San Francisco.
(Hope they did not continue their argument after going back to India.)
What do you think? Is delivering a baby an emergency?
My opinion is delivering a baby is not an emergency. It's well planned🙂
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Coach. And, thanks for your input.
DeleteIt's a valid argument that they very well know she is going to deliver the baby any moment after 9 months and it is not an emergency case. Countries like India cannot expect even the richest hospital to do free service for delivery. Then all the private hospitals have to be closed due to heavy losses
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Gowri. And, thanks for your input.
DeleteNo emergency when things go as per plan and as per informed time. However, many times there is pre-mature delivery & sometimes the case is complicated and caesarian operation is needed.
ReplyDeleteMany women around the world still lose their lives during childbirth :(
Thanks for your comments Anita. And, thanks for your input.
DeleteIf two doctors cannot figure it out, how can a common man?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Rajesh.
DeleteWe cannot compare India with USA. MMR ( mother mortality rate) is higher her for a variety of reasons the main being,
ReplyDeletethe poverty,the inaccessibility of health clinics with adequate facilities in rural areas except in district HQs, illiteracy and reliance on village quacks. Free treatment for poor up to some percentage in private hospitals is not that easy. We have a long way to go but getting better each year.
KP
Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. You did not tell us if this is an emergency or not.
DeleteAnything that endangers the health of a patient is an emergency
DeleteThanks Mr. KP
DeleteIt could turn into an emergency if there are last minute complications or a pre-mature birth etc
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Pooja. And, thanks for your input.
DeleteLike it has been pointed out in previous comments, delivery could go perfectly as predicted by the doctor; but there could be unexpected developments that will definitely be counted as emergency. I think this is very common knowledge. I am surprised that the male doctor seemed to be ignorant of this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Pradeep. And, thanks for your input.
DeleteGreat post .i agree with first comment that delivery is well planned except in some critical situations though treating a human in emergency must be done at any cost because we are humans after all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Thanks for your comments baili. And, welcome to my blog. I agree with you. Hospitals should treat people in emergency at any cost.
Deletebaili, please visit here as often as possible.