Breakfast in our hotel this morning.
Another great day in Argentina is in the books. It began with a delicious breakfast provided in the hotel. I was very pleased with the wide selection of food. We then headed to Sanatorio de los Arcos, a private hospital within Buenos Aires. We heard from Dr. Gabriel E. Novick, a board member of the Swiss Medical Group and he served on various committees within the public system. Gabriel provided us with a lot of information about the private sector of healthcare within Argentina and an overview of the system as a whole. He used an analogy of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to describe the Argentine healthcare system. I find this metaphor to be both comical and practical.
Photo taken on our way to Sanatorio de los Arcos.
The Argentine healthcare system is a very complex thing. To put things simply, there are three sectors that serve various groups of people and provide different ranges of coverage. These include the public sector, Obras Sociales (social insurance), and the private sector. The problem arises when people take advantage of the system and double dip into various sectors when they do not necessarily need to. For example, if someone of high socio-economic status has private insurance and is feeling a little sick, they should go to a private clinic or hospital. However, if they go to a public hospital, which is free to everyone, the public hospital should technically charge the private insurance for the treatment. However, this billing often does not take place, which leads to the Public sector losing money. Statistics show that the population of Argentina is 40 million people, yet if you account for all the insurance coverage, it totals to 60 million people. This means that 20 million people are doubling up on insurance and taking advantage of how the system operates.
Dr. Novick said in this presentation, “The healthcare system is more than good enough. Sadly, it’s more than good enough. It does not allow you to push the limits of the system.” This is a major issue within Argentina because the healthcare is good and is considered a right within this country, yet all the parts working together do not necessarily create an effective plan of care. This is what Dr. Gabriel Novick is referring to when he says the system is like Frankenstein.
Croissants during our break between lectures.
After Dr. Novick’s speech we were able to take a short break and enjoy some croissants and beverages before Dr. Luiz Gimenez, former Deputy National Minister of Health, spoke to us about the public sector of healthcare. We then went out to lunch at Bio Restaurant, which was a short walk from the hospital. I got the pasta dish and it was wonderful.
Pasta for lunch from Bio Resturant.
Following our meal, we heard from the Medical Director of Sanatorio de los Arcos, Dr. Jorge Lantos. He gave us a brief overview of the effects of COVID-19 in the hospital and then gave us a tour of the facilities. I found many similarities and differences when comparing it to a hospital within the United States. Finally, we heard from our very own Grant Martsolf with his lecture on advanced practice nursing.
Dr. Jorge Lantos in a hospital room in Sanatorio de los Arcos.
Tori and I with our Mouse de Chocolate from Dandy’s.