My delicious breakfast.
Another early morning in Argentina, but thankfully I got a good night’s sleep. Today I ate breakfast with Elise and Maria and had an omelet and some yogurt. I think I am going to be low-key sad when I can not eat all of this great food for free every morning. There are still many more pastries to try, so I have to get my act together this week. We went to Sanitario de los Arcos and I slept for the short bus ride. We were reunited with Dr. Gabriel Novick, who truly has organized such an amazing trip for us here.
We heard from Dr. Marcela Travaglini, the medical director for Sancor Mutual Association. She taught us about mutualism and the involvement in the Argentine healthcare system. The basis of mutualism is “if you help me, then I will help you,” which is evident within the mutual organization. The administration is managed by members and financed through the membership fee and voluntary contributions. It covers health services and social assistance as well as functions as a non-profit organization, yet membership is completely voluntary. This is different from the private or Obras Sociales sectors of healthcare, as it works more as a unit. Sancor Mutual Association has 682,328 members which elect a board every single year. If you are a member of the board, you can only serve again after three years off of the board.
Maria, Elise, and I (L-R) with our mini sodas.
Artwork in the cardiovascular clinic.
The idea of joining a mutual association was new to me. There are many benefits, both philosophical and practical. I think one of the most important things about being in a mutual association is the idea of helping your neighbor. You trust one another to provide when someone is in need, which is related to the deep Christian roots within Argentina. In America, I feel as though this is more rare. Grant gave the example of the Amish, who live close to me in my home in Lancaster County. They do not participate in health insurance, medicaid, or medicare. They are a part of a sharing ministry, which is almost a form of a mutual, where you gather money and use it when someone falls ill. The basis of helping each other is ingrained in Amish culture, so they use this model to cover healthcare costs. On the other hand, a mutual association is a very cheap form of health insurance. You do not necessarily need to pay a lot of money to benefit and you can have a larger voice in how it is run. Since the organization functions as a democracy, the members elect the board annually and can influence how everything is operated. There are even subgroups within Sancor, which account for various geographic areas.
Footage of a procedure in the cardiovascular clinic.
We then toured a private cardiovascular clinic, ICBA. I was very impressed with the facilities and all that this private clinic offered. We heard from various people from the clinic and Dr. Mariano Benzadon spoke to us about innovation. They were extremely helpful and we received a tour of the facilities. My group began at the cath lab for the brachial artery and then to the cath lab for the femoral artery. All of the equipment looked state of the art and the doctors not just spoke English, but were extremely kind to us.
The high quality waiting room in the cardiovascular clinic.
Cath lab at ICBA.
We then toured the Museo de los Inmigración in Buenos Aires. We learned about the wide range of locations that people came from and how they started their new lives in Argentina. Elise, Maria, and I went shopping afterwards and enjoyed pizza and salad for dinner. I look forward to another fun day in Argentina tomorrow!!
Me at an exhibit at the Museo de los Inmigración.
Outside of Museo de los Inmigración.