Today we went on two site visits and got first hand experience into Argentine healthcare. In the morning we had a lecture by the former minister of health in Salta, Josefina Medrano. This gave us the perspective of someone outside the capital and from a poorer province. It was interesting to hear the issues she faced in her province, and her strategies to manage a business. Then we visited a public hospital and were shown around by the former head of ICU, Ignacio Jose Previgliano. We also visited a private Swiss Medical hospital and were shown around by the health director, Jorge Lantos. The two hospitals could not have been more different; and it magnified the reality of what we have been learning about. 

The public hospital, Fernandez Hospital, is one of the premier sites of Buenos Aires. While I don’t doubt the capabilities of the workers there, the appearance of the hospital was not the best. Many of the areas were run down and dirty, and the entire building seemed to need a revamp. It felt very strange to wander through the halls and see patients resting in rooms and receiving medical attention. Within the public system, the focus was not on privacy but more on ensuring the proper care. This is very different from American culture, where privacy is of utmost importance – a group of students would never be able to get inside the areas of the hospital we were in. Here, the doctors thought nothing of us being there, and the patients and family members only gave curious stares.

Meanwhile, the private hospital had a very different feel. The site was pristinely cleaned and had a very modern feel. All their resources seemed new, and the entire place felt more organized and less chaotic. In addition, each patient room had a full bath and living room. It was completely different from the cramped, shared rooms that the public hospital had.

The two hospitals were very different, but both play an integral role in the complex system of Argentina’s healthcare. The public hospital put a high emphasis on providing care to as many people as possible and has to concern themselves with maintaining efficiency. In the private hospital they seemed focus ensuring quality of service and profitability.