Today we got to visit ICBA– private hospital in Buenos Aires. The hospital specializes in cardiovascular care. We had a quick lecture on how the hospital is managed. We looked into the hospitals margins of ROI in comparison to public hospitals in different areas. One thing I noticed is how beautiful the inside of the building is. Each floor lounge had white leather seats on top of shiny black tile floors. This hospital is immensely different from public sector hospitals, especially in places like Tigre.

It is very hard to ignore the differences in supplies, architecture, organization, salary and profit margin differences between private and public hospitals. Public hospitals like Tigre, are overwhelmed with lack of supplies and under-resourced, staff and money wise. Emotionally, it is off putting because I would hope that everyone could have equal opportunities. The divide is tragic, economically and emotionally. Cognitively, it is fascinating. The lecture on financial management helped show the whys and hows behind the difference– private hospitals have different incentives, clientele and funding structures. It is also kind of uncomfortable morally because as I am admiring it I start to think back to other towns that have nowhere near this kind of opportunity. All this kind of challenges my pre assumptions of comfort within other countries. There is a harsh reality that in other parts of the world healthcare is a scarce system or an inefficient system.

Visiting ICBA was a great opportunity to learn more about the economics of the private sector compared to the public sector. It also opened my eyes to new perspectives, especially emotionally to witness differences between different cities and areas within Argentina.

Jacob Wizov