Hygiene in the local doctor´s office?

[KatharineAnn]

Hi girls, this probably is a really strange topic for a thread, but I want to know what your experiences are with hygiene in the hospitals/clinics where your health insurance covers. I have Hospital Británico, and I´ve been very disappointed, even to the point of being disgusted, with the way they do things here.

For example, when you get a gynecological exam they have you put on a cloth robe that clearly has not been washed between patients. You can tell because some patients just hang it haphazardly in the bathroom where you are told to change.

The exam table also does not have a sanitary sheet where you sit - its just a cloth cover that I cant imagine they could wash or even sanitize properly between patients.

This is just completely different to what I was used to in the US, and now I am starting to get used to things being done this way, but it still seems a little gross to me. I was wondering if other hospitals or plans cover doctors who are a little more sanitary in these practices, as it bothers me.

It also makes me wonder if they autoclave their tools before using them on you???? Gosh I really hope so. But I guess I dont have too much confidence in their hygiene practices at the moment!!

Opinions? Im looking to switch medical providers, so any opinions would be wonderful...thanks!!

 

[syngirl]

yuck.

I'm with OSDE and my gyno is the same as going to one in North America, everything clean, everything shown to you as fresh out of packet etc.

I'd switch if I were you.

 

[sergio]

I can't speak for women's health issues but I think the British Hospital is not what it used to be. The IADT (Instituto Argentino de Diagnostico y Tratamiento) is a fine hospital. I don't like health plans that include just one hospital. Get one that allows you to go to IADT and some of the other top hospitals.

 

[Ashley]

I'm with Swiss medical.
There's a choice of hospitals/clinics where you can go to get the various gynaecological examinations and they've all been very professional/sanitary.
Having said that though, I've got the most economical plan (400 pesos per month) and am a little hacked off by the extra charges every time I go to the doctors and the constant hike in prices.
I've heard good things about Medicus so that might be worth checking out. Its pretty cheap and I think there are several hospitals to choose from.

 

[amat]

I second Sergios recommendation of the IADT. Plus, you can actually make appointments online! I found it very clean too. My only complaint was waiting 45 mins-1 hour past appointment times, but that happens in a lot of places anywhere. I went with Medicus, which is handy because there was a medicus office across the street where I was able to get my BCP prescription authorized so that it was free. My plan is 360~ pesos a month with no copays, and no extra charges so far that i've seen.

 

[laureltp]

I'm with Swiss medical.
There's a choice of hospitals/clinics where you can go to get the various gynaecological examinations and they've all been very professional/sanitary.
Having said that though, I've got the most economical plan (400 pesos per month) and am a little hacked off by the extra charges every time I go to the doctors and the constant hike in prices.

I recommend swiss medical as well, but I pay 300 pesos a month. I used to pay 270 but then for some reason 2 months ago they raised their price by 30 pesos.

Well, anyway, I got the coverage because I am pregnant and so I have been to lots of exams and appointments and I find it comparable to the coverage of the US. Everything seems clean and everyone seems like they know what they are doing.

Although I have to tell you I don't think any of the doctors speak English, at least none of the ones that I have seen so far. I am not sure if that's a problem for you or not.

 

[KatharineAnn]

Thanks for your responses! I was considering switching to OSDE but was kind of wondering if this was just the standard of medical care in Arg, or if the hospital britanico was not so good...thanks for your advice.

I don´t mind seeing the doctor in Spanish, I´ve never said a word to these hospital britanico doctors in English, because despite being the ¨british¨ hospital, I highly doubt any of them are terribly fluent...

 

[katti]

I had a doctor in hospital Aleman (I am with OSDE), who spoke fluent English. Poor me doing my best to speak spanish,...

Where I went it was clean.

 

[laureltp]

I had a doctor in hospital Aleman (I am with OSDE), who spoke fluent English. Poor me doing my best to speak spanish,...

Where I went it was clean.

Don't feel bad! I just mentioned the language thing because talking to people I don't know in Spanish makes me nervous and going to the doctor makes me nervous, so you put the two together and I get a really shy. I just try to get in and out with as few words said as possible.

 

[mcaffa]

I have a great plan with Hospital Aleman and have had no complaints at all. My employer pays for my coverage and I haven't even had to pay co-pay for any of my appointments thus far.

My gyno's office is nice and clean. The only weird thing is that you don't get a robe or anything. You just drop trou and tell the doctor you're ready for him. A bit strange.