With continuing flak in the US about how to modify the current medical care delivery system, here’s an interesting alternative to fully federal-funded ‘universal healthcare,’ courtesy of the Ukraine’s 10 year old hybrid system: the state pays for the procedure and physicians’ time - the patient pays, literally, for the nuts and bolts.

From a very interesting article on the BBC News network:

“”It is a state hospital”, Dr Kurylets explained, as he continued working on the patient’s spine, “but we cannot run, for example, this surgery from the [state] budget, because we need different types of screws, different instruments and things like that.”

All the basic medical provisions are supplied by the state-run hospital. All the high-tech extras - the screws and rods, the specialised x-ray equipment - are paid for separately by the patient.”

Somehow I don’t think American docs would be too amenable to pulling money out of their own pockets to pay for, say, hospital redecoration or personal bandage supplies:

“One surgeon on the urology ward agreed to speak to the BBC on condition of anonymity.

“Each of us puts in $100 or $200,” he said. “And with that money we pay to have the walls painted, replace some sanitary facilities, varnish these floors, and so on.”

And it’s not just cosmetic improvements that the medical staff has to pay for.

Reaching into his desk draw, the doctor pulled out a handful of catheters and tubes wrapped in sterile medical packaging: his own personal stash.

“It’s got to the stage now where we are buying things we need in order to perform an operation.“”

Although perhaps some wouldn’t mind getting paid with cognac…

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