tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post1451508898082918820..comments2024-02-10T02:14:39.898-05:00Comments on Buckeye Surgeon: Kitsch and Kundera and the Hospital AtriumJeffrey Parks MD FACShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15650563299849196122noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-78919794277219905942009-10-22T01:00:51.730-04:002009-10-22T01:00:51.730-04:00This is a trend that goes across the country. May...This is a trend that goes across the country. Maybe it makes economic sense to the hospital---and so ultimately helps provide more money for real concerns, but it is smarmy, and worse, reveals real problems with our society. I feel that if people really cared, doctors, nurses, administrators, the public, about the fact that there are so many people without insurance we'd just work to cover them all. Beds would be bunked, halls filled with stretchers and people working free overtime, with extras going instead to the care of your neighbor with pneumonia and no insurance. <br /> Instead people feel ok about staying in a hospital room like at the Ritz while their neighbor has nothing, or economic ruin if they get sick. This reveals a perversity in our country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-29305781188679690042009-10-21T08:58:33.195-04:002009-10-21T08:58:33.195-04:00Have you read Benjamin's article on Dream Kits...Have you read Benjamin's article on Dream Kitsch. A useful rejoinder perhaps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-2583927283853976682009-04-08T23:22:00.000-04:002009-04-08T23:22:00.000-04:00Hey,I think you're dead on with a lot of your crit...Hey,<BR/><BR/>I think you're dead on with a lot of your criticism of society, and more importantly you're clever throughout.<BR/><BR/>A couple of thoughts: <BR/>What about the dignification of the patient process? I'm all for it if a prison-cell hospital appearance is directly linked with better outcomes, but otherwise a positive environment really can do a lot to aid healing.<BR/><BR/>You're still totally right that Kitsch is valued higher than medical outcome statistics, which is insane. Like, batpooloco. But the investments you find offensive later in the blog, the additional OR, bigger facility, things that increase demand, don't seem to be driven by our kitschfascination.<BR/><BR/>I think they're driven by the fact that we're a profit-driven healthcare industry. So long as private, profit-motivated groups make the decisions about hospital investments and policies, things that will increase the bottom line will win out.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13794022258462779947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-90513042382896957342009-02-22T16:07:00.000-05:002009-02-22T16:07:00.000-05:00This is a wonderful post. I used to be able to wri...This is a wonderful post. I used to be able to write like this myself, before med school, research, and especially residency took most of that out of me - my wife refers to it as "back when you were interesting". I am delighted to see someone get through it all and stay interesting. What's your secret?Victor Lazaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11634100793910465958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-81978710046552821552009-02-17T07:48:00.000-05:002009-02-17T07:48:00.000-05:002008 was the year of breast cancer treatment for m...2008 was the year of breast cancer treatment for myself. I was treated at a huge cancer center which was connected to a fancy hospital with atriums all over the place. I had to be admitted to the fancy place because of complications from chemo. It was a total nightmare. We think the problem was that the fancy place was understaffed. For my surgery, I had to go to a smaller hospital a few miles away from the fancy one because of scheduling difficulties. The smaller hospital was a dump. Probably hasn't been renovated in 30 years. They had to kick me out because I didn't want to leave. It was like staying in a 5 star hotel. Hopefully, this is all over for me but if not, I've learned that fancy doesn't mean good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-40889009667466032332009-02-16T21:06:00.000-05:002009-02-16T21:06:00.000-05:00There's nothing like hearing Marlene Dietrich, in ...There's nothing like hearing Marlene Dietrich, in an interview long ago, utter the word 'Kitsch' in regards to an old film of hers. It gave the word a veneer of classiness.<BR/><BR/>The hospital at the U. of Pennsylvania has long had a marble, 2 story high atrium. Breathtaking.<BR/><BR/>But just try to get a copy of your medical records from the hospital. A breathtakingly fruitless endeavor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-70319434744090819382009-02-16T09:04:00.000-05:002009-02-16T09:04:00.000-05:00I want my Hospital to SMELL like a Hospital...you ...I want my Hospital to SMELL like a Hospital...you know, like a Prison.<BR/><BR/>FrankAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-39266685929632691752009-02-15T07:37:00.000-05:002009-02-15T07:37:00.000-05:00Another home run.Another home run.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-89073763719768513642009-02-14T16:32:00.000-05:002009-02-14T16:32:00.000-05:00Nice job putting that into words. When I try I of...Nice job putting that into words. When I try I often just end up incoherent with anger and disbelief.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-47949689400100602682009-02-14T10:11:00.000-05:002009-02-14T10:11:00.000-05:00Really, really good stuff. Thanks for the think on...Really, really good stuff. Thanks for the think on a Saturday morning. It's good to be reminded that life is complex. I wish thinking were sexier. More people might do it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760353953251845523.post-48930865246237815342009-02-14T10:04:00.000-05:002009-02-14T10:04:00.000-05:00I wish you could hear me clapping. I agree whole ...I wish you could hear me clapping. I agree whole heartedly.rlbateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15236331355857884458noreply@blogger.com