[davidw]

> I know that there are countries where it is worse, I am happy that everyone in the country had free health care. But, it could be much better.

Doctor's offices in the US look nicer than those in Italy, where I lived for a number of years. But ultimately, patients pay for that, and overall the US health care system is reaaaallllly expensive.

[klenwell]

See this NPR interview with a healthcare expert from the Kaiser Foundation:

GARCIA-NAVARRO: I mean, why do people get hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills for staying in a hospital?

ROSENTHAL: Well, the first thing I tell people when they ask me this question is to go into your local hospital and look around. And the marble lobbies, the art, the concierges at the front desk - our hospitals look like not five-star hotels - seven-star hotels. I mean, I think the most stark thing when people go overseas is hospitals in Europe, which deliver really high-quality care. They look like junior high schools. You know, they're not fancy, but the care is good.

https://www.npr.org/2017/07/02/535240692/the-call-in-your-qu...

That's not to say there's not a happy, affordable balance.

[davidw]

> They look like junior high schools. You know, they're not fancy, but the care is good.

Yes! That's exactly what my (limited) experience of hospitals in Italy was like. They're very plain, but the doctors know their stuff.

[neonhomer]

> And the marble lobbies, the art, the concierges at the front desk - our hospitals look like not five-star hotels - seven-star hotels.

Is there specific examples of these hospitals? I've never seen anything that extravagant in any of the hospitals in Pittsburgh.

[daok]

Living in California I can tell you that there is free parking with valets. You can charge your electric car and the lobby is definitely not looking bad at all. In one hospital, in Washington, there was a super high ceiling with a piano where a musician comes sometimes during the day to play. It's not everywhere like these two examples, but I've seen a couple where the level was way higher than in Canada or Europe.

[iancmceachern]

Living in SF I can tell you there are hospitals that charge $35/hr to park there while in the ER

Edited to correct typo

[daok]

Not the case in Mountain View or Los Gatos. Neither the case in Seattle or Kirkland.

[xemdetia]

I've seen some pretty flashy lobbies and interior spaces in Boston (Brigham and Women's) and Providence (Lifespan) where you get the hotel impression. I could not find easy-to-point-at pictures, but there are some littered around (best I can show is http://www.discoverbrigham.org/2017-discover-brigham-photos-... which looks like a convention hall but is actually shot at the hospital). As soon as you get past them though to the functional spaces it usually turns into the traditional easy to clean hallway systems, but some of the lobbies have that marble, high ceiling, hotel lobby kind of look. There are plenty that I have been to that haven't exuded that kind of feeling however (or were an alternate entrance).

[refurb]

The new PAMF clinic in San Carlos, CA looks like a 5 star hotel. I was shocked when I went there.

[LeonB]

You might’ve been in the ECT treatment area, I was shocked when I went there.