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Awhile back I was struck by the sprawling medical campus at my University (in the US). First I passed by the original hospital, a large six story structure. The

by jostmey 12y ago

Awhile back I was struck by the sprawling medical campus at my University (in the US). First I passed by the original hospital, a large six story structure. Then I passed the new Children's hospital, an even larger building. Finally I walked by the latest building under construction - a twelve story behemoth spread over several city blocks. It seems that every few years a new building is added, and each one is bigger than the last. Something about the pattern felt vaguely familiar. What I asked myself also exhibits unrestrained exponential growth like the pattern of construction that I saw - then I realized the answer. A tumor!

forca 12y ago
I voted you up. What you say is disturbing and true. American medicine treats the symptoms and intentionally strings people along rather than cure the underlying cause. There is no profit in curing cancer -- only in the treatments. I'm convinced of this after having a few people I dearly loved die in the American medical system. We need more of a system whereby our taxes are used solely for the good of the people -- to improve our lives. It's sad, really. As much money as the US has, we could have the highest standard of living on the planet, but we're nowhere near that because of greed on the parts of tax-dodging corporations, greedy capitalists, and a whole host of other reasons.
Spooky23 12y ago
People are voting you down, but you make a great point. It's especially apropos when you realize that many US states have massive gluts in hospital beds and more and more procedures that once required hospitalization are now outpatient, and private insurance makes it punitive in most cases to stay in a hospital for any length of time. The money for these building binges is mostly from Medicare, which still allows hospitalization in more cases. The fact hospitals have sufficient funds to constantly build massive facilities is a signal that they are making too much money on Medicare. Particularly disturbing when you consider that Medicare is effectively a price floor for medical services.
secabeen 12y ago
If this is in California, they are probably replacing the old hospital for earthquake safety reasons.

by jostmey 12y ago

forca 12y ago

I voted you up. What you say is disturbing and true. American medicine treats the symptoms and intentionally strings people along rather than cure the underlying cause. There is no profit in curing cancer -- only in the treatments. I'm convinced of this after having a few people I dearly loved die in the American medical system. We need more of a system whereby our taxes are used solely for the good of the people -- to improve our lives. It's sad, really. As much money as the US has, we could have the highest standard of living on the planet, but we're nowhere near that because of greed on the parts of tax-dodging corporations, greedy capitalists, and a whole host of other reasons.

Spooky23 12y ago

People are voting you down, but you make a great point. It's especially apropos when you realize that many US states have massive gluts in hospital beds and more and more procedures that once required hospitalization are now outpatient, and private insurance makes it punitive in most cases to stay in a hospital for any length of time. The money for these building binges is mostly from Medicare, which still allows hospitalization in more cases. The fact hospitals have sufficient funds to constantly build massive facilities is a signal that they are making too much money on Medicare. Particularly disturbing when you consider that Medicare is effectively a price floor for medical services.

secabeen 12y ago

If this is in California, they are probably replacing the old hospital for earthquake safety reasons.