Hotel St. Teresa

A couple of days ago my wife had to spend a night in the hospital.

It wasn't anything serious, but unlike my experience in a public hospital, and thanks to our medical insurance, we booked her into a private hospital: St. Teresa's in the Ma Tau Wai district of Kowloon.

There's a world of difference between public and private hospitals in Hong Kong. This one wasn't immaculate, but it was damned close. The registration desks were open and spacious, with no queue. We walked in and were served right away.

On the desk was an extensive list of room choices broken down by hospital ward and class. It was like checking into a hotel. The ward was huge and the room where she had been assigned had ample space between beds. As Mabel only needed to be in for one night, she didn't choose the private room, but with a mere three beds, the room was comfortable.

The difference between the first-class private room and the second and third-class rooms had less to do with the number of beds and amenities than it did with the cost of items and services. If we had chosen a first-class room, everything from a simple cotton ball to the doctor's fees would have increased in price. The quality of care wouldn't have changed one bit.

The staff was thorough, providing full explanations of all tests and procedures, but the excellent service came at a price. For one night in a room, plus operating theatre expenses, doctors' fees, materials, tests, medicines and meals, the bill came to $10,667 (US $1,367).

That validated having comprehensive medical insurance. Without it, Mabel would have chosen a public hospital; she would have been run through the system along with everyone else: like cattle. After this experience, it doesn't matter what the premiums cost, the insurance is a must-have. We'll be glad to pay for it, but not because it saved us from a big hospital bill.

It's because Mabel deserves the best care she can get.

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