Special Amenities in hospitals, if you can afford it
Posted by
Staff Writer December 18, 2007 2:21 PMTags:
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Imagine being a patient in a hospital, and actually enjoying the experience with a personal chef and a larger room. Such exclusive amenties are being offered more and more every day at hospitals nationwide.
Three such hospitals in Colorado offer incredible amenities for those who are willing to pay the price.
The Rose Center for Preventive Medicine in Denver, The University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora and Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree all offer perks for patients who pay.
This type of customer service focuses on the idea of being patient-centered with little to no wait times and physicals customized for individual needs and desires. The cost of a full physical? $3,450, no insurance accepted.
This expensive and self-pay approach is the start of a new national trend which is occuring at the same time that affordable health care is in a crisis for middle- and lower-class Americans.
At the University of Colorado Hospital, same day results on tests such as heart scans and stress tests are deilvered personally by the physician, by the mere cost of $2,500. For $1,000 extra for someone who needs inpatient care, the University Hospital will provide catered meals, a personal nurse and a bed on the exclusive 12th floor, surrounded by beautiful mountain views.
Sky Ridge Medical Center provides patients with an Amenity Suite including flowers and a private chef for the extra cost of $250 a day.
Both University Hospital and Rose Medical Center have yet to disclose the amount of money these specialiazed programs bring into their hospitals.
A health economist at Princeton University, Uwe Reinhardt, explained "It's more about consumer satisfaction. You pay extra and you get pampered."
For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.