I'm mostly a fan of teaching hospitals. Since they are associated with medical universities, that means they stay on top of the latest and greatest advances, and perhaps even more so because they are less about making profits (balancing budgets is one thing, making a profit is another) and therefore patients seem to get extra attention. Yes, I am mostly a fan.
I say "mostly" because there are some definite drawbacks to academic / teaching hospitals, too. July is one of them.
Why July?
As Kim Painter's article in USA Today explains -- it's about the beginners. A recent study showed why July is problematic, and in what ways -- really just reinforcing what many of us have suggested was true all along. The study results showed big drug prescribing dangers in July in counties across the United States with academic medical centers, but not the same effect in other hospitals, those not affiliated with medical universities.
I would even go so far as to say July is problematic for other aspects of healthcare, too. For the same reasons hospitals are dangerous, medical lab results can be skewed, or even wrong. My own misdiagnosis was partially a result of the time of year that lump appeared.
July is not the only time of year that presents problems to patients in hospitals. In fact, there are other times of the year that can be highly problematic to patients - even certain times of the week and day. Can you guess when those would be? Here's your answer.
The bottom line to anyone who faces a hospital stay in any hospital, at any time of the year - or the day or week -- is to make sure you have an advocate by your side. Someone who is willing to double check everything, ask questions, make sure anyone who touches you has washed his or her hands, and more.
Learn more about when you should avoid hospitals, and what to do if you can't.
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